The Action Team

Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) bill negotiators have been assigned to work with the House on a compromise bill.

Senator Joe Fain (47th LD, R-Auburn) and Senator Bruce Dammeier (25th LD, R- Puyallup) currently hold central negotiating roles and will be key decision makers on the Senate’s final position on the Homeless Housing and Assistance surcharge (ESHB 2368).

And today is supposed to be "sine die" or the end of session. But unfortunately we still don't have an acceptable resolution that protects the Homeless Housing and Assistance Surcharges from sunsetting. Our concerns with the MCC's bill include:

• "For-profit Landlord Provision" that would restrict a significant portion of the homelessness funds solely to the for-profit, private market, shutting out homeless housing nonprofits. We believe private/public/nonprofit partnerships are important for ending homelessness. But language that seeks to line the pockets of for-profit landlords, instead of allowing state homeless dollars to be spent in the most effective and efficient manner is egregious and sets a very dangerous precedent.
• Merely extends the Homeless Housing & Assistance Surcharge by one year, rather than eliminate the sunsets.
• Inserts bureaucratic red tape for program administrators that will impede the ability to use the funds in an effective and efficient manner.

So...if you live in either of these districts, please call:

Image Senator Fain’s office: (360) 786-7692

Image Senator Dammeier’s office: (360) 786-7648

Use this script (feel free to personalize it):

"As your constituent, I want you to make sure your colleagues stop weakening the Homeless Housing and Assistance Surcharge bill and that you pass a bill that eliminates the sunsets and that does not have a special quota for for-profit landlords. Please pass a bill more closely resembling E-S-H-B 2368. Thank you."

Edit: March 13, 2014 9:43am