Invest in the Home Fund proposal

Affordable housing is a great need in our area. Community members like seniors, families with children, people with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence, and the vulnerable homeless need and deserve safe and affordable homes.

The Home Fund is a funding proposal that will drastically reduce homelessness through the creation of safe, permanent, affordable housing for the most vulnerable members of our community. By investing local dollars, a levy will target the greatest needs and leverage significant private, state and federal funds to house the most vulnerable.

Providing affordable housing to the most vulnerable members of our community creates savings for other publicly funded services. Vulnerable households are frequent users of hospitals, psychiatric units, law enforcement, criminal justice and emergency service systems. Providing permanent supportive housing gives the most vulnerable the long-term stability they need along with necessary services and is a cost-effective.

I urge the Olympia City Council to put the Home Fund levy on the ballot to create a cost effective affordable housing solution.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Invest in the Home Fund proposal."