The week will shine a light on the urgent need for additional affordable housing in the region and promote recent successes throughout the county.
TACOMA, WA – May 9, 2023—The Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium (TPCAHC) in partnership with Pierce County Council has proclaimed the week of May 7th through May 13th, “Affordable Housing Week.” During Affordable Housing Week, TPCAHC members and community partners will advocate for additional funding for affordable housing at the local, state, and federal levels, and highlight recent legislative successes, and affordable housing programs and partners throughout Pierce County. TPCAHC Executive Director Amanda DeShazo and South Sound Housing Affordability Partners Manager Jason Gauthier will accept the proclamation in the Pierce County Council Chambers on May 9th at 3 PM.
“There’s no doubt that our region remains in the midst of a housing crisis,” said TPCAHC Executive Director Amanda DeShazo. “Thousands of people are struggling to find truly affordable housing in Pierce County, but thanks to the efforts of our members and elected officials like Pierce County Council Member Ryan Mello, progress is being made. This week, we are celebrating the successful passage of promising legislation, impactful programs implemented by our partners, and new developments that will help to mitigate the crisis.”
Some of the recent affordable housing successes in Pierce County include the recent adoption of the Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act, which will bring in $20 million annually for affordable housing development and services across Pierce County. Pierce County also adopted its first Housing Action Strategy, outlining actions that the county should take to increase the availability of affordable housing. Regionally, the County and local municipalities have come together in a formal intergovernmental collaboration to form the South Sound Housing Affordability Partners, a group striving to create and preserve affordable, attainable, and accessible housing throughout communities.
"Pierce County recognizes the critical need for affordable housing in our community, and we are taking action to address it," says Ryan Mello, Chair of the Pierce County Council. "With over 2,600 units currently in development, we are setting the stage to meet our goal of 2,300 new affordable units per year over the next twenty years as outlined in the Pierce County Housing Action Strategy. We are proud to support the work of local developers who share our vision of providing safe and stable housing for all our residents in need. Today, through this proclamation, we stand united in our efforts to raise awareness and prioritize the need for affordable housing in our community."
TPCAHC members will join King County affordable housing advocates for a virtual panel discussion on May 11th to recap the housing policy results of the 2023 Legislative Session. Known to advocates as the “Year of Housing”, this year’s State budget allocates more than $1 billion over the next biennium to address homelessness and affordable housing. The event will be moderated by Ross Reynolds from KUOW and will feature lawmakers who were essential in passing major housing legislation this year, including Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins (27th LD) and Senator Yasmin Trudeau (27th LD).
Those interested in learning more about TPCAHC’s work are encouraged to visit, www.affordablehousingconsortium.org.
About Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium
The Affordable Housing Consortium is a non-profit membership organization. Members of our agency span a variety of sectors and come together around the belief that all residents of Tacoma-Pierce County deserve access to decent, safe, and high-quality affordable housing. The Affordable Housing Consortium delivers public education on the affordable housing crisis and advocates for policies in support of affordable housing development. We provide opportunities for our members to invest, advocate, and engage through our robust affordable housing network. Learn more at www.affordablehousingconsortium.org.
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Media Contacts
Amanda DeShazo Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium
Executive Director amanda@affordablehousingconsortium.org