Habitat for Humanity of Seattle-King County

May Construction Update

Caitlin — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:34:23 +0000

Lots of progress has been made on all of our sites since we last updated you! Here’s an idea of what’s been happening at La Fortuna, Rainier Vista, Westway, and HOIF. And a preview of what’s to come as we prepare to host our AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon just over a week from now.

La Fortuna

Building 7 at La Fortuna is nearing completion. Countertops and cabinets have been installed in most of the units and the siding and exterior painting is almost finished. Both the interior and exterior of the building are getting all of their finishing touches and by the end of this week, the units will be 90% completed.

The Staff and AmeriCorps at La Fortuna have begun work on the latest set of units, Building 8. This week will consist of electrical inspections and pouring concrete slabs in the foundation. With the foundation work almost complete, they are hoping to be in the framing stage by Build-a-Thon.

Rainier Vista

The crew at Rainier Vista has started work on two new buildings, and has even begun framing one of them already. The foundation is being built on the second building, but the hope is that both buildings will be in the framing stage in time for Build-a-Thon, just like the one at La Fortuna.

House of the Immediate Future

Exterior walls are currently being raised at HOIF and this week the crew will be finishing preparations for the roof trusses and will begin framing the roof.

Westway

There are a number of homes being worked on in the Westway community and they are in a range of different stages. At Westway home 3.6 the Site Staff and AmeriCorps members have been working on interior and exterior painting and landscaping. They are planning to be finished with this home within the month and are aiming for the dedication to be held in June. Westway home 3.7 is moving along with insulation and drywall installation. Additionally, two other homes (3.4 and 3.8) are being worked on.

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GiveBIG on May 15

GenaG — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:42:31 +0000

Join Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County, The Seattle Foundation, and a community of supporters as we come together on Wednesday, May 15 for the largest, online day of giving in the region. The more funds we raise for Habitat on that day, the more matching funds we’ll receive.

Be a part of the movement, it’s easy!

Donate online to our Habitat SKC donation page on The Seattle Foundation website. Click here to donate on May 15.
Be sure to submit your donation between 12am and midnight on May 15.

This campaign will help us build, renovate and repair homes for low-income partner families. Our mission to change lives and communities through sustainable, affordable housing depends on support from people like you.

Remember, only gifts made on Wednesday, May 15, are eligible for matching funds.

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Raise your voices to address two critical advocacy actions

GenaG — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:22:00 +0000

Raise your voices to address two critical advocacy actions

1) Regarding the Washington State Housing Trust Fund: As session winds down (the last day is scheduled for Sunday, April 28), the State Legislature is now squarely focused on the budget. The Senate’s budget proposals allocate only $35 million to the Housing Trust Fund and would enact deep cuts to every affordable housing and homelessness program across the state. While the House of Representatives’ Housing Trust Fund allocation is higher than proposed by the Senate, the Governor’s Housing Trust Fund allocation, at $65 million, is higher than that of either chamber. Click here to send an e-mail to all three of your legislators. Please personalize our sample e-mail. The most effective messages are the ones that tell your personal story.

2) Payday and predatory lending practices are detrimental to Washington Low Income families. Advocacy efforts were successful in killing a bill that would have loosened restrictions on these practices. Now, new attempts are being attempted to introduce last minute legislation. Please consider taking action now to stop the HB 2040 bill from passing. We know the majority of Washingtonians want their legislators to represent them, not predatory lenders who prefer to write their own rules. To take action, click here!

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Home improvement expert highlights Habitat Stores

GenaG — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:29:54 +0000

Where is the best place to score cheap (we like to say inexpensive) building materials and furniture? According to home improvement expert, Tami Michael’s, it’s our Habitat Stores! She featured our Stores on KOMO news as well as on her KOMO Newsradio show.

To watch the story, click here.

*Please note prices are as marked and we do not barter at our Habitat Stores.

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Home Dedication Ceremony on April 20- Afshar Family

GenaG — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:52:38 +0000

Please join us as we celebrate a home dedication ceremony for the Afshar family.

