Jeff Robinson receives lifetime achievement award!

Taylor Robinson accepting the award on behalf of his father, Jeff Robinson.

Taylor read Jeff's short and touching acceptance speech:

We at LIHI extend hearty congratulations to former LIHI board member Jeff Robinson for receiving the Margaret Sevy Lifetime Achievement Award on Wednesday night at the annual Housing Washington Conference. We can think of no worthier recipient. Jeff is dedicated, compassionate, and has a big heart. You also know where he stands. He stands with the community and fights for justice. He is a master of making things happen. Even working in a government agency Jeff will find ways to make progress on racial equity, improving housing conditions, addressing homelessness, supporting small and minority-owned businesses, and bringing resources to low wealth communities.  

While working in the nonprofit housing sector and local government including SeaTac and the City of Tacoma, he was a champion for social change. Jeff cares deeply about improving the lives of immigrants, refugees, people of color, seniors, farm workers, and small and minority-owned businesses. 

Jeff pioneered the role of Managing Director of the state Housing Trust Fund at Commerce (formerly CTED). He worked effectively and in partnership with LIHI and other nonprofit housing providers in establishing policies for administering the HTF program. The success of the HTF today as an outstanding national model for delivering affordable housing is in part due to Jeff’s landmark contribution. 

Jeff has a deep commitment to increasing the supply of low income and affordable housing. Jeff served on the LIHI Board of Directors (2004-2010) and supported LIHI’s work in preserving at-risk Section 8 housing, developing rental and permanent supportive housing, and constructing townhomes and condominiums for first time homebuyers and people of color.  

As Tacoma’s Director of Community and Economic Development, Jeff made great strides under the Pierce County Plan to End Homelessness. Jeff was instrumental in working with the Mayor, City Council and staff on key projects that benefited low-income people and those living unsheltered:

• In the middle of winter, Jeff worked with the Mayor to have LIHI set up a tiny house village on city-owned land in order to move homeless people living in cold, wet tents out of People’s Park.

• In an innovative regional approach during the pandemic, Jeff worked with Pierce County, the City of Lakewood and Commerce to jointly fund LIHI’s Aspen Court (a former Comfort Inn) as an enhanced shelter to protect homeless people from Covid-19. This is now being converted to permanent supportive housing PSH).

• In the Lincoln District, which is Tacoma’s International District, Jeff paved the way in meetings with the City Council for LIHI to redevelop a number of vacant properties. His housing staff funded the construction of Patsy Surh Place, 77 units of senior housing focused on the needs of the AAPI population. LIHI is a partner with Asia Pacific Cultural Center. Phase 2 Lincoln District Family Housing was also funded. Housing along with storefronts for small and minority-owned businesses are under construction. 

• Jeff facilitated meetings with Councilmember John Hines and engaged city staff in funding and constructing a tiny house village for homeless families at 6th and Orchard on land owned by the First Christian Church of Tacoma.

• With his hands-on approach, Jeff facilitated the development of three sites that are State priorities: providing permanent supportive housing using the new Apple Health and Home program; adding a tiny house village for people sleeping on state right-off-ways funded by Commerce and WSDOT’s Encampment Resolution (former ROW) program; and purchase of the Heron Apartments under the state’s Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program for PSH.

  
  

We thank and honor Jeff for his extraordinary lifetime achievements! 

--Sharon Lee, LIHI Executive Director