Housing and Essential Needs – Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness Blog

January 2017 General Membership Meeting: Accountable WA, Legislative Advocacy

January 25, 2017 by Alison Eisinger

Thanks to those who joined us on Thursday, January 17 for our first General membership meeting of 2017! We had an action packed agenda complete with a call in to Olympia to start off our 2017 legislative advocacy. We were joined by community members from Catholic Community Services & Catholic Housing Services, Crisis Clinic, Friends of Youth, Housing Development Consortium, Jewish Family Services, Low Income Housing Institute, Plymouth Housing Group, REACH, Real Change, Recovery Cafe, All Home, Youth Care, and more! We heard a great presentation, called in to Olympia about legislative priorities, and signed famous Coalition Advocacy Postcards. Please read on for a summary of our meeting & important actions YOU can take before our next General Membership Meeting on Thursday, February 16th. Accountable WA, Kelli Smith, WA Budget & Policy Center As we know, Washington State had one of the most inequitable tax structures in the country, we do not have an income tax and therefore rely on sales tax and property tax to fund vital programs our communities need and to raise revenue. This structure causes people with lower incomes to pay disproportionately more of their income to taxes than people in the highest income bracket. The WA Budget and Policy Center, working with many organizations, has developed a package of legislation that would fix some of our tax problems, and make it so that people who are earning the least are not contributing the most in taxes (currently people who are in the lowest 20% income group contribute 16.8% of their income as WA state and local taxes, compared to those in the top 1% who contribute just 2.4% of their income to WA state and local taxes). There are two main goals of Accountable WA, we encourage you to learn more at the links below and click …

One Response to the Proposed White Center Shelter

September 20, 2016 by Alison Eisinger

King County is considering opening a new shelter at the former Public Health Clinic in White Center. This shelter will provide space for 70 people – single adults and couples – as well as pets. It’s hours will be from 5pm – 8am, including dinner and breakfast. The shelter will also have case management services. Learn more about it at this link. A community meeting was hosted on September 15th, 2016, the minutes for the meeting can be found here, a video of the meeting is on the White Center Now Blog. After the meeting community member, Stephanie Endres wrote the following friendly letter to her fellow White Center community members, which she agreed to let us share (You can print and sign a postcard in support of the shelter, share with your community and mail signed postcards to Coalition on Homelessness, 77 S. Washington Street, Seattle, WA 98104 – we’ll take them to King County Executive Dow Constantine and Council Chair Joe McDermott). Here’s Stephanie’s message: My name is Stephanie and I am a Homeless Outreach Case Manager in Seattle. I grew up in White Center. I’ve gone to Mt. View Presbyterian Church since I was a child, where I also attended youth group. I’ve been involved and volunteered for nonprofits founded in White Center; I attend and support events in the neighborhood year round I volunteer within the White Center community. I also run a nonprofit that I founded in 2011 that does outreach to homeless individuals in King County. As I heard in the community meeting last night, most of you are concerned about a new shelter in your neighborhood. You are clearly concerned about the children in the neighborhood. You’re afraid of sex offenders or drug users being a danger to you in your homes, schools, and …