Saturday, April 20, 2013 @ 3:30 pm

18280 NE 98th Place, Unit #2, Redmond, WA 98052

The dedication ceremony will be followed by a short reception and tour of the home. For more information about the event, please contact Tracy Eales at *protected email* or call 206.292.5240, ext. 119

PLEASE NOTE: If you are using Google Maps or other navigation, the street numbers on Avondale may be confusing. Once on Avondale, CONTINUE until 95th!

Directions

Head north on WA-520 E (about 2 minutes) (go 2.4 miles)

- Continue onto Avondale Way (about 2 minutes) (go 0.9 miles)

- Slight left to stay on Avondale Way

Keep going even though the street numbers might confuse you. Look for Habitat signs.

- Turn left onto NE 95^th St (51 seconds) (go 177 ft.)

- Take the 1^st right onto 183 PL NE (go 0.1 miles)

- Turn left onto NE 98^th PL (go 161 ft)

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April Volunteer Spotlight

Caitlin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:28:00 +0000

Congratulations to our Volunteer of the Month for April, Joe Harrington!

Joe Harrington (left) at the Seattle Store with Manager Michael Albiar

Joe has been volunteering at our Seattle Store regularly for more than 15 months, but has been involved with Habitat for Humanity since 2001 when he volunteered at a construction site in Snoqualmie Ridge. He began volunteering at the store in 2011 when, as a customer, he noticed the need for help.

“I still can’t believe the volume of appliances, furniture and construction supplies that are donated by the supporters,” said Joe, “It’s endless.” Joe’s engineering and retail background have been really helpful when it comes to merchandising and selling the donations received at the store.

Joe is really appreciated at the Seattle Store. “You can always see Joe helping customers or talking with customers about plumbing, hardware, or anything that we have in the store,” said Michael Albiar, the Seattle Store Manager. “Joe is always working at keeping our store neat, clean, and stocked. You will also find him helping our customers and answering questions. And if he doesn’t have an answer he will find an answer for them. We are really lucky to have a guy like Joe to help our customers and to help us here at Habitat for Humanity.”

Joe would like to see additional volunteers at the Seattle Store. “Volunteers are needed at the store to stock merchandise and help customers,” said Joe. “It’s a rewarding way to volunteer for Habitat outside of the home building projects. And the crew at the store is great to work with. All of the employees and volunteers here are dedicated to the mission of Habitat.”

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2013 Habitat for Humanity International AmeriCorps Build-A-Thon

Monica — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:13:57 +0000

Group photo from 2011 AmeriCorps Build-A-Thon

Habitat for Humanity of Seattle-King County (SKC) has been selected as one of five national sites for the 2013 Habitat for Humanity International AmeriCorps Build-A-Thon ! The AmeriCorps Build-A-Thon will bring together AmeriCorps members and alumni for intensive construction to meet local community needs for affordable housing, while celebrating AmeriCorps members’ service together with Habitat.

The Seattle Build-A-Thon will be held May 19-24, 2013. Habitat SKC will be teaming up with Habitat of Tacoma-Pierce County to host approximately 100 AmeriCorps members representing 26 affiliates in 11different states. Throughout the week, the members will be split between the La Fortuna and Rainier Vista sites in King County, as well as at a site in Tacoma. The week will end with all members joining with residents and businesses in White Center for a community clean-up day and closing ceremonies barbecue on Friday May 24th!

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Now’s the time to advocate for affordable housing and here’s what you can do…

Caitlin — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 20:11:04 +0000

Friends of Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County, we need your help. It is our shared quest to attain affordable housing for residents in all of King County. Now is the time to speak up both individually and collectively to advocate for this cause. Below you will find a list of very urgent advocacy needs, and we ask you to please take action.

1. The Washington State Housing Trust Fund is a vital revenue source for HFH and our allies, and this week their budget is in danger of being cut completely. This will prevent the HTF from being able to assist the 27,000 homeless students and 10,000 homeless families in this state transition from the street to a safe, healthy, affordable home. Something we here at HFH are obviously very passionate about.

