COVID-19

HDC is working with our members, allies and community partners to identify the impact this public health crisis will have on our collective mission to ensure all people in King County can access a safe, healthy and affordable home. The resilience, compassion, and innovation of our sector becomes more apparent each day.

We are so proud to work alongside each of you.

Our COVID-19 resource page is a resource to share information relevant to the diverse roles our members play in the affordable housing “universe.”

⇒ Developers
⇒ Affordable Home Ownership
⇒ Owners & Operators
⇒ Human Service Providers
⇒ General Contractors
⇒ COVID-19 Advocacy

Vaccination Resources

  • COVID-19 Vaccines are now available to everyone 5 and older. You can use the Vaccine Locator to find a provider close to you.

Public Health Updates

Resources

A new data dashboard by the King County Public Health shows the broader social, economic, and health impacts of COVID. You can read more about it on the Public Health Insider blog.

Pandemic Community Advisory Group – As a member of the PCAG, HDC staff collects and shares information on COVID-19 response in the Affordable Housing sector and serves in an advisory capacity for the COVID-19 Response Fund hosted by the Seattle Foundation.

City Specific Resources

View by City

East King County

Mercer Island

Issaquah

Seattle 

Racial Equity Tools

Race, Equity, and Inclusion is the lens we aim to focus our efforts through each day. This is the time to emphasize this essential work. A deeper commitment is needed as research shows health inequities are exacerbated during a time of crisis. Please take some time to join us in this work and let’s keep each other grounded in the need to disrupt oppression of all forms.

Racial Equity Tools, has put together a COVID-19 resource list. National Innovation Service created an Equitable Systems Transfomational Framework for COVID-19. 

If you’re aware of a resource that you don’t see included here, please reach out to Loren.

Developers

Housing production and preservation is more critical than ever during the COVID-19 crisis. HDC Affordable Housing Developers have shared concerns about the potential for major project development disruptions. We are working with partners across the sector to address these new challenges around permitting, fund commitment, supply chain shortage, contractor availability, rising costs of labor and materials, and potential adaptation of project timelines.

We are actively coordinating with allies at the local, state and federal levels to champion advocacy approaches that address these issues.

Resources:

COVID-19 Guidance from Labor & Industries for Construction Companies

Affordable Home Ownership

Affordable Home Ownership Organizations play a critical role in returning equity to the hands of low- and moderate-income households in King County. As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, HDC’s affordable home ownership members are committed to ensuring the families and individuals they partner with stay in their homes.

The priority concerns we have heard from members are: forbearance of mortgage, property tax and HOA dues, foreclosure prevention funding/counseling, supplemental income support, specific supports for older adults and people with disabilities to ensure they can remain in their homes.

Resources:

WA Home Ownership Resource Center 

WA Department of Financial Institutions – Resource list for homeowner support

City of Seattle Stability Loan Program – a partnership between the Seattle Office of Housing and Homesight designed to provide financial assistance to homeowners in Seattle who face delinquent payments.

Contact the WA Home Ownership Resource Center to get started (877) 894-4663.

Owners & Operators

HDC members who own and operate affordable housing communities across King County are facing unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 crisis. Mitigating the impact of the virus on residents, staff and management remains the highest priority. Many have adapted their typical models of service delivery and have expressed concerns around increased costs, coupled with significant loss of rental revenue.

HDC is working to amplify the recognition of both short and long-term challenges affordable housing owners & operators face to ensure a comprehensive policy response is delivered by each tier of government.

Resources:

King County Public Health published COVID-19 guidance specific to Owners & Operators.

Human Service Providers

We understand COVID-19 has significant impacts on our members’ service delivery. Many human service providers shared challenges with increased costs associated with cleaning, shelter capacity, staffing challenges, and a strain on behavioral health interventions. We are working on helping the critical nature of the services our members provide and the resilience being shown during this time.

COVID-19 Testing sites in King County

HDC Member Promising Practice: DESC’s new COVID Response Team of existing medical and program staff provided rapid support to staff and clients, and coordinated closely with King County Public Health to do a thorough assessment and make sure all clients and staff are cared for. They are relocating 200 shelter guests from our largest congregate settings into a hotel in Renton.

Are you a senior housing service provider?
Are you a homeless service provider?
Are you a resident service provider?

General Contractors

HDC facilitates a monthly check-in meeting, to provide an opportunity for updates, sharing promising practices, most recent compliance requirements, and strategies to attain as well as troubleshoot impediments and challenges. HDC is also brokering connections to supply of critical needs such as hand sanitizer.

HDC regularly convenes architects, developers, and general contractor members to provide an opportunity for sharing of learning how construction projects are evolving and challenges that need to be confronted. Reach out to Loren for more information.

Governor Inslee’s Construction Working Group Recommendations can be found here.

To share your perspectives, please contact your member representative or reach out to Loren for more information.