Home Fund will serve the most vulnerable

A recent op-ed from contributor Ed Pole suggested that fees and regulations are significant drivers of housing costs in Olympia. We agree. Housing affordability fundamentally depends on smart land-use policy and thoughtful fee structures. This critical issue is currently being considered by the Olympia City Council’s land use and environment committee.

We disagree, however, with Mr. Pole’s assessment of the Home Fund proposal. The Home Fund is fundamentally about how we serve our neighbors who live with severe disabilities. People with severe disabilities often struggle to compete in the private housing market, no matter how healthy that market might be. The Home Fund proposal is a sales tax levy of one tenth of one percent. In the first seven years it will build 250 affordable homes for the most vulnerable, most gravely disabled people experiencing homelessness in Olympia. The proposal will pair intensive social services with affordable housing to ensure that residents have needed support. We believe that every person should have access to a safe and healthy home, and that the most vulnerable should take priority.

The Home Fund does not attempt to address the problem of overall housing affordability in Olympia, and our proposal is not a replacement for smart land-use policy. It is an opportunity for Olympia voters to meaningfully address homelessness among vulnerable households.

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Home Fund will serve the most vulnerable."