This link to our partner, Washington Low Income Alliance, will help you take immediate and appropriate action to help stop this from happening:

http://org.salsalabs.com/o/2685/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=13030

2. Incentive Zoning is a critical tool that needs strengthening in many cities in King County. Currently, many modest-wage workers cannot afford to live close to their jobs because the cost of living in that area is too high. Seattle is currently on the cusp of making a crucial decision after a long journey and much effort to strengthen the incentive zoning policies in our area (namely South Lake Union).

Click on the links below for more information on this plight:
http://wliha.org/blog/zoning-matters
http://www.housingconsortium.org/advocacy/incentiveinclusionary-zoning/

Right now, Seattle’s City Council is being inundated by private developers, business leaders, and other advocates who are discouraging them from making changes to the affordable housing incentives. We can’t let Council members settle for the most modest changes— we need to encourage them to support the strongest incentive zoning policy possible.

Ways you can help:

Write an email to City Council today. Their email addresses can be found here: http://www.seattle.gov/council/councilcontact.htm

Ask Council members to:

Please support the strongest incentive zoning policy possible as part of the South Lake Union rezone legislation in order to build affordable homes in South Lake Union.
Please increase the set-aside percentage to bring Seattle in line with incentive programs across the country that have a track record of success.
Please set the fee-in-lieu price as high as possible in order to meaningfully encourage developers to build affordable homes on-site. Modest wage working people need affordable homes built near their jobs in South Lake Union.

We also encourage you to add additional comments about the need for affordable housing, the benefits of building mixed-income communities, the importance of creating affordable homes in the city center to foster equitable and sustainable growth, the importance of receiving adequate public benefits for an upzone, and the importance of maximizing every tool available for affordable housing.

Please also encourage friends, family, and co-workers (and anyone else you know who makes less than $40,000 a year) to write to the Council as well. We need all the support we can get!

3. Attend and spread the word about this event on Monday hosted by Homestead Community Land Trust.

Join Homestead members and other affordable housing advocates for pizza, beer, and letter writing. Learn about the current status of the South Lake Union Rezone and what’s happening in Olympia around the Housing Trust Fund. Then write letters to your elected officials about the need for affordable housing!

When: Monday, April 8^th, 2013 4:30 – 6:30
Where: Homestead CLT’s office in the International District-
412 Maynard Ave. South #201, Seattle, WA 98104.

Learn about more ways in which you can help the HCLT on their website:

http://www.homesteadclt.org/support-our-work/advocate

4. Take action by signing this petition:
http://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/30/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=541

Payday lending like sub-prime loan products have had a very negative impact on low-income households and we need to continue to make sure it does not find a path back to prevalence in our communities. There is a proposed bill working its way through the state legislature right now that could make it possible to re-emerge in a different way. We need your help to stop it.

Help with advocating for any of these causes above will improve our work here at Habitat so we can continue to provide decent and affordable housing to the residents of King County. We thank you for your continued support!

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Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County Raises More Than $442,000 at Annual ‘Stronger Together’ Fundraising Breakfast

GenaG — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 21:23:30 +0000

Anticipates topping the half million mark when post event donations are factored in

RENTON, Wash., March 29, 2013 —Community leaders, business leaders, volunteers and grateful homeowners came together on March 27^th for Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County’s Annual Fundraising Breakfast at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Wash. More than 1,000 guests gathered to hear speakers share details about the depth and breadth of Habitat SKC’s work, both internationally and in King County. They also heard inspiring stories directly from local Habitat homeowners whose lives have been dramatically changed since becoming Habitat homeowners. The event, sponsored by BECU and Farmers Life Insurance raised more than $442,000. Post-event money from those who could not attend the breakfast is still pouring in. As a result, Habitat SKC anticipates the event will raise more than a half a million dollars.

