Thank you for voting for Initiative 135!
Election day was on Tuesday, Feb. 14th and I-135 passed! Thank you! The initiative, which would create a new social housing developer, led with 57% of the vote as of Feb. 21.
LIHI endorsed this initiative because social housing provides another tool that can be used in the fight to keep housing in Seattle affordable and equitable. The creation of a social housing developer in Seattle will hopefully increase local capacity for more affordable housing and increase dedicated revenue sources.
We are delighted to see so many Seattleites supporting an affordable future for this city. Thank you for your support, and thank you to House Our Neighbors for a fantastic campaign!
Tiny Houses zeroed out by KCRHA
LIHI has responded to King County Regional Homelessness Authority's (KCRHA) Five-Year Plan, which calls for $12 billion dollars but does not allocate any of the funding for the development and operations of Tiny House Villages. See the plan here and page 38 which indicates $0 for THVs for all 5 years. Outrageous! Powerful testimony was heard over two KCRHA Implementation Board meetings on Jan 25 and Feb 8 from faith and community leaders that KCRHA's needs to reverse their shocking stance and fund more villages right now. Over 100 tiny houses sit waiting for a place to go in LIHI’s Hope Factory with 4-6 tiny houses being built every week by Sound Foundation NW volunteers. Half a dozen feasible sites are available and being offered for new villages in four King County cities. What's missing? KCRHA's willingness to fund them! The KCRHA plan does not provide a roadmap to get everyone indoors. We believe it needs significant change to be feasible, realistic, and truly impactful for our unhoused neighbors. Click this link to read LIHI's response to KCRHA's 5-year plan. Erica Barnett covered the plan in Publicola. Read that piece here.
LIHI's Severe Weather Shelter opens at Lakefront in Bitter Lake, North Seattle
Yesterday, with the recent onset of extreme cold weather, LIHI opened the doors of Lakefront Community House in North Seattle to serve as an overnight severe weather shelter to people outside in the cold. Lakefront is the only cold weather shelter open in North Seattle. Located at 600 N. 130th Street, the shelter features meals, showers, restrooms, and most importantly is a warm space for people to rest and take shelter from the severe weather.
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