Mayor Durkan Proposes $11 Million  
for Homeless Programs from Sale of City Property

Mayor Jenny Durkan with Melinda Giovengo (Youthcare), City Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw and Debora Juarez, Rev. Lawrence Willis (S.V.I and LIHI Board), Gerald Brooks (former tiny house resident), Sharon Lee, and Seattle Vocational Institute students.

Mayor Durkan is allocating $5.5 of the $11 million City land sale proceeds to tiny houses, micro units and backyard cottages, etc. This will cover some of the capital costs for new tiny house villages.  LIHI will be working with the City to set up a new village to house chronically homeless women. 
 
Gerald Brooks, the resident who spoke at the press event, was swept by police last year and lived at Licton Springs Tiny House Village. He is a military veteran who was homeless for four years. Thanks to LIHI case manager Richard Horne he is now in permanent housing at LIHI's Marion West apartments in the U District!

Featured in the background of the photo on left is a completed tiny house built by volunteer Dale Hoff, who is building a tiny house a month in 2018.  S.V.I students are in the process of building their 16th tiny house as part of their curriculum.

KOMO News Story
 
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United Way Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Caring 
Volunteers from Starbucks Serve Hot Meal  
at Georgetown Tiny House Village  
 
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, volunteers from Starbucks, including executive chairman Howard Schultz, served a hot meal to residents of Georgetown Tiny House Village as part of the United Way's Day of Caring honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
Starbucks Executive Chairman Howard Schultz (left) and Starbucks Employees servings meals at Georgetown Tiny House Village 
 
The Georgetown Tiny House Village for homeless individuals and families with children is run by Nickelsville and the Low Income Housing Institute LIHI. Meals were provided and delivered by FareStart and event was coordinated by LIHI's AmeriCorps NeighborWorks VISTA Volunteers. 
 
"The seven Tiny House Villages in Seattle offers shelter and a sense of community for hundreds of homeless people. We honor civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with this day of service.  His example continues to inspire the ideal of justice for all.  We thank volunteers from Starbucks, and AmeriCorps for helping to celebrate this holiday," said Sharon Lee, LIHI Executive Director.
 
 
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Tell your legislators to pass a Capital Budget

Our friends at the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance have put together a great tool that allows you to urge your legislators to take action for affordable housing this year, including by passing the capital budget - in just a couple of minutes, you can add your voice for housing affordability!  
 
Please check out this recent Seattle Times article about the impact state legislators failing to pass a capital budget by January 17th could have on affordable housing projects across our state.
 
This article does a great job capturing how the delay on the capital budget fits into the overall, highly complex funding timeline for any affordable housing project - essential Low Income Housing Tax Credits we are able to receive from the federal government depend on all other funding sources being secured in advance, and state funding for affordable housing is contained in the as-yet nonexistent capital budget.
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Mercer Island Rotary Donates Funds for 10 Tiny Houses

LIHI's Bradford Gerber receiving check from Sam Sullivan of the Mercer Island Rotary

Huge thanks to the Mercer Island Rotary Club for donating $25,000 to LIHI's Tiny House Program.  This will fund construction materials for 10 Tiny Houses!
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Thank you to South Seattle College  
for Tiny House Village Holiday Party 
 
Left: party guests received hygiene kit gift bags
Center: LIHI Boardmember Melinda Nichols confers with elf
Right: Merry Christmas!
 
Thank you to Jennifer Brandon, Judy Reed, and their whole team from South Seattle College for hosting a fabulous holiday party for residents of Georgetown and Othello Tiny House Villages! 
 
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Senator Cantwell Holds Affordable Housing Roundtable
at Billy Frank Junior Place

Senator Maria Cantwell and Willie Frank, son of Billy Frank Jr.

On December 8th, Senator Maria Cantwell held an affordable housing roundtable  discussion with developers, social service providers, government, and non-profit stakeholders at LIHI's Billy Frank Jr. Place in Olympia.  Topics included the affordable housing crisis, the low income housing tax credit, and how tax reform will negatively impact investment in affordable housing by eliminating the credit.
 
Thank you for your support!
  
       
  
Sharon Lee
Executive Director
Low Income Housing Institute