As families across Washington State find homes out of reach, hundreds gather in Olympia for more affordable homes and an end to homelessness

WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 28, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — Widening inaccessibility to affordable homes and an increase in homeless young people across the state means these issues have become a huge priority for communities across the state.

Last year, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction found more than 27,000 homeless young students across Washington with the largest jumps in young people who are “doubled-up”, which means couch-surfing or staying at the home of relatives or neighbors.

In addition, the National Low Income Housing Coalition found that for every 100 extremely low-income families in the state earning less than $23,400 a year for a family of three, only 47 affordable apartments are available.

These two facts taken together means the legislature must act to help create affordable homes and fund successful programs that transition people off of the streets into safe, healthy, affordable homes.

This is also why this year’s theme is “…It All Starts at Home…” Advocates are increasingly making the connections between having a home and positive education and even healthcare outcomes.

Coordinated by the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, we have a full day planned for our advocates, including legislator meetings throughout the day, advocacy workshops, and a rally on the north steps of the Capitol Building. The Advocacy Day rally features Senator David Frockt (46th LD) and Representative June Robinson (38th LD).

Our State Legislative Agenda includes:

• Pass Part 3 of the Fair Tenant Screening Act – (HB 2537/SB 6291)
  Ensuring people undergoing a housing search don’t have to repeatedly pay for costly and unnecessary duplicate tenant screening reports.
• Eliminate Document Recording Fee Sunsets – (HB 2368/SB 6313)
  Preserve real estate document recording fees, which account for over 60% of funding for successful homeless programs, especially in rural counties.
• Bring the total Housing Trust Fund investment to as close to 4% of the total Capital Budget as possible.

Housing Alliance Executive Director Rachael Myers believes that our legislators can make a huge difference this short session, “Our state has made progress on ending homelessness – since 2006, we’ve reduced it by 29% statewide. But on any given night there are still more than 17,000 people who are homelessness, and many thousands more who can barely afford to keep a roof over their heads. Even in this short session, the legislature has an opportunity to make sure we’re moving forward, not abandoning efforts that are working.” ###

Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
8am-4pm

Convening & Workshops
8am-12:30pm
The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501

Advocacy Day Rally
12-12:30pm
North steps of the Legislative Building

Meeting with Legislators
11:30am-3:30pm
Capitol Campus

Contact: Joaquin (WAH keen) Uy (wee)
206.427.2999 (text or call), joaquin (at) wliha (dot) org