A Regional Coalition for Housing

Following is a selection of news articles highlighting ARCH and local housing issues.  Where available, links are provided to the source document.  A link to an archive of articles is found at the bottom of the page.

ARCH and Housing News

2019-12-19
Kenmore approves ARCH work program, budget  The city countil unanimously approved both at its Dec. 9 meeting.

2019-12-16
Redmond breaks ground for Capella at Esterra Park  Capella at Esterra Park will relieve severe shortage of affordable housing on the Eastside.

2019-09-25
Eastside women and family homeless shelter receives grant  Premera Blue Cross selected Catholic Community Services and the Sophia Way as recipients for the $250,000 grant. 

2019-06-15
30Bellevue officially opened for low-income individuals and families The project was created through a partnership between Imagine Housing and St. Luke's Lutheran Church

2019-04-18
Eastside's first permanent shelter breaks ground The shelter will serve single women and families with children who are experiencing homelessness.

2019-02-19
Bothell wants in on region's affordable housing plan The mayor asked Challenged Seattle and Microsoft to think of Bothell as an opportunity site. 

2019-01-11
King County considers building 44,000 affordable housing units by 2024  A report on housing released in December was accepted by the King County Council on Jan 7.

2018-12-28
Change comes to Redmond in 2018  Here are some of the top stories in the last year.

2018-11-10
King County Council recognizes ARCH's Arthur Sullivan Executive Director of A Regional Coalition for Housing retires after three decades.

2018-10-25
Kirkland City Council honors ARCH's Arthur Sullivan The program manager for A Regional Coalition for Housing since 1992 is retiring.

2018-05-21
King County taxpayers are paying more to add lanes to freeways into Bellevue than they would to put affordable housing within Bellevue city limits, according to KCHA executive director Stephen Norman.

2018-05-18
Issaquah council approves wireless capacity antennas and affordable housing zoning.  Improved cell phone data bandwidth and increased affordable housing units will be coming to the city of Issaquah after the City Council approved ordinances that would allow code changes for each project.

2018-03-12
Impending homeless shelter to serve the Eastside 24/7.  On Feb 6, Kirkland City Council unanimously cast two votes that included the purchase of land for a shelter intended to house and support women and families experiencing homelessness on the eastside.  

2018-03-12
County housing prices on the rise, again.  Housing prices climbed even higher in Puget Sound this February due to a winter inventory shortage combined with more buyers moving to the region.

2018-03-07
Washington lawmakers OK bill to ban housing bias based on tenant's source of income.  The bill would make it illegal for a landlord to deny housing to a tenant for using income from subsidy programs such as Social Security, veterans benefits and housing vouchers.

2018-03-07
Bellevue approves $1.8 million to affordable housing, shelter projects.  The Bellevue City Council unanimously approved more than $1.8 million to help thwart homelessness across the region on Monday. 

2018-03-07
Senior housing property opens in Totem Lake.  A Kirkland-based nonprofit is expanding the Totem Lake business district with a senior housing property that offers 91 apartments, 20 of which are reserved for senior exiting homelessness. 

2018-03-01
Esterra Park to bring 130 "truly" affordable units to Redmond.  Some 130 affordable housing units will be available for low- and medium-income families in Redmond once the Esterra Park development is completed.

2018-02-21
Affordable housing and mental health care among Bellevue's greatest needs.  Affordable housing, homes for the homeless and mental health care were among major themes city staff found in the city of Bellevue's 2017-2018 Human Services Needs Update.

2018-02-21
Redmond City Council approves affordable housing funds.  Several items were approved at Tuesday's Redmond City Council meeting, including some dealing with the budget process.

2018-02-13
Council votes to preserve affordable housing and purchase land for women and family shelter.  Kirkland City Council cast two unanimous votes at its Feb. 6 meeting, including the purchase of land for a shelter for women and families and paving the way to preserve affordable housing in Kirkland.

2018-02-05
King County housing market kicks off 2018 even hotter than before, as Seattle breaks price record.  The King County real estate market finished 2017 as the priciest year in history.  And 2018 is off to an even hotter start.

2018-01-31
Homelessness rises as counties collect data.  King County's and Snohomish County's homeless populations have been on the rise and may continue to increase despite efforts to remedy this.

