Civil & human rights

Tukwila Speak up NOW: Don’t Banish Tukwila Residents

by

Do you work or live in Tukwila? Your city councilmembers need to hear from you NOW to stop a bad bill that would punish and banish people experiencing homelessness. The city council is poised to vote on this dangerous bill this Monday, July 20 at 7 p.m. The proposed new ordinance would make it a crime to “camp” on public property, punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. We know laws like these are designed to punish and banish people experiencing homelessness.  Please SPEAK UP TODAY! Send your message to Tukwila elected officials and Interim Tukwila Police Chief Eric Lund using the sample message below. Let them know that when thousands of people in King County communities lack basic shelter every night, it makes no sense to punish people who have no place to stay, or to push them out of their community. This proposal is cruel, shortsighted, costly, counterproductive, and it will NOT help people experiencing homelessness in Tukwila. Speak up before Monday at 7pm to stop this bad bill! Email Template Note: It’s great to personalize the subject line and the message if you have time. If you don’t have time, that’s OK! Just copy, paste, and hit send – numbers matter! TO: verna.seal@tukwilawa.gov; armen.papyan@tukwilawa.gov; hannah.hedrick@tukwilawa.gov; dennis.martinez@tukwilawa.gov; kate.kruller@tukwilawa.gov; joe.camacho@tukwilawa.gov; jane.ho@tukwilawa.gov; Mayor@tukwilawa.gov; E.Lund@TukwilaWA.gov SUBJECT: No Tukwila Banishment Law Dear Tukwila City Councilmembers, Mayor McLeod, and Chief Lund, As a Tukwila resident, I want all my neighbors to have a safe place to sleep at night, and I want our community to help people when they don’t. I’m glad that we have some shelter in our city but right now, we don’t have nearly enough affordable homes or shelter. As a result, too many people must try and survive outside. We should use our public resources to help people meet their basic needs, not punish them when they have …

Read more

Speak Up Against HUD’s Attempt to Dismantle the Equal Access Rule

by

Trump’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed a rule change that would remove protections for people to access HUD-funded shelter, housing and services that best fit their gender identity. Tearing down the “Equal Access Rule” would make those resources contingent on matching biological sex, and it would allow service providers to demand proof of someone’s biological sex in order to access services. That would further marginalize trans, intersex, and nonbinary people who are already at high risk of homelessness and dangerous situations while they are homeless. Speak up today against this terrible rule change! Write your comment before June 29, 2026 using the template below. HUD is legally required to review all comments and respond to them in their final rule. We have successfully stalled out other terrible rule changes before by submitting an overwhelming number of comments – let’s do it again! Sample comment – please customize it if you have time: I strongly oppose the proposed changes to the Equal Access Rule issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This proposal would remove critical protections that ensure fair and equal access to housing and services for transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people. By stopping people from choosing services that align with their gender identity, forcing them into programs and services that do not meet their needs, and allowing providers to require proof of a person’s biological sex, this rule opens the door to discrimination, denial of services, and dangerous conditions for people seeking HUD-funded shelter, housing, and services. According to data from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, transgender people are more likely to be unsheltered than their cisgender peers, and those who are unsheltered have worse health and experience more dangerous conditions than those who are sheltered. More data is available …

Read more

General Membership Meeting – March 19, 2026

by

For our March 19 General Membership Meeting, we were joined by folks at Northwest Health Law Associates (NoHLA) and Community Health Plan of WA (CHPW) to hear about the impacts to Medicaid under HR1. We also heard a brief legislative recap from our Community Policy Manager Hali Willis, took action on some proposed rules at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and learned about the Coalition’s efforts to prepare service providers in the stadium district for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. If this wealth of information is something you want to share with others or access again, please subscribe to the Coalition’s YouTube channel, where our membership meetings and trainings are collected. Changes to Medicaid Under HR1 Jump to 07:18 in the recording to hear this presentation. Read about the statewide impacts of HR1 from the Washington State Office of Financial Management here: https://ofm.wa.gov/budget/resources/h-r-1-impacts-on-washington-state-people-and-budget/#section-health-care-medicaid-enrollee-impacts Key dates: Oct 1, 2026: HR1 Eliminates Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility for certain lawfully present immigration status’ (refugees, asylees, and other non-citizen adults). COFA migrants, Cuban/Haitian entrants and lawful permanent residents will still remain eligible. Dec 31, 2026: Work requirements go into effect for Medicaid expansion adults (adults age 19-64, up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level) unless they qualify for an exemption.  Work requirements under HR1 impact Medicaid Expansion clients. If your coverage is labeled as any of the following, it is not Medicaid Expansion: • Pregnancy Medicaid • Parent/Caretaker Medicaid • Aged, Blind, Disabled (ABD) Medicaid • SSI-related Medicaid • Medicare Savings Program • Long-term care Medicaid • CHIP (for children) Generally “work requirements” and “community engagement requirements” are used interchangeably with “community engagement” being the formal phrase in the bill. The requirements can be met by working sufficient hours but also by volunteering, school, etc. …

