SEATTLE—July 1, 2008—In an effort to provide needed support to residents working toward economic security, Seattle Housing Authority is partnering with other agencies in Seattle and King County.
Two programs in particular—the Seattle-King County Asset Building Collaborative and the Seattle-King County Workforce Education Collaborative—bring agencies and nonprofits together to explore new ways of tackling the challenges of poverty.
Asset Building Initiative to coordinate services
The Seattle Asset Building Initiative (known as SABI) is a pilot project of the Seattle-King County Asset Building Collaborative. Nearly 40 Seattle public and private agencies are providing case management and asset building services for the project. The goal is to develop a comprehensive, coordinated system of services that assist low-income people in reaching their financial goals.
Participants in the pilot program will follow a specific process. They will meet with an intake specialist to provide information about their family characteristics and their needs. They will be assigned a case manager from one of the participating organizations who will help them to develop a plan for the services they need based on their economic goals. Services could include credit and/or homeownership counseling, access to education, English as a Second Language and other services.
Participants will also assist in evaluating the program.
Helping residents gain post-secondary credentials
An emerging effort spearheaded by Seattle Housing Authority and Seattle Jobs Initiative is researching ways to build "on-ramps" to the workforce education system. The goal is to forge a stronger link among the housing, workforce and community college systems.
The initial objective is to explore how the participating organizations might work together to assist Seattle Housing residents and voucher-holders to obtain one- and two-year credentials at area community colleges. Research indicates that this level of education can open doors to employment that provides a living wage - one of the keys to helping residents transition away from housing assistance.
Both Seattle Housing Authority and the Seattle Jobs Initiative recognize that there is a great need to devise a system that will allow for cross-referrals and the maximizing of resources so that shared clients can obtain postsecondary education based on their interests and on employers' needs. Many residents will not achieve their dreams of economic security unless they are able to obtain this type of education.
The initial research work of this partnership will form the foundation of a business plan that will support and inform various efforts taking shape in the housing community. These include an initiative involving the Yesler Terrace redevelopment that would combine community college opportunities with business sector needs to help residents receive training and obtain living-wage jobs. The work of the Seattle Asset Building Initiative would also be supported by this research and planning effort.
A grant from the Seattle Foundation is funding this project.