2018-01-29
Mobile home park preservation talks continue in Kenmore.  Community development planner Debbie Bent and senior planner Lauri Anderson provided an update on mobile home park preservation during the Kenmore City Council meeting on Jan.16.

2018-01-08
Real estate market will continue to stay hot in 2018.   According to the National Association of Realtors, the sale of homes across the United States is expected to increase 3.7 percent in 2018 compared to 2017.  Driving the increase will be a continued lack of housing inventory to purchase.

2018-01-03
Local church helps women get off the streets and into homes.  A local nonprofit is working with local churches to help homeless women find a safe, warm bed during the chilling Eastside winter.

2017-12-22
Issaquah Council OKs tax exemption for affordable housing project.  It was after 11 p.m. when the Issaquah City Council made the decision to reward an affordable housing development with a 12-year property tax exemption at the Dec. 18 meeting.

2017-12-14
St. Luke's and Imagine Housing to create 63 new homes.  St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Bellevue and Imagine Housing brok ground behind the church on Dec. 12 on a new apartment building that will provide 63 apartments for low-income families and individuals, many of some of whome are homeless or have disabilities. 

2017-12-06
Residents weigh in on housing issues. The City of Kirkland held a public workshop to receive public feedback for its Housing Strategy Plan.

2017-10-13
Permanent homeless shelter could be coming to the Eastside in 2019.  Several faith-based organizations, in partner with local agencies and municipalities, re working to create a permanent homeless shelter that will house women and families living on the eastside. 

Fall 2017
When the City Council adopted an affordable housing strategy in June, it was a considerable milestone.  But the culmination of more than a year of research, analysis and community input was more of a beginning than an end, as the city now considers programs and regulatory updates that could add up to 2,500 affordable homes to Bellevue over the next 10 years.

2017-06-29
Polygon development to see 48 affordable housing units, 1 LEO house in Issaquah Highlands The saga of the Polygon Northwest development in the Issaquah Highlands finally came to an end at the June 19 City Council meeting.

2017-06-09
SAMM Apartments to open in Sammamish Town Center SeaLevel Properties recently announced the launch of SAMM Apartments in Sammamish.  The new 132,000-square-foot multi-family building, located within the new Sammamish Town Center, is the first to be built in Sammamish in more than 15 years.

2017-05-29
Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on 10 affordable homes in pricey Sammamish The cottage homes are taking shape in one of the Eastside's wealthiest communities, on land donated by the city to increase its stock of affordable housing.

2017-05-25
City manager, mayor give update on Kirkland's work program  Kirkland Mayor Amy Walen and City Manager Kurt Triplett gave an update on various programs, initiatives and projects happening throughout the city during a special event held on Monday night by the Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN).

2017-05-17
Together we can find solutions for affordable housing | Commentary Some problems feel so overwhelming that solutions seem impossible.  We can't let our region's lack of affordable housing become that kind of problem

2017-05-16
Click here to watch the panel discussion held at Kenmore City Hall during Affordable Housing week.

2017-04-27
Housing forum held at Kirkland City Hall Housing, both in quantity and affordability, is undoubtedly an issue for Kirkland and the entire Puget Sound region as he area's population continues to rapidly grow. Even for those who can afford a more expensive home, the current market is very competitive, with most listings going fast and receiving multiple offers.

2017-03-28
Speakers at Together Center fundraiser focus on the importance of multiple services for clients  At the Together Center in downtown Redmond, much of what the nonprofit organizations do is in the campus's name.

2017-03-27
City hosts online open house on affordable housing  Residents now have another opportunity to share their thoughts on Bellevue's draft Affordable Housing Strategy, thanks to an online open house which is now live. 

2016-10-12
Senior can apply for affordable rental apartments in Redmond Construction is well underway on the Providence John Gabriel House, an affordable senior housing project located at 8632 160th Ave NE.  Applications will be available for prospective residents starting on Oct. 31.  Individuals must meet certain income and age qualifications in order to submit an application for housing.

2016-09-08
Affordable housing strategies scrutinized by Bellevue Council The Bellevue City Council took a hard look at what the city was doing for affordable housing at its public study session on Tuesday.

2016-08-29
Helen Leuzzi, passionate advocate for homeless Eastside women, died at age 55 She fought through her own illnesses to help meet the needs of homeless women on the Eastside, founding The Sophia Way, a shelter in Bellevue.