Read more

Resources to prepare for federal immigration enforcement agents

by

This page was last updated Weds, March 18, 2026. We will update this page as we receive additional information and resources. If you have resources you believe should be included here, please email us at contact[at]homelessinfo[dot]org. Find an upcoming virtual training hosted by the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) here. Trainings offered in both English and Spanish: Know Your Rights! Family Safety Planning Legal Counsel for Children and Youth (LCYC) offers the opportunity to consult with families as they develop Family Safety Plans, with resources in multiple languages. Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) has compiled good information as well. For Service and Housing Providers Take these basic steps to prepare for federal immigration enforcement agents at your service or housing site: In partnership with the King County Regional Housing Authority and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), we hosted a training to prepare service providers in April 2025. While information about the most effective protections changes rapidly, this training reviews key information and includes links to more resources. This training is for educational purposes ONLY. The information provided is not individualized legal advice. Individuals with immigration questions should seek the advice and counsel of an experienced immigration attorney.  Take Action to Keep Families Housed The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a new rule that would strip federal housing assistance from entire families when a single family member cannot provetheir U.S. citizenship or eligibility. This jeopardizes housing for 80,000 people nationwide including 37,000 children. One in four children—who are U.S. citizens—have a least one immigrant parent. HUD’s proposed rule would force families to separate or stay together and become homeless. Learn more from the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition. TAKE ACTION TODAY HUD is accepting comments on this proposed rule until Tuesday, April 21, 2026. Submit a comment in opposition here. Find templates for your comments …

Read more

Voter Registration & Voting during a Pandemic: August 4 Primary Election Edition

by

Help people who you work with register and vote in the August 4 primary, and prepare for the November 3, 2020 General Election! This blog post is supplemental to the Coalition’s Guide to voting for people who are homeless and unstably housed. The Coalition has been helping people who are experiencing homelessness register to vote and vote for over 11 years. We want to make sure that folks know that their voices matter and are important, and that You Don’t Need a House to Vote! This year our August Primary Election on Tuesday, August 4 includes voting on Federal Congressional Representatives, State Governor, Lieutenant Governor and other leadership positions, and State Senators and Representatives. The top two from each of those races will be on the November General Election ballot, along with, of course, the Presidential Election.  The Coalition does voter registration and education work because: We want to end homelessness and to do that we need to build political power. Voting is fundamental to political power. You will help with this. We want to make sure everyone’s voice is heard, want to help people who don’t have a home know that they can vote.   We need to spread the word about Voting Rights Restoration for people with felony convictions. Due to COVID-19, this summer we are unable to send our volunteers out to help register voters (typically we sent trained volunteers to day and hygiene centers and meal programs), so we want to make sure that service providers have the tools you need to support people you work with in registering to vote, updating their voter registration, and voting.  As a reminder, it is completely okay and legal for 501c3 nonprofits to help people register to vote, and provide education about the mechanics of how voting works. It is …

Read more

Pandemic EBT Benefits – Updated August 11 2020

by

Click here for a copy of the PowerPoint used in the above presentation 8/11/2020 Update: Thanks to advocacy efforts across the state, the USDA has approved DSHS to extend the application deadline to Friday, September 11, 2020. Approved EBT cards must be sent no later than September 30, encourage those you work with to apply today. The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer Program (P-EBT) is a one-time award available to families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals through the school they attend. Families with children eligible for free and reduced price meals may be able to receive as much as $399 per child in this benefit. This benefit does not consider immigration status and is not subject to the Public Charge Rule. This means that P-EBT is one of the few benefits available to undocumented communities excluded from much of the COVID relief funds so far. Click here to review the program in more detail. With schools closed for the summer and deadlines fast approaching, we are concerned that struggling families may miss out on this crucial support. To Apply: ONLINE: Households enrolled in free or reduced-price meals apply for P-EBT through the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Eligible household can apply online at www.washingtonconnection.org. Click here for Step-by-Step Instructions on applying online. OVER THE PHONE: 1-877-501-2233. Due to state budget cuts, DSHS will be taking furlough days every Monday through the end of July. Families can still apply online, however those requiring phone assistance will have to reach out Tuesday through Friday between 8am and 5pm.

