ACTION ALERT - Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

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ACTION ALERT - Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

Now is the time to ask lawmakers to prioritize Capital Budget investments that increase opportunity for affordable housing and shelter. The Governor proposed historic investments in his Capital Budget and we need the legislature to do the same thing. Key Capital Budget priorities are:

$240 million for the Housing Trust Fund.
The Housing Trust Fund invests in affordable homes statewide, including Permanent Supportive Housing. Last year, the Housing Trust Fund received many more applications than it was able to accept due to limited funding. But without the Housing Trust Fund, most affordable housing isn’t able to proceed – especially when the project intends to build homes for extremely low and very low income households.
$10 million to preserve affordable housing at risk of loss.
The loss of affordable housing is a significant problem that threatens to displace people from their homes and reduce our state’s affordable housing portfolio. The loss of affordable housing, such as USDA funded housing in rural Washington, happens when the use restrictions expire that require affordable rents. A new $10 million from the Capital Budget will allow affordable housing providers to quickly step in to purchase the properties and keep them affordable.
$70 million for the rapid acquisition of properties newly for sale due to the economic downturn.
The recession offers a unique opportunity to purchase properties newly for sale – such as hotels or multifamily housing – which can be converted to shelter or affordable housing. Washington missed an opportunity during the great recession to purchase properties, but we can create a silver lining in the current one by creating a rapid acquisition fund to increase shelter and affordable housing.
$40 million for enhanced shelter capacity grants.
At time when Washington has lost shelter beds during a pandemic – strategic investments in shelter are sorely needed. Enhanced shelter capacity grants would help providers shelter individuals experiencing chronic homelessness by funding new shelter beds and funding capital needs for existing shelter beds.

Use the form on the right to urge your lawmakers to make these investments! THANK YOU!

Please contact your lawmaker by sending an email using the form below.

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ACTION ALERT - Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

House

Subject: It’s winter, during a pandemic, and 22,000 people are experiencing homelessness. Invest in solutions!

Message:

We are in the coldest time of the year and now is the time when temporary, severe weather shelters for those without a home are quickly being opened. But sadly, there is no county in Washington with enough emergency shelter capacity to meet the demand. In fact, during the COVID-19 pandemic Washington’s shelter capacity has decreased, while the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased and threatens to grow significantly. According to the 2020 Point in Time Count conducted just about a year ago, 22,923 people in Washington were experiencing homelessness, nearly half of them struggling to survive outdoors that night. And racial disparities persist in homelessness, with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color at much greater risk. We must end this. I am calling on you to ensure that state investments meet the real and urgent need to expand opportunity for affordable housing and expand homeless shelter capacity. These investments are critical to ensure people can remain safe and healthy. Please make the following investments in the Capital Budget: $240 million in the Housing Trust Fund to build and preserve affordable homes, $10 million to preserve USDA housing at risk of expiration: Preservation of affordable multifamily housing at risk of losing affordability due to expiration of use restrictions that otherwise require affordability including, but not limited to, United States Department of Agriculture funded multifamily housing; $40 million for enhanced shelter capacity grants: Rapidly shelter individuals experiencing chronic homelessness through creating additional homeless shelter capacity across the state, construction of new enhanced homeless shelter facilities, or the conversion of existing homeless shelters to enhanced shelter facilities; $70 million for rapid acquisition for shelter and permanent supportive housing: acquire real property for a quick conversion into homeless or emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, or transitional housing for low-income people. Thank you for passing a Capital Budget that includes all of these critical appropriations.

Remaining:

Senators

Subject: It’s winter, during a pandemic, and 22,000 people are homeless. Invest in solutions!

Message:

Remaining:

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ORGANIZATION NAME
ORG ADDRESS LINE 1
ORG CITY, ORG STATE ORG ZIP
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ACTION ALERT - Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

ACTION ALERT - Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

ACTION ALERT - Take action for big Capital Budget priorities!

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