“Our goal of eliminating poverty housing and creating a world where everyone has a decent place to live is an audacious one,” said Kirk Utzinger, Habitat SKC’s CEO. “But one that is closer every day thanks to the incredible generosity of our amazing supporters who turned out in force for our Breakfast. We are stronger together, and together we will continue to increase affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods around King County.”

Utzinger surprised and delighted guests by opening the breakfast with a violin solo – a moving and inspiring rendition of Amazing Grace. Few in the audience knew that in addition to having two decades of non-profit executive leadership experience, Utzinger is an accomplished musician with an undergraduate degree in Music – Violin Performance.

Event Co-chairs Nancy Sclater of Pinkerton Brown and Pete Shimer of Deliotte then spoke about Habitat SKC’s 2012 accomplishments, including building or remodeling 29 homes as part of 8 separate construction projects in the cities of Seattle, Renton, Pacific, Issaquah, Kent, Redmond, Snoqualmie and Federal Way and turning the keys over to 15 families who became proud new homeowners. All of this was achieved with the help of 2,722 volunteers who contributed 57,075 hours to Habitat and the homeowners who contributed sweat equity towards the purchase of their new homes.

Another surprise was the appearance of former Starbucks executive Larry Gluth. Gluth was Board president of Habitat for Humanity of East King County in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina struck the gulf coast. Taking a year’s sabbatical from his executive position with Starbucks, Larry volunteered with Habitat International as the efforts to rebuild began. Larry returned home briefly and after being bitten and coming down with ‘Habititus’, he and his family relocated to Atlanta where he is now senior vice president of the US & Canada office for Habitat for Humanity International.

Gluth was at the breakfast to present a special award, the Affiliate of Distinction Award, an inaugural award that recognizes excellence among Habitat affiliates. Habitat SKC was one of seven affiliates out of more than 1,500 to be recently honored as an Affiliate of Distinction. The Affiliate of Distinction award was created to recognize the top-performing affiliates in the U.S. Habitat SKC’s Board president, Dave Thompson accepted the award.

For those unable to attend the breakfast, they may donate through the Green Challenge Gift. Thanks to a generous pool of donors, every Green Challenge Gift will be doubled.

About Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County

Habitat for Humanity SKC is a faith-based, trusted leader in low-income housing solutions, inspiring change through community engagement and environmental sustainability. We build more than houses—we transform local communities. Our unique approach helps families to become successful homeowners while creating a better future for their families and neighborhoods.

Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County has partnered with hundreds of organizations in 17 different cities within King County, building or renovating more than 300 homes for families in need of affordable housing.

For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitatskc.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitatSKC or on Twitter at @habitatskc.

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March Volunteer Spotlight

GenaG — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:54:37 +0000

Brynn Ehni

Brynn has been volunteering with Habitat for two years. She initially got involved through a teen job shadow program with the City of Redmond. After her job shadow was completed, Brynn decided to continue to volunteer at the Redmond Habitat office. She filled in as the Volunteer Coordinator at the Redmond Habitat office for the last 2 summers, and has volunteered consistently every Wednesday afternoon since June 2012, helping interview AmeriCorps candidates, work with member files, and other office related tasks.

“I have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people and knowing that we are all committed to the same cause feels great,” said Brynn. “I think it’s significant that Habitat builds affordable homes, it’s a subject I have become passionate about over the past couple of years.”

She’s also learned a few new skills that will serve her well as she heads off to college. She’s nearly an expert in excel and google docs, due to the various office tasks and training she was given by Andy Varyu, Habitat SKC Director of AmeriCorps.
“Brynn is all the things you want in a volunteer—selfless, adaptable, and amazingly consistent, especially for a busy high school student,” said Andy. “She has stepped up to take on complex tasks when we were on deadline many times, and always performs them perfectly. We’re very lucky she decided to volunteer with us.

Brynn is the Youth Chair of the Redmond Youth Partnership Advisory Committee (RYPAC) and plays the saxophone in her high school’s jazz ensemble. She is a senior at Lake Washington High School and is currently awaiting word from colleges. We are excited to find out where she goes!

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