Accessing Coordinated Entry for All at King County 2-1-1

September 20, 2016 by Alison Eisinger

At last week’s Coalition on Homelessness General Membership Meeting, Coalition members were joined by Danielle Winslow from All Home who discussed with us the Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) program, which is run by King County. The goal of CEA is to connect individuals experiencing homelessness to housing in the most efficient way. It does this by using a standardized assessment tool to matches the right level of services and housing resources to the individuals seeking these resources. To learn more about the basics of the program and where Regional Access Points are located, visit www.kingcounty.gov/cea. To schedule an appointment for a CEA assessment, people need to call King County 2-1-1 to set up an appointment for an assessment. 2-1-1 is currently experiencing high volumes of calls and appointments are filling fast. Alex Williams with King County 2-1-1 sent us some tips, information, and realistic expectations that people should have when calling 2-1-1 to access CEA. CEA Access and Information at King County 2-1-1 as of September, 2016 General Information on 2-1-1 King County 2-1-1 is open to receive calls Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. CEA assessment appointments are made on Wednesday mornings. Dialing 2-1-1 on a cell phone will connect you to the 2-1-1 that serves the area where your phone is based. You can also call King County 2-1-1 directly by dialing (206) 461-3200 or toll-free at (800) 621-4636. If your cell phone connects you to another 2-1-1 contact center in Washington state, they can transfer your call to King County 2-1-1 if you are calling during our hours of operation. Specialists at King County 2-1-1 can assist callers in English and Spanish. To use an interpreter for other languages, push ‘5’ when prompted after calling 2-1-1. This option will connect you to a Specialist who speaks …

Recap: General Meeting – 2016 Legislative Preview – December 17, 2015

January 11, 2016 by Alison Eisinger

Thank you to all who were able to join us at our December General Membership meeting for the 2016 legislative preview! Those present included folks from Solid Ground, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, Child Care Resources, Chief Seattle Club, OPEIU Local 8, All Home, Jewish Family Services, Center for One Health Research, City of Seattle Office of Housing, United Way of King County, Catholic Housing Services, Columbia Legal Services, King County Health Care for the Homeless Network, YouthCare, Real Change, Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Seattle University, University of Washington Center for Pediatric Dentistry, Tenants Union, Seattle Public Library, Compass Housing Alliance, YouthCare, Hopelink, and the University District Conversation on Homelessness. Wow – we enjoyed an exciting conversation with this awesome group! Here’s a brief recap of the meeting… Special thanks to Representative Mia Gregerson (LD 33), Madeline Cavazos (Legislative Aide to Representative Joan McBride, LD 48), Curtis Knapp (Legislative Aide to Representative Brady Walkinshaw, LD 43), Nigel Herbig (Legislative Aide to Representative Jessyn Farrell, LD 46), Michael Althauser (Columbia Legal Services), Liz Trautman (YouthCare), Alex Bergstrom (Columbia Legal Services), Hana Alicic (Tenants Union), and Abi Velasco (Washington Low Income Housing Alliance), who joined us to share their perspectives on key legislative priorities for the upcoming 2016 legislative session! This year’s legislative session is set to be short (just 60 days), and we plan to advocate strongly throughout the session for the legislative priorities that are key to making sure that the needs of all those in our community are met. We appreciated hearing the perspectives of our elected representatives and advocacy partners at our General Membership meeting! Some of the legislative priorities to be ready to advocate for include: Certificate of Restoration of Opportunities Act (CROP) Homeless Youth Healthcare Act and Homeless Students Stability and Opportunity Gap Act Fair Tenant Screening Act Truth in Evictions Reporting …

2015 Legislative Session Updates: On to Special Session

February 23, 2015 by Alison Eisinger

And it’s a wrap (but not really). The 2015 Regular Legislative Session ended on Friday 4/24, but the House and Senate have yet to agree upon a budget, so a special session will start on Wednesday, 4/29. We are happy that Extended Foster Care, the YEAR Act, the Homeless Youth Act, and the King County Bonding for Affordable Housing all passed! Unfortunately a number of our bills did not pass, as happens each session since only a limited number of bills can even be brought to vote. These bills will be re-worked in the break until the 2016 legislative session and be reborn and hopefully pass in 2016. Your phone calls, postcard signing, and advocacy have been significant and continue to be vital moving forward in the Budget process. Budgets from the House and Senate were both released in mid-April. See below for more details. The House and Senate will have to work together to agree upon a balanced budget. We are glad the House and the Governor both provided for revenue in their budgets, however the Senate did not. We encourage you to ask your legislators to “Please ensure the final budget raises new revenue and invests at least $110 million in affordable housing.” Please check out our tracker below and note the status of bills you have been tracking. Keep on making calls, fill out and send in a new postcard, and staying tuned for action alerts – Sign up for Coalition Action Alerts here! Take 5: call the Legislative Hotline to leave a message for your representatives and let them know what bills you support and also urge them to invest $100 Million in the Housing Trust Fund. These bills and budget asks are crucial to helping people experiencing homelessness in our community. Hotline Number: 1-800-562-6000 – real (and kind) people answer the phone! Hotline …

