Working
Together: CTED plan lays out strategies for advancing the
health, safety and social well being of Washington's families and
communities.
I think the recent
release of the Strategic Plan from the department of Community Trade
and Economic Development (CTED) is important news for people and
organizations across the state.
The 30-page plan
covers the period 2005-2011 and it provides a detailed look at
CTED's priorities for housing in the context of Washington State's
overall plan for growth. Since CTED invariably
works as a partner with other organizations including the
Commission, local housing authorities and non-profit organizations,
a close look at the plan is vital for those of us who work to
promote affordable housing.
To provide some
initial insights on what to expect, I spoke with Stephen Buxbaum,
CTED's Assistant Director for Housing. Stephen also serves as a
commissioner designee on the Housing Finance Commission.
Stephen Buxbaum, Assistant Director
Housing Dept
Community, Trade and Economic Development
Stephen pointed out
that CTED is an extraordinarily diverse agency. Its six program
divisions consist of Economic Development, Community Services,
Housing, Local Government, Energy Policy and International Trade.
Obviously, it is a
significant challenge to coordinate and integrate the efforts of
such a multi-faceted organization. And that is the real importance
of the Plan: delineating how all of CTED's efforts fit together and
support one another.
Focusing
on the Housing Division, Stephen noted, "Jobs and housing are
intrinsically linked. At CTED, we are extremely conscious of the
fact that unless we have adequate affordable housing in the state,
we can't succeed in meeting our goal of having a sustainable,
diversified economy."
To illustrate the
point, Stephen noted that business and industry make locating
decisions based on the affordability of housing in a particular
area. Companies also prioritize having their workforce located
within a reasonable distance of where they do business. "The
Strategic Plan," he says, "raises an awareness of how these factors
work together."
Specifically, CTED
staff assists local partners throughout the State to improve land
use, capital facilities and investment planning. Activities include
helping jurisdictions update their local comprehensive plans as
required by the Growth Management Act (GMA); prioritizing projects
that address the greatest needs; providing support in the grant
application process, as well as technical assistance and funding for
capital projects; and assisting the Community Economic
Revitalization Board to invest in economic development
infrastructure that supports business and job development and
retention.
Another major link
that the Strategic Plan highlights is that between programs designed
to help the homeless and the State's capital investments. For
example, he observed that serving at-risk populations requires a
basic infrastructure. He stated, "Before you can provide any other
service to the homeless, you need a shelter. To help families making
the transition from homelessness to permanent housing, you also need
capital investment in the appropriate types of buildings. Capital
investments serve as the foundation for the ultimate goal of helping
people become more self-reliant."
Capital investments
are funded by Washington State's Housing Trust Fund (HTF). The
Legislature created the HTF in 1985 in order to establish a
continuously renewable resource to help communities meet the housing
needs of low-income and special needs populations. HTF dollars help
build the structures, which house programs that provide:
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Housing
opportunities for persons diagnosed with AIDs
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Services for persons with a mental illness
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Emergency
assistance and shelter for up to 90 days, or emergency rent or
mortgage assistance
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First month's rent
and security deposit to people transitioning out of shelter into
permanent housing
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Landlord/tenant
mediation and basic housing-related case management
Housing is also a key
component of CTED's broad economic and community goals. As Stephen
notes, "From a cultural and historical perspective, housing clearly
forms the basis of a community's vitality. When someone visits a
place for the first time, often one of the first ways they form an
impression of the vitality and viability of the community is by
looking at the housing stock."
That's why CTED views
its investments in the preservation of affordable housing as such a
key contribution to sustaining community in the broadest sense.
Maintaining the state's affordable housing stock is a major
responsibility. CTED's portfolio consists of more than 25,000 units.
Most of these are concentrated in approximately 1500 multi-family
projects located all across the state. Made over the last 12 years
through the HTF, these investments are, in fact, ongoing
partnerships between the state and local agencies or non-profit
service providers.
To manage this housing
portfolio more efficiently, CTED's strategic plan has targeted the
creation of new enterprise-wide information technology. These new
systems will enable dramatic improvements in the collection and
management of basic data. This, in turn, will give CTED the ability
to have a much fuller understanding of the needs of clients and the
results of the services it provides.
