By: Jeanie Lindsey, NW News Network With just a few weeks left in this year’s legislative session, Washington lawmakers are starting to unveil budget plans and consider bills in the… Continue Reading Bill Read More
Listen An aerial view of the lower village of Taholah, Washington on the edge of the Pacific Coast. (Credit: Quinault Indian Nation) (Runtime :48) Read New funding from the U.S.… Continue Reading Funding for Northwest tribes Read More
As a community grapples with what to do about the growing homeless population, unhoused residents say the grind of daily life makes it difficult to make progress Continue Reading A day in the life at a Clarkston homeless campRead More
Modular homes are assembled at Mercer Mass Timber in Spokane Valley, Washington. An expansion of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit could fund more housing construction projects in the Northwest… Continue Reading New congressional Read More
The tide of evictions many predicted, has come.
As the pandemic waned and rental assistance dollars from federal programs like the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dried up, some feared there would be an increase of evictions. Read More
Since Tacoma voters approved a ballot initiative that introduces new regulations called the Landlord Fairness Code to the Tacoma Municipal Code, there’s been a lot of questions about the initiative.
The City of Tacoma has answered some about the process and what happens next. The Landlord Fairness Code was adopted into the Tacoma Municipal Code and is a city law as of Read More
The final release of election results for Pierce County showed a victory for those who have been pushing for a set of progressive tenant protections in Tacoma.
“We feel really proud of what we've achieved. It was a real David versus Goliath kind of fight,” said Ty Moore, campaign manager for Tacoma For All, the group behind the initiative.
Citizens’ Initiative Measure Read More
A drone photo shows the devastation of the Wixson Heights Neighborhood in Orofino, Idaho. (Courtesy of Lauren Paterson) Listen (Runtime 3:41) Read Joanne Schwartz and her husband John count themselves… Continue Reading As Read More
Homeowners in Whatcom County have been waiting nearly two years for relief from flooding that devastated communities in northwest Washington and parts of Canada — and now, they have to wait even longer.
Federal funding was supposed to come this week for 12 homeowners whose houses were destroyed during the November 2021 flooding. However, it’s been delayed, again. Read More
Students experiencing homelessness are more likely to suffer academically and are more likely to drop out of school compared to their housed peers, according to the latest legislative report in… Continue Reading Youth homelessness in Read More
This year’s funding for Tacoma Rescue Mission homeless shelters has decreased. That means next month, the mission will have to decrease the number of shelter spaces available.
As of June 23, the mission had 24 spaces available in their women’s shelter and 39 in their men’s shelter. But by July 1, those will go away, according to the mission. Read More
Students walk in the sun on the Kamiah High School campus. The Kamiah School District is a small school district in a town of 1,100 people located on the Nez… Continue Reading Idaho’s homeless student population increasing amid Read More
With the deadline looming to secure enough signatures to get their initiative on the ballot, volunteers with Tacoma For All canvassed across Tacoma Friday.
Zev Cook, field manager for the campaign, led a group of eight volunteers in the late afternoon around a South Tacoma neighborhood. Read More
Houses under construction in Richland, Washington. More homes are needed in urban and rural areas, said Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell. (Credit: Lauren Paterson / NWPB) Listen (Runtime 00:53) Read The… Continue Reading Tax credit revamp could Read More
The Tacoma School District has the largest number of students experiencing homelessness in Washington. Month after month, more students and their families are counted as homeless in Tacoma, the third largest city in the state.
“We started the fall at 1,626, and as of the end of April, we're at 2,382,” said Taj Jensen, director of Title, Learning Assistance Programs Read More
Organizers from the housing justice group Tacoma For All and their supporters gathered with signs and megaphones Thursday afternoon to show their support of the initiative, known colloquially as a tenant bill of rights, which Tacoma For All hopes to get on the ballot for voters this fall.
The rally took place before a meeting of the city’s Community Vitality and Safety Read More
Washington's legislature adjourned its 2023 regular session with a new two-year state budget, alongside dozens of policy changes focused on housing, health care and public safety – and a surprising last-minute bill failure. Continue Read More
A tanker airplane drops fire retardant on a wildfire burning near Twisp, Wash. Three firefighters were killed battling the blaze. (Credit: Ted S. Warren / Associated Press) Listen (Runtime 1:07)… Continue Reading More Read More
Johnny Taylor is one of the residents of Abiel Mobile Home Community facing big rent increases and new fees, after the park was purchased by an out-of-state investment firm. (Credit:… Continue Reading Nowhere to go: Facing Read More
Andrew Adams waters the garden outside the kitchen of his home. (Credit: Kristin Adams) Listen (Runtime 4:10) Read By Lauren Paterson and Rachel Sun For adults with developmental disabilities in… Continue Reading New grant to help Read More
WA lawmakers pass housing, firearm bills ahead of cutoff, leave rent control, recycling bills behind
Washington lawmakers are getting back into the swing of working on legislation in committees following a key cutoff deadline. Wednesday marked the final day for legislators to pass bills from the chamber they originated in, meaning most bills that didn't receive a vote on the floor will no longer be considered this session. Read More
Legislators in Olympia are considering a host of bills to address the housing crisis, and Tuesday, members from both parties announced they're finding common ground. Continue Reading WA lawmakers promise bipartisan action to boost housing Read More
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee emphasized housing construction and homelessness response during his 2023 State of the State address on Tuesday. The issue is a bipartisan priority for the state Legislature, but approaches differ among the lawmakers who convened in Olympia this week. Read More
Washington state voters and lawmakers appear to be in close alignment on their top priorities for the incoming Washington Legislature. The 2023 session gavels to order at noon on Monday, January 9. Continue Reading Here are six issues Read More
The Tacoma City Council passed an ordinance to ban camping within 10 blocks of emergency shelters in the city.
