Taking Action: Building Changes in Olympia

Taking Action: Building Changes in Olympia

With a special session of the 2010 Washington State Legislature underway to help fill the $2.6 billion budget shortfall, Building Changes continues to take a prominent role in ensuring that Washington state addresses critical issues regarding housing and homelessness. We are focusing our work on two important budget items that remain unresolved: the Washington Families Fund and the Housing Trust Fund.

Thanks to the hard work of Representative Ruth Kagi, the Washington House of Representatives renewed its commitment to the Washington Families Fund with a $1 million allocation in the House Operating Budget. The Senate has indicated that they are open to accepting the House language for the allocation to the Families Fund. While we are pleased with the current progress of the Washington Families Fund, we know to take nothing for granted in the existing budget situation.

The Housing Trust Fund, which provides capital funding to create low-income housing, including housing for the homeless, is currently funded at different levels in the House and Senate budgets (the current difference is $50 million). Every dollar of the Housing Trust Fund is leveraged by four dollars for affordable housing from other sources. That State investment leverage translates into a half billion dollars for housing.

Building Changes staff and board members at Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day in Olympia on February 12, 2010

Building Changes grantees, board members, and staff have led the charge, calling and e-mailing their legislators, participating in Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day on February 12th, and meeting with legislators and their staff to discuss the importance of funding these vital programs.

How You Can Help

Consider taking a moment to let your legislators know how vital these programs are to ending homelessness in Washington. You can find the contact information for your legislators here.

Together with our advocacy partners, Building Changes is working to engage and influence the public, nonprofit and private philanthropy sectors in Washington state in order to promote policy changes and pass legislation that will help end homelessness.