"This is an area,"
says Stephen, "where we are excited about partnering with
organizations such as the Commission. We've already begun to
actively partner with the Commission on monitoring the projects
we've invested in together. We're looking forward to broadening
those partnerships. To do that effectively, we will need to
collaborate on how to do a better job of sharing data. Our objective
is to quantify where the highest needs are for investments in
housing. We also need to collect more and better information on the
sub-state level. Building a better understanding of the state's
regional markets is an essential tool for making right investment
decisions in the future."
In conclusion, Stephen
said he believes that Washington State is "truly extraordinary" in
its commitment to affordable housing. He said that few states have
stepped up to the level of investment that Washington has, both in
terms of capital support through the HTF and also progressive
programs like the Homeless Family Services Fund. Unfortunately, the
current level of investment may not be adequate for future needs.
"We are facing an
enormous challenge in keeping pace with population growth," says
Stephen, "and sustaining and preserving the investment we already
have made in housing. The trust fund in particular may not be able
to keep pace with demand from other public resources that have
traditionally depended on it to close the gap in housing projects."
That is why CTED's Strategic Plan is so critical.
To quote the Plan
directly, "Compared to the overall statewide need, resources are
very limited. CTED's housing investments will probably always be
faced with having to balance between spreading resources widely and
rising to the occasion of investing deeply in ways that will make a
meaningful and long-term difference in certain communities."
Clearly, CTED and its partners – all of us - will need to make
difficult decisions in the future. The Strategic Plan will help
establish the priorities so that resources can be directed where
they will provide the most benefit. For those of us in housing and
community development, the Strategic Plan is a “must read” document.
A New Model for Washington’s Student Housing:
Nonprofit foundations are contributing to the housing choices of our
students and supporting our educational institutions.
Students enrolled in Green River Community College's fall session
have a housing choice that hasn't previously been available since
the college's founding 40 years ago: On-campus living.
The
343-bed Green River Community College Student Village opened its
doors in mid-September after nearly four years of planning and hard
work by numerous dedicated individuals and organizations. Partners
included the Green River Community College Foundation; the
Washington State Housing Finance Commission, the bond issuer for the
project; and George K. Baum & Company, the bond underwriter.
Inspiration for the project began with Ross Jennings, Green River's
Director of International Programs. Until the completion of the
Student Village, much of the housing for the college's international
students had come from Homestay, a program that brought together
students with families in the community. Availability of families
for the program has been limited, however, and many students, newly
arrived to the U.S., have not had cars to get to the campus.
Jennings identified the need for more housing for his program's
students, and set about exploring what options Green River Community
College might pursue. What began as a solution to a fairly discrete
need has created more opportunities than anyone could ever imagine.
Now, many Green River students - both international and domestic -
are able to experience the enriching cultural, educational and
social activities available through living on campus.
Kara Hefley, Executive Director of the non-profit Green River
Community College Foundation, reports, "This may have started as a
need in international programs, but we recognize that the Student
Village is offering a fabulous opportunity to build community, build
interactions between our domestic and international students - and
for our domestic students to learn about different cultures."
Oversight and management of the project was spearheaded by the
Foundation. Hefley also describes its mission: "We exist to support
the college and the community. But our non-profit status and board
give us the opportunity to structure projects creatively - the
Student Village is a great example."
This is the second time that the Commission has issued housing bonds
for a foundation. But, it's the first time that a Washington State
community college has followed a privatized housing model: Green
River's bonds will be paid back by the rental stream generated by
the housing units. The Student Village is made up of 87 units,
most of which are configured as four-bedroom/two bathroom flats and
townhouses, which were constructed on the edge of the campus.
Each unit opens up onto pedestrian streets and the Village as a
whole, with its shared central plaza, is designed to foster the
experience of community. Conceived as an affordable alternative to
off-campus living, the rent includes Internet access, cable TV,
basic phone services and all utilities. Before this effort, the
College hadn't identified a specific need for housing for its
domestic students, but, says Hefley, "We have been pleasantly
surprised at the interest we've had from local students,
particularly students who may live at a distance."
