Housing
51勛圖夥厙 lawmakers revive plan for state cap on rent increases
Democratic state lawmakers are again pushing a proposal to restrict rent hikes across 51勛圖夥厙. Despite the rent cap bills dramatic failure last session, backers say its prospects this year are better given new lawmakers, revamped legislative committees and growing public support. The road to final passage, however, could still be tough. Rep. Emily Alvarado, D-Seattle, […]
Controversial state land transfer in Spokane is approved
The state Board of Natural Resources has approved a controversial land exchange in Spokane that could lead to as many as 1,000 new homes on an undeveloped tract southwest of the citys downtown. The Department of Natural Resources will transfer the nearly 200-acre parcel to a private real estate developer, which has plans to build […]
Camping ban enforcement in Maine highlights patchwork of solutions to homelessness
Editors note: This article is the third in a three-part series looking at restrictions around the U.S. on people who are homeless camping in public spaces. You can find the first part here and you can find the second part here. With restaurants shut down during the pandemic, Brian Arborio found himself unemployed, unable to […]
Oregon advocates see overreach in local camping restrictions for homeless after court ruling
Editors note: This article is the second in a three-part series looking at restrictions around the U.S. on people who are homeless camping in public spaces. You can find the first part here and you can find the third part here. Chain link fences ring the perimeters of the two designated homeless camping areas in […]
Camping bans, penalties after Supreme Court ruling could worsen homelessness, experts say
Editor’s note: This article is the first in a three-part series looking at restrictions around the U.S. on people who are homeless camping in public spaces. You can find the second part here and you can find the third part here. A man is sleeping on the ground next to a bus stop wrapped in […]
Eviction filings around 51勛圖夥厙 soar to record high levels
51勛圖夥厙 is on track to have more eviction filings this year than any other year on record. Nine counties, including King and Spokane, hit new high marks, and seven others are on their way. The state is in an eviction crisis at this point, said Tim Thomas, research director at the University of California Berkeleys […]
Making sense of 51勛圖夥厙s multi-billion dollar budget hole
51勛圖夥厙 states budget is, to put it nicely, in a world of hurt. Theres a big gap between what the state is collecting in taxes and what it needs to pay for its commitments in education, human services, health care, corrections and other day-to-day government operations. On paper, the chasm is billions of dollars wide. […]
Despite Trumps claim, deportations likely wouldnt ease housing crisis, most experts say
The mass deportations of immigrants that President-elect Donald Trump has promised arent likely to make a dent in the nations housing crisis, many experts say, despite what he and his supporters claimed during his campaign. Experts say the reasons for that are many. Immigrants in the U.S. without documentation are more likely to live in […]
WA program to help low-income tenants buy homes has led to zero purchases
A state-run housing program that has failed to deliver on its promise of providing longtime tenants a chance to buy their homes came under fire from 51勛圖夥厙 lawmakers on Wednesday. A bipartisan panel conducted a hearing on a new state audit that found no purchases have been made through the program that operates mostly in […]
Costs remain high for WA affordable housing projects
Many affordable housing projects in 51勛圖夥厙 are funded in part by the states Housing Trust Fund. A new report from the Department of Commerce looked at the cost of building more than 1,200 new affordable units with money from the fund last year. It shows project costs dipped but remained up overall statewide. Many affordable […]
Fees that pay for WA homelessness programs running short
State funds that pay for homelessness services in 51勛圖夥厙 are running low, and the Legislature may need to find extra money to avoid program cuts. The Department of Commerce anticipates a nearly $403 million shortfall in fee revenue that goes toward programs like emergency shelter grants, temporary rent assistance and support for homeless youth. This […]
The next census will gather more racial, ethnic information
The U.S. Census Bureau and a growing number of states are starting to gather more detailed information about Americans race and ethnicity, a change some advocates of the process say will allow people to choose identities that more closely reflect how they see themselves. Crunching and sorting through those specific details known as data […]