We Tell the Story of Homes
Children deserve a chance to succeed in school and in life, which all begins with their families being able to afford a safe, healthy, affordable place to live. This can be hard to understand for someone who has never had to choose between feeding their family or paying the rent. But when a child explains that she's doing better in school because her family hasn't had to move this year, the real impact of affordable housing and the need for action becomes clear.
Advocate for Positive Policy Change
Every year, Housing Alliance members and partners develop policy to meet our state's housing need. We provide our members with a direct line to legislative action in Olympia, access to tools that deepen the impact of their advocacy, and combine data and personal stories to make the biggest impact. Due to a strong and diverse coalition of organized and persistent advocates, in 2015 the legislature allocated $75 million to the Housing Trust Fund, the primary state funding source for affordable housing development.
At the federal level, we educate our members on federal policy and advocate on behalf of the entire state with our congressional delegation. The Housing Alliance works closely with the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, and other national organizations to develop policy principles and clarify the impact of federal policy on Washington state. We take positions on federal policies that are critically important for Washington, such as the National Housing Trust Fund.
Mobilze Advocates for Our Movement
The Housing Alliance brings advocates together as part of a single housing movement, empowering people to tell their policy makers that everyone should have the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy, affordable home. In 2017, nearly 700 advocates rallied on the steps of the capitol building for the annual Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day in Olympia. During the 2017 legislative session, we empowered advocates to write over 4,000 emails to legislators asking for better policy and funding for affordable housing. We train advocates to be leaders in their communities through the Emerging Advocates Program, and the Resident Action Project mobilizes people who live in affordable housing to participate in policy making that directly affects them.