Zev Cook, a staff organizer with Home in Tacoma For All, says they’ll be taking the city to court over the ordinance. Continue Read More
Next week, Tacoma City Council is scheduled to vote on an ordinance that would ban public-camping within 10 blocks of homeless shelters.
Council member John Hines, who represents district one, introduced the ordinance. He said his goal is to make shelters, and the surrounding neighborhoods around them, safer. Read More
After months of pushback from Parkland community members over the sale of the historic Parkland School building, the stakeholders have reached a decision to please all.
In a letter to two Pierce County council members, Pacific Lutheran University President Alan Belton outlined the tentative agreement. Read More
Madalyn Asker and Amanda Eller stand in the frame of the first of six houses being designed and built by University of Idaho students. Listen Communities across the country are… Continue Reading Local Organization Pairs With Read More
A recent report by Harvard revealed that yes, investors are buying up homes to make money. Listen (Runtime :59) Read Research from Harvard recently confirmed that investors are buying up… Continue Reading Nearly One Third Of Read More
Rising home prices and inflation are making it difficult for people to find – or keep – a home. Listen Lauren Paterson reports one Washington state legislator believes housing will… Continue Reading WA Senator Says Legislature Needs To Read More
As prices continue to climb across the country, the Northwest is seeing big price hikes for rentals, too. Listen Correspondent Lauren Paterson reports on what the latest data on average… Continue Reading Northwest rents continue to rise, Read More
First time homebuyers in Washington are struggling to afford their first house. Listen Housing prices were ticking up in the Northwest before the pandemic as COVID removed reasons to be… Continue Reading Only Three Washington Counties Read More
Pierce County is seeking to improve their coordinated entry system for housing assistance. One method they’re trying is through funding for so-called cultural hubs. Continue Reading Pierce County Seeks To Create Cultural Hubs Read More
Housing prices in Coeur d’Alene and other parts of Kootenai County are soaring Read Listen: NWPB’s Lauren Paterson looks at the housing crisis in Kootenai County / Runtime: 4 minutes… Continue Reading Study Says 75% Of Coeur Read More
The Pasco manufacturing and business sector is growing fast but the housing sector is lagging. According to the organization Local Housing Solutions, Pasco’s comprehensive plan for 2018 thru 2038 found the city will fall thirty-four percent short of projected growth with new home construction. Read More
Renters who are behind on their rent in Washington will get a few more months of protection from eviction. On Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new eviction moratorium that will run through September 30. The current moratorium expires June 30 — the same day the state is set to fully reopen. Read More
A federal judge has issued a sweeping ruling that would revoke a pandemic eviction moratorium put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continue Reading Judge Strikes Down Federal Eviction Moratorium, Setting Read More
With many Americans behind on their rent during the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is extending an order aimed at preventing evictions through June. Continue Reading Federal Eviction Moratorium Extended Just 2 Days Read More
Many Americans are ready and eager to buy a home right now. But they're having trouble finding one. Home sales edged down 6.6% in February compared with the previous month because there just aren't enough houses out there for people to buy. Read More
After Gov. Jay Inslee extended the moratorium multiple times, most lawmakers, lobbyists and advocates expect March 31 will mark its true end — at least at the state level. Then the question of what will happen to renters without the moratorium’s blunt relief will go from hypothetical to very much real. Read More
In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, the organizations said that during a two-year investigation they documented the effect of Redfin’s “minimum price policy,” which requires homes to be listed for certain prices to reap the benefits of Redfin’s services. Read More
The governor said in a news conference Wednesday that he’s concerned about housing insecurity during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Continue Reading Governor Jay Inslee Extends Washington Eviction Moratorium Through End Of Read More
The new eviction ban is being enacted through the Centers for Disease Control. The goal is to stem the spread of the COVID outbreak, which the agency says in it's order, "presents a historic threat to public health." Continue Reading Read More
Homeowners say that to catch up on payments, lenders demand big balloon payments they can't afford. Advocates want Congress to mandate that missed payments simply be added to the end of the loan term. Continue Reading 3.4 Read More
There's a growing consensus that a more punitive approach hasn't worked for Spokane. Nationwide, the homeless population is rising. In many communities, it can feel like an intractable problem. Yet cities like Spokane are starting to show some incremental progress with some prevention programs. Read More
As more old orchard land in central Washington is converted into housing developments and schools, there are concerns over legacy pesticides in the soil where children play and families live. That’s especially true in Wenatchee and Yakima. Read More
Yakima will soon be home to the largest farmworker housing complex in Washington. The revamped FairBridge hotel officially opened Friday, June 1, and the first guest workers will be housed there beginning June 11th. Read More
