During our February 2026 meeting, we were joined by Senator Patty Murray’s staff to hear about federal funding for housing and homelessness services in 2026, learned about a new legal aid hotline for long-term-care residents from the Washington Office of Civil Legal Aid, got a crash course on progressive revenue and the Washington tax code from Balance Our Tax Cod and the WA Budget & Policy Center, and heard a mid-session update on the 2026 legislative session from the Coalition’s Community Policy Manager Hali Willis.
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Federal funding for housing & homelessness services
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, passed in early February, authorized federal funding for homelessness and housing programs in 2026 and set up crucial guardrails for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program, which supports 4,400 homes in King County alone.
Senator Patty Murray and her team did considerable work on these federal funding bills to ensure they protect programs that work. We thank them for their good work and are reminded that advocacy works! We must continue contacting our lawmakers, sharing how policy decisions impact us, and activating people in our networks to speak up, too.
Read more about 2026 Fiscal Year HUD funding and protections for the CoC program here.
New legal aid hotline for long-term-care residents
In January 2026, the Washington Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) opened an intake hotline to provide legal counsel for people living in long-term-care facilities. If somebody is facing discharge or has been discharged from a community-based long-term care facility, this hotline can provide them legal information, advice, and representation.
The statewide intake line, run by Disability Rights WA, can be reached at (888) 437-0017. Calls are answered by a real person Monday through Friday between 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1 p.m.–4 p.m.
Callers can also leave a voicemail anytime for a call back with one business day.
Online intake form: https://disabilityrightswa.org/ltcrr-intake-form/
If you are supporting someone who has lost their long-term care home, contact the program. Even if the discharge has already happened, there may still be options.
Progressive revenue and the WA state tax code
One of our legislative priorities this session is to pass new, progressive revenue so that our state can sustain essential public benefits for all people. The leading current proposal is the Millionaire’s Tax, which places a small tax on earnings over $1 million/year, only paid by <1% of the wealthiest Washingtonians. This tax would go into effect in 2029.
Thank you to the Balance Our Tax Code coalition and the Washington State Budget & Policy Center for a comprehensive presentation on the history of regressive taxes in Washington state, current progressive revenue proposals, and how we can all take action to right size our state’s tax code.
Jump to 00:12:36 to view this presentation.
Reminder: “Progressive” and “regressive” here are not just “good” or “bad” descriptors. They specifically refer to how a tax is designed. Regressive taxes are when people with the highest incomes pay a smaller portion of their income in taxes and people with the lowest incomes pay the largest portion of their incomes in taxes.
Take action TODAY to support the proposed Millionaire’s Tax this legislative session:
- Contact your state lawmakers in support of the Millionaire’s Tax
- More tools to support the Millionaire’s Tax
Halfway through the legislative session: An update on our priorities
Jump to 00:47:44 in the recording to hear more.
HB 2266, Housing Fairness
Our top priority bill, HB 2266 sponsored by Rep. Strom Peterson (LD-21), would end discrimination in the siting of new supportive housing and shelter. This bill passed its house of origin and is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Housing Committee on Weds, February 25. Learn about recent amendments to HB 2266 on our blog here.
HB 2489, Shelter Not Penalties
HB 2489, sponsored by Rep. Mia Gregerson (LD-33), would have stopped local governments from fining and arresting people surviving in public spaces when there is no adequate shelter available. This bill is in hibernation until next session. In the interim, we will continue to educate lawmakers about this issue and continue working on this bill so it can have more support without significant compromises.
Bills We Opposed
HB 2361, which would have made it easier for predatory lending companies to charge people more money for payday loans, is not moving forward this session. HB 2240, which would have allowed the owners of storage units to more easily confiscate and dispose of people’s belongings, is also not moving forward this session.
The State Budget
The state House and Senate released their operating budget proposals on Sunday, February 22, 2026 and their capital budget proposals on Tuesday, February 24. Stay tuned for a deeper dive into these proposals and how our communities need to respond. In the meantime, send this email to your state lawmakers today asking them to prioritize homes, shelter, and public benefits in the 2027 state budget.
Stay Up to Date & Active
If you’d like to stay informed and keep taking legislative action every week, please join our weekly advocates call on Tuesday afternoons (2-2:30 p.m. over Zoom). These Legislative Advocacy Power Half Hours will give you updates on our priority bills and the budget and a chance to take action together.
Our Next Meeting
Our next General Membership Meeting is Thursday, March 19 from 9-10:30 a.m. over Zoom. Please join us! The legislative session ends the week before, and we’ll go into detail on what happened with our policy and budget priorities.
Community Announcements
Social Security Overpayment Clinic with Benefits Law Center
Seattle Renter’s Commission Seeks New Members
To apply for the Seattle Renters’ Commission, fill out the online application by Monday, March 2 by 5 p.m.
Free 2026 Tax Help with the Seattle Public Library