2015 Legislative Priorities

January 27, 2015 by Alison Eisinger

The 2015 One Night Count identified 3,772 too many people outside from 2-5am early morning Friday, January 23. This cannot be considered normal and we need YOU to take ACTION. We are now in the third week of the 2015 Washington State Legislative Session and your elected state legislators need to hear from you today! Call the Legislative Hotline to leave a message for your representatives and let them know that you support legislation that is crucial to helping people experiencing homelessness in our community. Hotline Number: 1-800-562-6000 – real (and kind) people answer the phone! Hotline Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-8pm Please find below short messages to use when you call your representatives and senators as well as links to PDF versions of one-pagers with information about the important acts and programs that are on our legislative agenda. Click here to view the Coalition’s Legislative & Budget Priorities in a printable version. Here are our legislative priorities in no particular order. Thanks to the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, Columbia Legal Services, The Mockingbird Society, and the Statewide Poverty Action Network for these one-pagers. State Housing Trust Fund: Invest $100 million to create good homes and local jobs through our State Housing Trust Fund Housing & Essential Needs (HEN), Aged, Blind, & Disabled (ABD) and SSI Facilitation PROTECT Crucial Programs & Prevent Homelessness for disabled and elderly Washingtonians: Maintain Housing & Essential Needs (HEN), Aged, Blind, & Disabled (ABD) and SSI Facilitation at current funding levels. Seniors and people with disabilities must be able to meet their basic needs and access recovery resources. Fair Tenant Screening Act (SB 5123 / HB 1257): ELIMINATE Barriers to Housing: Pass the Fair Tenant Screening Act (SB 5123 / HB 1257), and laws to prevent discrimination based on how people pay rent and ensure fair reporting …

Severe Weather Shelters around King County UPDATED

November 11, 2014 by Alison Eisinger

Please share information about severe weather shelters with your clients and the community. Check back for frequent updates about openings. Information can also be found here. SEATTLE Severe Weather Shelter Location: Seattle Center Rainier Room: 305 Harrison Street (next to Key Arena)Map Date & Time: Wednesday 11/12 & Thursday 11/13: 8:30pm to 7:00am Severe Weather Shelter Seattle Flyer Nov 12 & 13, 2014. In response to forecasted low temperatures, the City of Seattle is opening Severe Weather Shelter at the Seattle Center Rainier Room on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, November 11th, 12th, & 13th. The emergency shelter serves men and women over the age of 18 and is operated by Salvation Army Staff. The hours of operation are 8:30pm to 7:00am. The Rainier Room at the Seattle Center is located at 305 Harrison Street just to the north of Key Arena. This shelter is open access. Referral forms are NOT required. AUBURN: Overnight Shelter confirmed open Wed 11/12 & Thurs 11/13 Until power is restored, the following Warming Centers and Shelters will be in place: Overnight Severe Weather Shelter: Les Gove Multipurpose Building: 1024 Deals Way Map (between Auburn Senior Activity Center and Auburn Library)- 8 PM – 7 AM; Phone: (253) 876 – 1925 Warming Center: Auburn Senior Center: 808 9th Street SE – 8 AM to 9 PM Warming Center: Auburn City Hall: 25 W Main Street – 8 AM to 6 PM FEDERAL WAY: New Hope Christian Fellowship Location: 31411 6th Ave S, Federal Way, WA, 98003 MapPhone: (253) 269 – 6585 Date & Time: 4pm-8am, …

