From Don Fornoff, Bishop’s Task Force to the Unhoused:
The Task Force is looking forward to Convene on May 31, our chance to address you, dear readers, with updated information on how to deal with and confront poverty in Western Washington. Poverty is the awful force that drives homelessness. Poverty and homelessness have not abated as we all had hoped. And this is despite our combined best efforts to do so with all our outreach actions. The Task Force intends to bolster all efforts in the Diocese, issuing a challenge to do so better and more extensively. Beyond Convene, we want to meet with smaller groups in local areas to organize for the future. The Task Force has a three-fold purpose: to promote best practices and enhance efforts to serve individuals and programs, to be a clearinghouse for information and resources, and to be advocates locally and state-wide. Contact Don Fornoff at mountaineerdgf@aol.com to discuss these items further.
As for today, look no further than Olympia to see that four bills of consequence are moving onto the floors of their respective legislative chambers. That means the Task Force needs everyone to contact their District Senators and Representatives to ask for positive votes.
2SHB1217 in the House is the rent stabilization bill. A recent poll determined that 72% of all respondents in the State were for this bill (and this approach to cutting back on homelessness and poverty). The Senate bill SB5222 also passed, but it is not expected to go up for a vote in favor of the House bill. 2SHB1217 is sponsored by Rep. Alvarado (Dist. 34) with 354 co-sponsors, indicating the bill’s importance. Strong support is necessary, as the forces against, while a minority, are strong fiscally.
HB1380, known as the Safe Spaces, Strong Communities Act, would require city regulations to be objectively reasonable regarding where the currently unhoused can sit, lie, rest, or sleep. The bill is currently in the Rules Committee. Rep. Gregerson (Dist. 33) sponsors it, and it has nine co-sponsors. Your correspondent sees this as a human dignity action.
HB1858 increases the kinds of transactions subject to document recording fees and creates additional funds available for homeless services across the state. It is in House Rules and has nine co-sponsors. It is sponsored by Rep. Scott (Dist. 43).
2SHB1195 concerns compliance with siting, development permit processes and standards, and requirements for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, and indoor emergency shelters. It is sponsored by Rep. Peterson (Dist. 21) and has 20 other co-sponsors. The companion bill is SB5497.
There is a lot going on in this world. Be Just, Be Kind, Be Humble.
Don Fornoff, Chair
Bishop’s Task Force To the Unhoused
