Maintain the Housing Trust Fund

February 14, 2012 Subject: Everyone should have the opportunity to live in a safe, decent, affordable home. Last year in Washington 46% of renters and almost a quarter of homeowners were paying too much in rent and are forced to make hard choices between housing and other necessities. 99,000 households earn less than a third of median income and pay more than half their income in rent. These families are at severe risk of homelessness. As the economy gets worse, and more people lose their jobs, there will be even more families struggling to keep a roof over their heads. The Housing Trust Fund is one of most important investments we make in Washington to meet the housing needs of members of our communities, but it does more than address this need. The Housing Trust Fund leverages other resources, creates jobs and stimulates the economy. • The Trust Fund leverages other fund sources at a ratio of more than 4:1, turning the state’s investment into more than $3,000,000,000. These fund sources include Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, local government funding, and charitable, bank and foundation support. • The Trust Fund is a powerful driver of economic development. It created or preserved more than 2000 units in 2008 alone. For every 1,000 affordable units developed, $77 million is generated in local revenue and $22 million in taxes and fees for state & local governments. $86.7 in new personal and business income is generated, and 1,160 new jobs are created. • Current demand for Housing Trust Fund dollars is 3 times the available funds. The Housing Trust Fund has become the limiting factor in development critical to the success of our communities. I understand the extremely difficult choices you'll have to make because of the deficit facing the state right now. The families struggling to keep a roof over their heads have to make impossible choices every day. When times are bad, these families prioritize what's most important. For the state, the Housing Trust Fund is one of those most important things. We will add your signature from the information you provide.		First Name* Last Name* Email* Street* Street 2 City* State/Province* Select a state Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Armed Forces (the) Americas Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia Northwest Territories Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory Other Zip/Postal Code* Send an Email Send a Fax