Home Fund creates place to call home

I write in support of the Home Fund Proposal being presented for the City of Olympia. The Home Fund is a non-partisan coalition of private and non-profit partners committed to creating safe, affordable housing for Olympia’s most vulnerable and homeless individuals and families. The benefit of the proposed levy would not only create housing and increased support services. The levy would also help alleviate barriers to downtown economic development as well as reduce cost of publicly funded systems such as emergency room services and law enforcement.

Housing is imperative to success of any kind, whether it be in facilitating the emotional intelligence and maturity of homeless youth or providing safety for the mentally ill. Mental illness can only be made worse living out in the elements. For homeless youth and adults, seeking and gaining employment requires meeting basic needs that only housing can provide, such as restful sleep and access to hygiene. With rental rates increasing, the gap in availability of affordable housing is very problematic. The Home Fund levy would facilitate meeting basic needs necessary for moving and staying out of homelessness.

I encourage fellow citizens to visit The Home Fund project online for more information. thehomefund.org

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Home Fund creates place to call home."