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U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) applauded today the inclusion of her permanent credit rate floor for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit in the final tax extenders package. The critical fix to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit—a program that has financed 90 percent of affordable housing projects in the United States and more than 50,000 affordable housing units in Washington state—will be permanently renewed.

Mayor Ed Murray announced the City of Seattle's $45 million investment in affordable housing development through the Office of Housing's Rental Housing Program. Once completed, these 809 apartments will be home to low-income families, youth, seniors, and single adults, some of whom would otherwise be homeless

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04), released the following statement applauding House passage of H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act. This legislation will modernize the country’s energy laws and infrastructure for the 21st Century, facilitate more domestic energy production, modernize our energy workforce, improve management of the electric grid on federal lands and forests, update hydropower regulations, and strengthen overall U.S. national security and energy independence.

Councilmember Nick Licata, chair of the Budget Committee, released the following statement after the Budget Committee sent a 2016 Budget to the Full Council

The Board of County Councilors unanimously approved the county’s stormwater and code manual update today during a scheduled consent agenda meeting.

Acting County Manager Mark McCauley is seeking volunteers to serve on the county’s Clean Water Commission. Two positions are available, and terms run from January 2016 through January 2019.

The idea for the REDI fund emerged from a 3-year regional planning effort, Growing Transit Communities, which concluded in 2013. The City Council authorized the $1 million in the 2015 budget and asked the Mayor and the Office of Housing to develop a Regional Compact with King County, the State of Washington, and other regional public and private partners to govern expenditure of the fund.

The City of Bellevue invites residents to an open house on Nov. 19 to give input on the Draft Water System Plan, which describes how the city plans to meet water needs for the next 20 years. The open house will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 450 110th Ave. NE, in Room 1E-113.

In Seattle, homeless veterans in urgent need of housing will be identified in partnership with the Veterans Administration for placement in ten designated VASH project-based voucher apartments at the Low Income Housing Institute’s McDermott Place, which currently serves 28 veterans.

HASCO was established in 1971 to increase affordable housing in Snohomish County. HASCO is a long-time recipient of HUD-VASH grants, including a grant to house 12 veterans experiencing homelessness earlier this year. The 20 housing units funded with this new grant brings HASCO’s total number of HUD-VASH vouchers to 219.

The three cities thank their customers for helping the region stretch its water supplies to meet the needs of people and fish in this unprecedented year. “As we move from the voluntary to advisory stage of our drought response plan, I want to acknowledge and thank the customers of Everett’s water system for meeting and exceeding the 10 percent reduction goal,” said Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson.

“With this vote today, Seattle neighborhoods will become more sustainable, socially inclusive and economically diverse. For the first time, private developers will build or contribute to affordable housing with every new apartment building or office building

Over the past 18 years, the Technology Matching Fund program has enabled 153 community organizations to build their capacity to provide technology and internet access, digital skills training, and electronic civic engagement. The majority of City funding for the program has been allocated from cable franchise fees, and has reinvested over $3.9 million in community based projects.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced a Major Disaster Declaration for the record-breaking wildland fires that affected communities across Washington state.

The penalty also cites the company for attempting to handle the shipment without proper planning or preparation. Soil in stormwater is a pollutant. The particles can harm habitat and injure the delicate breathing tissues in fish gills

U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) called on key agencies to increase their use of innovative building materials at federal construction sites. In a letter to the Secretaries of the Defense and Agriculture Departments, Kilmer asked for an update on report language he authored in an appropriations bill this year that directed the two agencies to work together to use materials such as Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) more frequently.

Gov. Jay Inslee today announced he’s directing the state Department of Ecology to draft a new clean water rule that will preserve the state’s decision-making control over how to meet federal requirements. The Clean Water Act requires states to establish standards for how clean our waters need to be and to control pollution limits for businesses and municipalities that are permitted to discharge wastewater

Marion Street will be closed to through traffic between Post Avenue and Western Avenue from Saturday, October 10 at 6:00 a.m. to Monday, October 12 at 5:00 a.m. Work will occur 24 hours per day over the weekend. Local access will be provided. Detours are available eastbound at Spring Street and westbound at Yesler Way. Traffic may be stopped or detoured intermittently to accommodate the work.

The Washington Supreme Court has reversed Ecology’s decision to issue a water right permit to the city of Yelm to meet community water needs anticipated from future growth. In a 6-3 decision issued today in Foster vs. Ecology the court determined Ecology erred in approving the permit because it will impair minimum stream flows in the Deschutes and Nisqually basins.

Fall has arrived, but consistent fall rains have not.  Everett, Seattle and Tacoma remain in the second stage of their drought response plans.  The water systems rely on fall rains to fill the reservoirs so there is enough water for people and fish.    Customers in the region have reduced their use over the past eight weeks by a total of 14 percent. The cities are asking their customers to continue to reduce their water use