What's New?

The Washington State Legislature has completed its Special Session without addressing the projected budget deficit in its entirety.  The Legislature will reconvene January 9, 2012.  

Habitat is committed to ending poverty housing and homelessness.  We've pledged to protect the most vulnerable among us.  If you aren't involved, HFHWA urges you to join your local low income housing/homelessness/poverty coalitions.  Understand the reality of poverty in your community and in the state.  Figure out how your affiliate can help.  Make your voices heard - what kind of communities do we want to live in?  What kind of a state do we want to live in?  

Understand what the numbers mean in dollars - half of the people affected by the "median" are below that number.  What are their actual dollars?  How much money do they have to live?  Can they live on it?  It isn't about the choices people made or didn't make in the past - it's about whether or not they have enough money to go forward.  Take a good hard look at the incomes of the households coming to you for Habitat homes and at your current homeowners.  How stable are their income sources?  Could your family live on their incomes?  

Here's the website for the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance - www.wliha.org  

Mark your calendars - come to Olympia for Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day, Jan. 20, 2012.  You can register on the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance site.  If you can't come, the Alliance will have "virtual" participation options for you.  HFHWA asked and the Allliance responded to our request.  We'll let you know when we receive them.

If you want help with advocacy, call us or check out the Board Advocacy Project at Common Ground of Washington - www.commongroundwa.org.  They have funding to work with your board.

A reminder,
We've moved into our new offices at 4824 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409.  The office phone number is working again - 253-759-2780.  Call first if you want to fax us.  

Please remember that we're part-time so it is important to set up meetings ahead of time to be sure we are available.  

Remember also that we are co-located with Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity and their CEO is Maureen Fife.  If you are coming to meet with Maureen Howard, be sure to let the receptionist know so you get the correct Maureen.

HFHWA Board Information
All affiliates should know their HFHWA Board Regional Director.  If you don't, contact the HFHWA office.

HFHWA Board Officers are:

President, Thomas L. Page
Vice President, Michone Preston
Secretary, Martin Kooistra
Treasurer, Calvin Hewitt