Senator Murray convenes roundtable on housing affordability issues

Group seeks solutions with Regional Council support

SEATTLE—April 9, 2007—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) convened a roundtable discussion in Seattle on April 6 to focus on the issue of housing affordability and the challenges facing the Puget Sound Region. The event, held at the YWCA’s Opportunity Place in downtown Seattle, celebrated the beginning of a new partnership between local nonprofit housing developers and the Puget Sound Regional Council, led by Bob Drewel. Key leaders from both business and nonprofit organizations participated in the event in an effort to identify problems and move toward solutions.

The roundtable was one of a number of efforts across the country to call attention to the importance of affordable housing for everyone. The public awareness campaign, called “Housing America 2007” was sponsored by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, an advocacy group to which both Seattle and King County Housing Authorities belong. Activities during the last week in March and the first week in April called attention to the need for affordable housing across the country.

According to NAHRO, “America is the best-housed nation on earth, yet for a growing and more economically-diverse number of families, children, seniors and persons with disabilities, affordable housing in quality communities is illusionary. Today, the house price to income ratio for the nation is the highest in at least twenty years; 15.6 million households pay more than half of their income for housing; and homeless estimates are nearly 750,000.”

As part of the awareness campaign, officials asserted that correcting the failure to preserve and produce affordable housing must become a national priority.

Senator Murray noted that increasingly, working and fixed-income families find it difficult to call the Puget Sound region home.

"I am continuously hearing from teachers, seniors, young families and service industry workers about the high cost of housing in the Puget Sound area," said Senator Murray. "We can't allow these residents to be priced out of Puget Sound neighborhoods. It’s clear to me the region must come together to define the problems and possible solutions. That is why I am pleased to join today with housing advocates from throughout the region to stand up for those in need of affordable housing."

“At least 150,000 more affordable apartments and homes are needed in King County over the next ten years, more than twice what is available today," explained Sarah Lewontin, President of the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County. "Skyrocketing housing prices aren’t just a Seattle problem. The four county region needs to work collectively to preserve livability and create places for everyone to live.”

Lisa Cipollone-Wolters, SHA’s director of housing advocacy and rental assistance, was Washington State Chair of the campaign. As part of the effort, Cipollone-Wolters accompanied groups of SHA and Section 8 residents on visits to staff members for both Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell.

In addition to the round table, both Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and King County Executive Ron Sims declared The first week in April “Housing Awareness Week.” Several newspapers across the state published op-ed pieces about the need for affordable housing, and housing advocates in Walla Walla distributed green wristbands with the Housing America 2007 logo. Kids in several public housing communities across the state created cards for their senators and members of Congress with pictures of “What Home Means to Me.”