2016-08-26
Affordable housing, homelessness demand regional action The city of Seattle cannot, on its own, solve the Puget Sound region's twin problems of homelessness and disappearing of affordable housing.  These are regional issues that across city boundaries and demand regional solutions.

2016-08-26
City of Redmond brings Hay aboard to help the homeless Kent Hay believes that if people are going to pull themselves out of bad situations to be productive members of their communities, there needs to be alternatives and options in place to help them to do so.

2016-08-13
Low income families in Bellevue won't be evicted for high-end housing Dozens of families facing eviction learned Friday that the King County Housing Authority had stepped in to purchase their apartment complex in Bellevue to retain for low-income residents.

2016-08-05
Seattle's Union Gospel Mission helps open BelRed Family Resource Center As homelessness has become more visible in Redmond and throughout the Eastside, more organizations and agencies have been doing what they can to address the issue. 

2016-08-02
Council eyes Eastgate for permanent homeless shelter The Bellevue City Council took the first step in moving toward a permanent homeless shelter in Bellevue at Monday's council meeting when it voted unanimously to approve a letter of agreement between the city and King County.

2016-07-23
McBride focused on affordable housing, tolling rules and public records When Joan McBride (D-Kirkland) decided to run for a state legislator position two years ago, it was because she was concerned what was happening at the state level.

2016-07-22
City launches website, campaign to address homelessness The city of Redmond is continuing its work to address homelessness in the community with a new website and campaign.

2016-07-20
86 low income Bellevue families facing eviction scramble to find housing

2016-06-26
This is how much more you'd have to pay for a home near light rail This findings could be a sign of what's to come as the Puget Sound area considers a massive transit expansion along with new homes near stations.

2016-06-22
Regional council warns 5 King County towns they're growing too fast In several small cities in King County, 20-year plans have been rejected by the regional planning authority because the cities want to grow too much.

2016-06-04
Bidding wars: homebuyers fight to pay more for Seattle homes Across the Seattle metro area, about 75 percent of home sellers have received multiple offers so far this year. That pushed the majority of homes to sell above their list price, and have left many buyers frustrated and shellshocked by a process that's often swift and secretive.

2016-05-16
The Housing Development Consortium (HDC) is kicking off King County's first-ever Affordable Housing Week, alongside partners from across the County, to highlight the current need and potential policy solutions for preserving and creating affordable housing in cities all throughout King County.

2016-04-30
Seattle condos: short supply puts extra squeeze on housing market Condos are fairly rare in the Seattle area's housing market. Some who might opt for a condo wind up competing for more prevalent single family homes, driving prices higher. 

2016-04-21
The hidden homeless: families in the suburbs Zach Weber, a single father, and his four kids are part of a growing problem. More than 35,000 students in Washington were homeless at some point last year, and many were in suburban districts such as Edmonds and Mukilteo. 

2016-03-14
Developers use innovative strategies to deliver affordable housing As Seattle and the region search for ways to produce and retain affordable housing, these four developments backed by private capitals are examples of different strategies that have worked.

2016-02-28
Today's luxury's apartment could be tomorrow's affordable housing Seattle's boom in high-end apartments may actually be helping the city's affordability because of a "filter-down" effect as building age, some say. The key to easing rents?  Keep building, they advise.

2016-02-14
UW Bothell plans dorm near neighborhood: "We were completely blindsided"  People who live near the UW Bothell campus are upset about a proposal to build a dorm for 500 students 60 feet from their backyards.  They worry about noise, lights and the inevitable behavior of young adults away from home for the first time.

2016-02-09
King County executive takes action to confront homelessness, expand access to affordable housing.

2016-02-08
King County steps up effort to ease rise in homelessness King County Executive Dow Constantine announces new initiatives to address homelessness in the South and East King County, where the One Night Count found a big increase in people sleeping outside. 

2016-01-28
Low, moderate income residents feeling housing squeeze in east King Housing in King County is in high demand and low to moderate income residents are feeling the crunch. 

2016-01-08
New bill aims to preserve the affordable housing we don't even know exists

2016-01-01
How the region can work together to tackle affordable housing Puget Sound cities and counties must work together to tackle the region's lack of affordable housing. One way is to establish a loan program to build new homes for low income residents.