Community ideas to support people experiencing homelessness and service providers during COVID19 pandemic

by

Online “marketplace” connects donors with people and organizations in need during COVID-19 outbreak The King County Regional Donations Connector is now available online to link up individuals, businesses, non-profits, and others who have resources with those who need them during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Donations Connector will help make sure services, supplies, and funding reach health care providers, first responders, and social service entities working on the front lines. The website at kingcounty.gov/emergency/donate serves three major functions: A system that allows donations and offers of assistance to be used in the response effort. An online “marketplace” where offering organizations can be matched to those in need. An easily searchable list of ways the public can get help. Donating businesses, agencies, and individuals are invited to share what they have to contribute (such as funding, medical supplies, masks, counseling, or other goods and services) and link up with organizations involved in the COVID-19 pandemic response. Who is the Donations Connector for? Private and public entities with items or services to donate Community and faith-based organizations The general public What types of donations are requested? Funding Food (both perishable and non-perishable) Medical supplies Sanitary supplies Facility space Services such as counseling (legal, mental health, etc.), labor, janitorial, catering, event planning, and more Volunteering People who want to volunteer their time can contact local volunteer groups or register through the United Way of King County at volunteer.uwkc.org/volunteer-response-covid-19. You can also view our Coalition member organizations here who may need volunteers.

Employment Assistance Programs: Information and Coalition Update from January 16 Zoom Call

by

Although The Coalition cancelled our January Membership Meeting in recognition of the extra strain severe weather conditions put on people experiencing homelessness and on service providers, and the real difficulties of winter travel in our large county, we did host a ZOOM call to update members on the 2020 Legislative Session priorities, click HERE to visit our State Legislative Advocacy page see many ways you can take action! We had a great panel of staff from Employment Services Programs who were going to present at the meeting, and we will be rescheduling these presenters for a future Coalition meeting. In the meantime, we wanted to share programmatic and contact information for these employment and job readiness training programs so that your programs and clients can access these important resources. Please contact the programs below directly if you or your clients have any questions about their services. Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) serves people with disabilities between the ages of 16 to 80, and helps with gaining, maintaining and advancing in employment. Eligible clients must have a permanent disability (intellectual, mental and/or physical in nature) and barriers to employment. In order to refer, client must make contact themselves for intake unless they need assistance to call, and in that case, a case manager can set up the appointment if they let the front desk staff know the customer cannot make the initial contact. To request an intake, call 253-372-5900, or reach out to your local Work Source office for a referral. Please contact Allesandria Goard for more in-depth information on the services and nuances of the DVR program. Pioneer Human Services   Roadmap to Success is a job-readiness program for formerly justice involved individuals who are seeking full time employment To be eligible for the …

Read more

2020 Legislative Session Preview Meeting Summary and Resources – 12/19/2019

by

Thank you to 95 people who filled the room for our December Membership Meeting and Annual Legislative Preview meeting. The first day of the 2020 Washington State Legislative Session is Monday, January 13. We were joined by State Representative Nicole Macri (LD 43), State Senator Patty Kuderer (LD 48), and Zach Hall, Legislative Assistant to State Representative Lisa Callan (LD 5) who shared priorities for the 2020 session related to housing and homelessness, childcare, public benefits, and more. We also had time for rich conversation after questions from the audience to lawmakers. After hearing from these state elected officials, four of our statewide advocacy partners shared about their priorities for the upcoming session. Below are handouts, a few of the actions we asked people to take at the meeting, and invite anyone reading this post to do the same. We also have information about contacting our partners and about upcoming lobby days. We shared our preliminary legislative priorities and invite you to get ready for the 2020 legislative session by signing up for our Action Alerts and attending a Homelessness Advocacy 101 workshop. Handouts from the meeting: Meeting Agenda Coalition on Homelessness preliminary priorities list. Please note: this list is not complete and we’ll be updating it throughout the legislative session. Advocacy Bingo Card Working Connections Child Care Homeless Grace Period Extension One Pager Strengthen TANF One Pager Child Support Pass-Through One Pager Take Action Now as you get ready for the 2020 legislative session: Sign up for Coalition Take Action Alerts to receive timely alerts to support legislative actions related to our priority issues. Play Advocacy Bingo with us throughout session (see instructions below). Sign on letter for Working Connections Child Care Homeless Grace Period Extension – sign your organization on or ask someone at your organization to sign …

Read more