Exec's home | News | Site map | E-mail
	Nov. 9, 2004 Executive sends five-year Housing and Community Development Plan to County Council Critical first step in ending homelessness in King County How will $21 million per year in federal, state and local funds be invested to address affordable housing, homelessness and community development needs in King County’s communities over the next five years? The King County Consortium’s “Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan 2005-2009”, recently transmitted by King County Executive Ron Sims to the Metropolitan King County Council lays out a comprehensive, strategic plan for those investments. “King County is committed to developing affordable housing and other supports to solve the problems of homelessness in our region and the lack of available housing for low and moderate income residents,” said Executive Sims. “Even many people with jobs in our communities can’t find housing they can afford in those same communities. This plan, developed with the input of our cities and our many partners in homeless services, community development, and affordable housing, will help us to maximize our resources and achieve real progress in making King County a great place to live for people of all income levels.” The King County Consortium includes most of the cities in King County as well as the unincorporated areas of the county. It does not include the City of Seattle, which prepares its own Consolidated Plan. The Department of Community and Human Services, Housing and Community Development Program, staffs the work of the Consortium. “Housing is a regional issue,” said Ava Frisinger, Mayor of Issaquah and Chair of the Consortium. “By working together, the cities and the county can make great strides toward ensuring that our region has enough affordable housing, that we end homelessness, and that we have livable communities. I am pleased to be part of the inter-jurisdictional partnership that will be implementing this plan over the next five years.” The Consolidated Plan is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, through which King County receives the federal housing and community development dollars. These HUD programs have a broad national goal: “To develop viable urban communities, by providing decent affordable housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- to moderate-income persons”. Within that broad goal, HUD requires the King County Consortium to prioritize its own needs through a process that involves homeless and affordable housing stakeholders and also reaches out to members of the public who are predominantly low- to moderate-income. The goals of the King County Consortium’s Consolidated Plan for 2005-2009 are: Goal 1: Ensure decent affordable housing, including both rental housing and opportunities for home ownership, and provide support for fair housing practices. Goal 2: End homelessness, through homeless prevention programs, creation of transitional and permanent housing for homeless people, and stronger regional planning and coordination. Goal 3: Establish and maintain a suitable living environment and economic opportunities, by improving access to human services for people with low-moderate incomes, and improving living conditions and economic opportunities in lower-income neighborhoods. The report highlights the heightened burden of the very low-income residents of King County in finding affordable housing. As median income has increased over the past ten years, poverty and the percentage of low-income households has also increased. Our lowest income households became worse off as rents and ownership prices accelerated. The rental affordability gap for low-income people now stands at $269 - the difference between what is earned at minimum wage jobs and the countywide median cost of monthly housing. The report also shows increases in the numbers of elderly and frail elderly, as well as increases in the numbers of people with disabilities - all signs that the plan must provide more housing for people with special needs. The King County Consortium’s 2005-2009 Consolidated Plan will be an important key to the county’s efforts to address the problems of homelessness and lack of affordable housing across the region. It contains a summary of the needs countywide, as well as the target objectives and strategies in each of the goal areas. Staff made a concerted effort to gather input from key stakeholders and from the public, including outreach to several communities around King County that include higher numbers of low-median income residents. The public input process was very interactive, with colorful booths placed in seven locations around the county and materials translated into three languages. This year, for the first time, the Strategic Plan section establishes desired long-term outcomes and measurable indicators, in order to evaluate progress towards reaching the goals over time. The King County Consortium Consolidate Housing and Community Development Plan for 2005-2009 is available online at www.metrokc.gov/dchs/csd/housing. Updated: Nov. 9, 2004 Executive's home Executive's news Executive's site map | E-mail the Executive King County | Executive | News | Services | Comments | Search Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County. By visiting this and other King County web pages, you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site. The details.