2015-12-08
"We were very close to being homeless": Young family gets new start through Hopelink Laura Vigness-Evjen said Hopelink helped her and her children avoid homelessness. The nonprofit is one of the 12 organizations making a difference with The Seattle Times Fund For the Needy.

2015-11-27
Teardown town: 1,500 small houses replaced by giants since 2012 More than 450 were replaced by homes triple the size, or bigger. 

2015-11-06
Are you living alone?  You're not alone  People living alone have long made up a major part of Seattle's households, in Census Bureau sorting.  Now the rest of the county has caught up, with solo dwellers bumping married couples with no children under 18.

2015-10-20
South Kirkland Transit Oriented Deveopment Wins VISION 2040 Award ARCH, Bellevue, King County and Kirkland have won a 2015 VISION 2040 Award from the Puget Sound Regional Council for the South Kirkland Transit Oriented Development project.  The awards recognize innovative projects and programs that help ensure a sustainable future as the region grows. 

2015-10-14
Local group to tackle affordable housing concerns A local man has teamed up with the Downtown Action to Save Housing (DASH) to get public feedback and information to help problem-solve the city's affordable housing issues.

2015-10-02
Redmond Task Force on homelessness releases report The City of Redmond's citizen Task Force on Homelessness recently released a report with recommendations on how to address visible homelessness through the city.

2015-09-28
Redmond groundbreaking for affordable senior housing facility As local and regional officials spoke last Friday morning, the people assembled in a large grass area of Redmond surveyed the scene and were imagining what the space will look like about a year from now.

2015-09-20
"Desperately needed": church provides safe parking spaces for homeless A Kirkland church has opened its parking lot to homeless families living in their cars. It's a low-cost lifeline but has only been duplicated a handful of times.

2015-09-16
Why is it so hard to build truly affordable housing in Seattle

2015-06-26
Bellevue ups its affordable housing game with new incentive program

2015-06-03
Affordable housing vanishes as Eastside grows richer With rents and home prices skyrocketing, low-income housing advocates say the Eastside should be doing more to create affordable housing for its residents.

2015-05-26
Low income housing comes to Bellevue, fills up fast What were supposed to be market rate apartments are now some of the first affordable housing units in Bellevue, but they're in such high demand they're already full--and they just opened.

2015-05-20
August Wilson Place is open in Bellevue The Low Income Housing Institute will hold a grand opening for August Wilson Place, a 57-unit apartment project in Bellevue named for the Pulitzer Prize winning African American playwright.

2015-05-16
Living where you work isn't easy for Eastside teachers There's no disputing that education is highly valued on the Eastside.  But if you're thinking of becoming a teacher there, you should know this: It's likely you won't be able to afford a house in the community you serve.

2015-05-12
Landlord took chance on homeless family: 'you have come a long way' A personal story of a homeless mother and her two boys and how they were turned down by landlords due to her past substance abuse problems and criminal history.  This is one of the many interviews StoryCorps recorded in 2014 and 2015 with families experiencing homeless in the Puget Sound area.  Click here to hear other personal stories. 

2015-03-24
Growing number of seniors find themselves homeless Growing number of seniors have been forced to choose between groceries and a roof over their head.

2015-03-18
City hosts meeting to begin community conversation on area's homeless population On March 12, about 100 members of the greater Redmond community - from residents to business owners to members of local advocacy groups and churches - and about 20 members from the City of Redmond staff filled the Bytes Cafe at City Hall to address homelessness in the area.

2015-03-16
Affordable housing: Pressure mounts on Mayor Murray Business people and activists are pushing in opposite directions on several issues, including a proposed fee on developers and local rent control.

2015-03-13
Eastside Winter Shelter nears closure | Nonprofit looking for year-around facility

2015-01-29
Suburbs' red tape can shut out tent cities Camp Unity, one of two tent encampments for the homeless on the Eastside, was scrambling for a new location last week when St. Jude Catholic Church in Redmond offered to host the tent city for the next three months. 

2015-01-16
Editorial: Bellevue should use tax breaks to encourage housing options The Bellevue City Council is moving forward on adopting a multifamily tax exemption (MFTE) that would give housing developers a tax break for including income-restricted units in their buildings.