Two
weeks after opening its doors, the Village was nearly half occupied,
with international and domestic students, each accounting for about
half the total. "By this time next year, we hope to have a waiting
list," adds Hefley. "We believe the students who have just
moved in will be our best marketers."
Several years ago we pioneered this student housing development
model at Gonzaga University in Spokane. By creating more
student housing on or near campuses, we can help alleviate the
demand for affordable housing near schools that could “crowd out”
lower-income residents of the area. Hopefully, our efforts
will help create and sustain a better quality of life throughout the
state.
Celebrating
Success: Our Spokane bus tour highlights both successful
projects and important partners.
Seeing is believing.
That's why we at the Commission regularly hold our monthly meetings
at diverse locations around the state. That's also why the
Commission's August 2004 meeting, held in Spokane, included a bus
tour of exemplary housing projects and community facilities.
On
August 26, the Commission convened its monthly meeting at Spokane's
beautifully restored Davenport Hotel. That afternoon, our
commissioners, along with legislators, civic leaders, community
developers and other advocates of affordable housing, climbed aboard
a tour bus to see firsthand what the Commission and its strong
community partnerships have achieved in Spokane. Some 65
participants toured multiple housing units, single-family homes and
community centers.
Capping
off the evening were presentations of Proud Partner Awards to honor
Spokane organizations and community leaders who have partnered with
the Commission in making significant contributions to affordable
housing and strong, viable community services in Spokane and
northeastern Washington.
The contributions of
these individuals and organizations and their legacies were clearly
apparent on the tour. Dianne Quast, executive director of the
Spokane Housing Authority (SHA), was a co-host. Dianne noted that
many who took the tour were surprised at the Commission's reach,
particularly in its support of facilities for non-profits. "Spokane
Valley’s Community Center, for example, is a converted church - it's
not new, but it allows local agencies to be housed together. The new
Spokane Valley YMCA is another example. The tour gave a good
cross-section of what Commission funds and partners can
accomplish."
Commission Chair Karen
Miller said after the tour, that what she brought away from the tour
was the sheer number of projects built in Spokane by varied groups
including housing and community projects that involved some eight to
ten different providers.
Karen
also emphasized that the Spokane Commission meeting (right), and all of the
monthly meetings held throughout the state, offer Commissioners a
great opportunity to familiarize themselves with our partners.
These “out of Seattle”
meetings are meant to work both ways. Community leaders and
affordable housing advocates get the opportunity to learn more about
the many ways in which they can access our programs, and Spokane is
a great example of strong community partnerships. A number of
Spokane-based nonprofits work actively with the Commission,
particularly in utilizing HomeChoice, the innovative mortgage loan
program that offers affordable home ownership financing for
individuals with disabilities.
Later
that day, Dianne Quast (on right with Kim Herman) saw her efforts and the residents of Spokane
recognized with a Proud Partner Award. Other Proud Partner
recipients were: Mollie Dalpae, Director of the Spokane Valley
Community Center; and Jan Roseleip, Executive Director, and the
staff of the Spokane HomeOwnership Resource Center.
We also recognized the
many contributions of former Commissioner Bob McVicars, CPM,
President and CEO of McVicars and Associates with a Recognition
Plaque as a symbol of our appreciation for his seven-plus years of
dedication and hard work on the Commission.
Dianne Quast summed up
the day well: "It was great to have the opportunity to celebrate
successes. So often we focus on all the housing needs that remain to
be addressed, and we forget to do that.
The Commission has
taken recent meetings and bus tours to the Tri-Cities, Vancouver,
Sunnyside, Bellingham and Spokane. I hope we can get out to many
other locations in the state in the near future.
Housing
Washington: Building a Place for Everyone - Looking back at
the development of one of the best state housing conferences in the
nation.
