Advocacy & Policy

Our goal is to increase the production of affordable housing in King County through favorable public policy, increased resources, greater sector efficiency, and broad alliances committed to social equity within sustainable communities.

HDC works closely with government, housing providers, equity advocates, businesses, and community coalitions to implement public policies that create safe, healthy, affordable homes throughout King County.

You can find information on our advocacy priorities in the coming year in our 2023 Advocacy Agenda.

View our 2023 Advocacy Agenda

See our Legislative Advocacy Page to advocate with HDC
during this year’s virtual Legislative Session!

See our Homes for Washington site to take action with housing consortia across the state!

2021 Advocacy Accomplishments Overview

Thank you for your voice and support! In 2021, HDC and our partners:

Funded Affordable Homes

  • In coordination with NUHSA, worked in Lake Forest Park to adopt an MFTE program in the town center.
  • In partnership with the WA Low Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA), secured $350M of investments in affordable housing and homelessness in the capital budget.
  • As part of the Sound Communities Committee, obtained an additional $500K for ETOD proviso for Sound Communities Pilot program from the State operating budget.
  • Working with Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County and others, obtained an additional $350K for Black Homeownership Working Group from the State operating budget.
  • Working with WLIHA and other allies, successfully advocated for inclusion in the State Operating Budget: $658M for rental assistance, $187M for foreclosure prevention, $72M for shelter and housing for people experiencing homelessness, and a $27M increase to the Housing and Essential Needs rental assistance program.
  • Worked with a broad group of advocates from across the state to secure $2.2B in relief funding from the American Rescue Plan.
  • In coordination with WLIHA, successfully advocated for $298M every two years to provide revenue source for eviction prevention, supportive housing, landlord mitigation, and housing stability services from document recording fees.
  • Advocated for and secured a fix to HB1590 via SHB 1070 to revise the Hotel Motel Lodging Tax income range to allow the use of revenue serve people with incomes at 0-30% AMI.
  • Passed HB1189, working with the Washington Association of Cites, to allow property tax within financing areas to be collected for existing purposes-Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
  • With WLIHA and Habitat for Humanity of Seattle-King County, secured the passage of SB5287, expanding MFTE to all cities and urban growth areas within any county with a population of at least 2 million.
  • With the Association of Mobile Homeowners, passed HB1083 to provide relocation assistance to owners of manufactured homes when the community is closed.
  • Along with a broad coalition of affordable housing advocates and organizations, successfully advocated to the City of Bellevue to help close funding gaps for two projects, including the Eastside Men’s Shelter ($3.6M for the development of the 100-bed shelter for homeless men) and the Eastgate Supportive Housing project ($400K for the development of the 95-unit permanent supportive housing project, the first of supportive housing project on the Eastside).
  • Working with the Bellevue Chamber, ARCH, and the Eastside Housing Roundtable, successfully advocated for the expansion of the Bellevue MFTE program to help create more workforce and low-income housing options in the city.
  • In coordination with the Eastside Affordable Housing Convening, ensured adoption of a $6M capital funding program and a $1.8M services and behavioral health program, through the City of Bellevue’s HB1590 implementation.
  • In partnership with the Coalition for More Housing Choices, HomeSight, the Washington Homeownership Resource Center, and others, initiated and launched the 7-point plan that includes comprehensive strategies to advance Black Homeownership in the Puget Sound region.
  • Obtained $49.2M of federal recovery funds directed to housing and homelessness in the Seattle Rescue Plan, with the help of leaders and other advocates from HDC member organizations.
  • Thanks to the advocacy of many HDC members, successfully protected JumpStart funding in Seattle for affordable housing and supported forward commitment of revenue to support shovel ready projects.
  • With Transportation Choices Coalition (TCC), the Teamsters, and the FareShare coalition, protected $52M in investments from Seattle’s FareShare tax from reductions via a budget amendment.
  • Partnering with Seattle for Everyone, advocated for a statement of legislative intent (SLI) that required the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections to convene stakeholders and apply a racial equity lens to the design review process and assess necessary reforms.

Built and Maintained Inclusive Communities

  • Thanks to the work of the HDC Affordable Homeownership Affinity Group, obtained the provision of 10 vacant Sound Transit sites in the Rainier Valley area to be available at no-cost to the Seattle Office of Housing for the development of permanently affordable homeownership.
  • Worked to pass CB119975 in Seattle, facilitating the removal of development barriers and reducing the cost of bringing Permanent Supportive Housing projects online, a proven solution to ending homelessness in King County.
  • Alongside Seattle for Everyone, Share the Cities, The Urbanist, 350 Seattle, Sierra Club, and others, successfully advocated for the release of the Growth Strategy racial equity analysis in the summer for inclusion in the major Comprehensive Plan update
  • Working with LIHI and the Nehemiah Initiative Seattle, secured the passage of policies that allow more flexibility for religious organizations to redevelop their land with long-term, income-restricted affordable housing.
  • In Burien, working with South King Housing & Homelessness Partners (SKHHP), the Southside Chamber, and DESC, successfully advocated to the city council to vote to approve the Affordable Housing Demonstration Program.
  • With help from Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County and local advocates, successfully adopted a Housing Action Plan in Shoreline with favorable polices and strategies for affordable housing.
  • Reduced parking requirements for affordable housing projects near transit in Bellevue, thanks to advocacy from HDC, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County, and DASH.
  • Working with Congregations for the Homeless, Plymouth Housing, and Inland Construction, advocated and obtained approval from King County to allow the sale of surplus property located in Eastgate, Bellevue for the Eastgate Housing Campus of shelter, workforce and supportive housing projects; leveraging $130M in investments to create 360 affordable homes.
  • Working with the Eastside Affordable Housing Coalition and the Eastside housing Roundtable, obtained a 50% unit increase density bonus and a council commitment for a Land Use Code Amendment to change the underlying zoning to maximize development potential on suitable land owned by public agencies, faith-based organizations, and non-profit housing entities for affordable housing in Bellevue.
  • With the Eastside Housing Roundtable and DASH, secured the passage of DASH’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment in Bellevue, allowing increased density on two sites, opening the door for more affordable housing there in the future.
  • With help from Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County and local advocates, successfully adopted a Housing Action Plan in Redmond with favorable polices and strategies for affordable housing.

Improved the Health and Stability of Housing

  • In partnership with WLIHA and SKCCH, successfully passed HB1236, creating Just Cause eviction protections statewide.
  • Advocating alongside advocates from the Stay Healthy Stay Housed Coalition to pass Ordinance 2021-0131, creating countywide tenant protections.

Key Advocacy Partners:

Futurewise

Futurewise works across Washington to create livable communities, ensure clean healthy waterways, and protect farms, forests & habitat for this & future generations.

Seattle For Everyone

Seattle for Everyone is a broad coalition of housing advocates all united to build a equitable, prosperous, thriving, and inclusive Seattle by ensuring that the benefits of the city’s growth are shared by all current and future residents.

Seattle/King County Coalitions on Homelessness

The Coalition is an independent membership-based organization. They mobilize the community to challenge systemic causes of homelessness and advocate for housing justice.

Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (WHILA)

The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance leads a statewide movement to ensure all residents have the opportunity to thrive in safe, healthy, affordable homes.

Key Policy Partners:

A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) 

King County cities focused on both preserving and increasing the supply of housing for low and moderate income households in the Seattle area.

South King County Housing & Homelessness Partnership (SKHHP)

A coalition formed between South King County jurisdictions to work together and share resources in order to effectively address affordable housing and homelessness.