Shelter openings on Oct. 1, 2014

October 1, 2014 by Alison Eisinger

King County recently announced the opening of two county-funded shelters to respond to the demand for additional services during the winter months. Please make sure to share this information widely. King County Men’s Winter Shelter Open every night October 1 – December 31st, 2014 Location: King County Administration Building – 500 4th Avenue Downtown Seattle (Between Jefferson and James) Operator: The Salvation Army Capacity: 50 men Hours: 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM Access: Line up for the shelter in front of the loading dock garage door at the corner of 4th and Jefferson. King County Women’s Winter Shelter at Angeline’s Open every night October 1, 2014 – April 15, 2015 Location: YWCA Angeline’s 2030 -3rd Avenue, Seattle (Belltown neighborhood – 3rd Avenue between Lenora and Virginia) Operator- YWCA Capacity: 40 Women Hours: 8:00 PM to 7:00 AM – Women have the option to stay at Angeline’s in the morning for breakfast and throughout the day. Access: Women may stop by and register with the Women’s Referral Center daily between 6:00 to 9:00 PM. After 9 PM drop-in or call (206) 436-8650 for space availability. For more information on the shelters, please contact Janice Hougen with King County Community Services Division at (206) 263-9089 or janice.hougen@kingcounty.gov. As service providers, we understand the power of effective advocacy. But, advocacy fails in the absence of a strong, cohesive voice that is willing to talk about the issues that affect us the most. We need to speak up not only to protect current human services programs taking care of our neighbors in need, but also to nurture the growth of additional resources to aid our work in ending homelessness. If you feel King County would benefit from stronger services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, join us this month at one of SIX platforms where we can have …

Youth Housing Connection: Two dates to celebrate 1 Year for YHC!

September 15, 2014 by Alison Eisinger

Attention Youth and Young Adults Committee members and other interested parties: Here are two opportunities this month to celebrate one year of great work by the Youth Housing Connection (YHC) and to offer valuable feedback about changes and next steps for their second year. Wednesday, September 17 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Tukwila Community Center (12424 42nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98168) OR Wednesday, September 24 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. 2100 Building (2100 24th Ave S, Seattle) Join the Committee to End Homelessness and the YHC team for YHC at Year One: Learnings and Reorientation to review lessons learned, correct misconceptions, and review opportunities for community feedback and training.This event is open to all stakeholders, community members and service providers, but funders, agency leadership, supervisors and front line staff are especially encouraged to attend. We hope you will be able to make it!

Take Action Today: Two crucial bills need your support TODAY!

February 24, 2014 by Alison Eisinger

As this short session races ahead in Olympia, we need all voices raised! Our collective voice is powerful and legislators need to hear it in Olympia. These two bills must be passed out of their respective committees by Friday, Feb. 28 in order to move forward. Use the information in this alert to call and e-mail your legislators with these simple messages: Pass House Bill 2368, which will stop the “sunset” that will significantly cut our funding source for shelters and other homelessness programs; and Pass House Bill 1651, which will allow youth who made childhood mistakes to seal their record so that they are no longer prevented from education, employment, and housing. Here’s more information about these messages… Supporters in Olympia for Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day 2014 (#HHAD2014) Our state’s most important source of funding for shelters and other homelessness programs is at risk! Lawmakers must extend the Homeless Housing and Assistance Surcharge (aka “Document Recording Fees”). Use this link to contact your state reps (or to look them up!). Ask them and their colleagues to SUPPORT House Bill 2368. A public hearing will be held Tuesday, February 25 at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Housing & Insurance (FIHI). Without this legislation, Washington will lose more than 62% of state funding for homelessness programs beginning in 2015. We cannot wait to address this next year. Please call TODAY! Remember, you can use the FREE Legislative Hotline (staffed Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.) to leave a message for all three of your legislators: 1-800-562-6000. (Give the operator your address and they’ll look up your district and who your legislators are!) Here’s a sample message of support: Dear Representative/Senator, I urge you to support HB 2368 – the Homeless Housing and Assistance Surcharge. Shelters and programs who …