The organizers of Housing
Washington, the annual statewide affordable housing conference for
Washington state, are often asked, "Why does Washington host one of the
largest and best affordable housing conferences in the nation? "The
answer is a little bit of history, a little bit of luck, and lots of
great support from hundreds of businesses, non-profit organizations,
public agencies and individuals who care about people having a decent,
affordable place to call home.
A Little Bit of History
Years ago, in the late
1960’s and 1970’s, the state Planning and Community Affairs Agency
co-hosted a statewide housing conference with homebuilders. Like many
conferences, it was called the Governor's Housing Conference and it
focused mostly on the federal housing programs that were active in the
state at that time.
Depending
on which administration was in the White House, the conference was
either greatly in support of federal housing programs or greatly opposed
to federal housing programs at different times. Unfortunately, the only
state housing program there was to talk about was a small emergency
repair program for seniors, which was funded with federal dollars.
After a run of more than ten years, organizers disbanded over
disagreements about what the conference should focus on and who would
fund it.
One of the last meetings
fell apart when the 53 individuals representing every conceivable
housing interest in the state couldn't agree on whether to invite the
HUD Secretary to speak.
Then, in the early 1980s,
the Department of Community Development organized statewide housing
conferences, but cost and lack of support forced them to abandon this
effort.
A Little Bit of Luck
As luck and good advocacy
would have it, the State of Washington started investing in affordable
housing in the early 1980's, primarily in response to a recession and
growing housing problems in the state. The legislature began funding
homeless shelters in 1982, the Housing Finance Commission was created in
1983, and the Housing Trust Fund was created in 1985.
As
these programs began to expand and federal housing programs had a bigger
impact on the state, interest in a statewide forum to talk about
affordable housing reignited. That's when, in 1989, the Housing Finance
Commission began to reassemble a partnership platform that finally
materialized in 1993 as the first statewide housing conference in more
than ten years. Held in Olympia, that conference was attended by some
300 people representing housing advocates, builders, lenders and public
agencies from across the state.
Lots of Great Support
Since then, the Housing
Finance Commission, aided by the addition in the mid-1990's of the
Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development as a co-sponsor
and then in 1998, the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (formerly
Network), has been able to create the successful model that continues
today under the name Housing Washington.
Several decisions have
anchored the success of this conference:
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By agreeing to hold
the conference on both sides of the state (East and West), the
Commission was able to assure that the conference represents
everyone in Washington, not just the I-5 corridor.
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By moving to
professional planning and organizational help in 1998, the
co-presenters raised the level of professionalism and sponsorship of
the conference.
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By recognizing the
great private sector support for affordable housing that exists in
Washington, the conference has expanded attendance, growing from 300
attendees to more than 785.
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By keeping
registration costs low and using donations to provide scholarships
to low-income persons, the conference has maintained a wide base of
advocate support and been inclusive of all interested parties.
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Finally, by finding
the best professional speakers in the nation, the planning partners
have achieved the distinction of hosting one of the largest and best
statewide housing conferences in the country.
Housing Washington 2004
was
the culmination of eleven years of learning, listening, trusting and
responding to the ideas, requests, suggestions and growth of the
affordable housing movement in Washington State. The conference
represented the broad spectrum of affordable housing interests, not just
of Washington, but also the affordable housing industry that exists on
the West coast.
Attendees
came from as far away as Buffalo and North Carolina and as near as the
Spokane Valley. Not only do we now get requests from speakers to return
to the conference once they have appeared, we get requests from speakers
to be considered for an appearance at the conference based on its
national reputation! Housing Washington has truly become a recognized
brand name among the 25 or more statewide housing conferences that get
hosted across the nation each year.
So, why does Washington
host one of the largest and best housing conferences in the nation?
Ultimately, it means a place for everyone who needs a home in Washington
State.
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
About Us
The Washington State Housing Finance Commission is a self-supporting
agency that provides below-market financing to buy, build or
preserve affordable housing and nonprofit capital facilities. The
Commission builds partnerships with the private sector to raise
capital needed to further these social and economic objectives at no
cost to the taxpayers of Washington State. For more
information about the Commission and its work, visit
www.wshfc.org or call
206-464-7139 or 1-800-767-HOME (4663) toll free in Washington State.
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