Broadview moms say “thanks!”

Editor’s Note: We received this message from Marci Creamer, children’s advocate at our Broadview Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing Program, and wanted to pass it on…

The 33 women at Broadview Shelter & Transitional Housing Program had a wonderful Mother’s Day this year due to the generosity of community members who “adopted” moms and purchased gifts for them. Many of the women said that they had never had a Mother’s Day as good as this one, and all were all very thankful for their gifts.

Thank you to: Amy Stephson, Ann Rinehart & Gina Young, Bridget & Trevor Sevigny, Express, Franz Bakery, Janet & Dennis F., Jeannie Ianelli, Jeff Rueckhaus, Jenny Hannibal, Junior League of Seattle, Kasea Hamar & Emily McBlair, Kelley Knickerbocker, The Lord Family, Lorrie Scott & moms from REI, Megan Evert, Nancy and William Hanneman, Pamela Vines, Robin Aldrich, Seattle Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni Association Board & Members, Shelley Price, Sheri Bloch, Suzanne Rubins, Trina Wellman and Yvette Diven for bringing huge smiles and much joy to the women at Broadview!

If you want to support Broadview, go to their webpage and click on the donate button!

Additional housing coming to Magnuson Park

The Solid Ground Board of Directors voted unanimously last week to move forward with the final phase of housing construction at Magnuson Park/Sand Point. Fifty-four new units are planned. This will bring the total number of housing units for formerly homeless people at the former Navy Base to the 200 outlined in the City of Seattle’s Reuse Plan.

Site plan for Sand Point

We will begin pre-development activities and submit funding applications to the City of Seattle, King County and State of Washington, as well as an application for federal tax-credits. If all goes as planned, we hope to break ground in February 2012 and complete construction in late 2012.

This part of the project will be constructed on two sites, one building which dovetails with the Brettler Family Place footprint and another across the street from Santos Place. The 54 permanent housing units will be for families and singles.

Solid Ground will continue working with the developer, Common Ground, and architect firm, Tonkin Hoyne, who partnered with us on Brettler Family Place.

Tenant Tip: Withholding rent

Do not withhold rent if the landlord is not making repairs.

Tenants must be current on their rent payments to access the repair remedies written into Washington State Landlord/Tenant law. Even if the repairs are extremely severe, withholding rent can leave renters vulnerable to eviction.

For more information on your rights to get repairs made, go to www.walawhelp.org or Solid Ground’s Tenant Services website, or view previous Tenant Tips about repairs.

The information contained in this tip or linked to the Solid Ground Tenant Services website is for informational purposes only. Solid Ground makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to its website. Solid Ground cannot act as your attorney. Solid Ground makes no representations, expressed or implied, that the information contained in or linked to its website can or will be used or interpreted in any particular way by any governmental agency or court. As legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing provided herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. Solid Ground Tenant Counselors offer these tenant tips as generalized information for renters. People with specific questions should call our Tenant Services hotline at 206.694.6767  Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm.

What makes the world a better place?

We asked guests at our recent Building Community Luncheon to write down an answer to these questions: What do you do to make the world a better place? What would you like to do? Here are some of their responses:

“Expect acceptance and give acceptance. We are all equal.”

“Dismantle capitalism; build a democratic pacifist socialism.”

“In my teaching I try to bring consciousness of LGBT issues, poverty and racism.”

“Teaching our children to be open, accepting and sharing … and to end childhood hunger. My goal is to work with agencies like Solid Ground and to do little things in my personal life (to) meet these goals.”

“I ask “HOW, WHY and WHEN?” I read the label on the can before I buy. Then I recycle the can when I am done.”

“Eliminate dental disease! Protect the oral health of children and seniors.”

“My chosen mission is reminding elected officials of the importance of ending homelessness, according to the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. At the five-year point, cuts in budgets and foreclosures are causing more homelessness, so we are refining the plan and recommitting to our goal of a roof over every head.”

“I work with Solid Ground but I also volunteer at Washington CASH to help people in poverty to start their own businesses. Learning to see my connection with all human beings.”

“I donate money to good causes, campaign for political candidates, plant trees, don’t use chemicals on my lawn, plan Earth Day celebrations and serve on the Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Committee.”

So, dear reader, what do YOU do to make the world a better place? What would YOU like to do? Please answer in the comments…

It Gets Better with Disability Lifeline

Kytty

Editor’s Note:  This story is courtesy of the Statewide Poverty Action Network’s Network News. It’s an interesting follow up to the presentation Dan Savage made at our recent luncheon about the It Gets Better Project. Dan promotes personal outreach as an antidote to bullying of LGBTQ youth by peers in schools, families, etc. Kytty’s story chronicles political engagement to counter the way budget cuts to Disability Lifeline would be a kind of state-sponsored bullying of marginalized people.

Kytty, a 24-year-old former Disability Lifeline (DL) recipient and new Poverty Action member, shared her story with lawmakers and spoke out against budget cuts. After years of childhood abuse, Kytty was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, making it nearly impossible for her to hold down a job. Stressful working conditions, such as angry customers, sometimes triggered flashbacks of her abuse. Left without a source of income, Kytty survived three episodes of homelessness before learning she was eligible for DL.

The DL program provides a small monthly cash grant and medical coverage to people with very low incomes when they’re temporarily unable to work due to a mental illness or physical disability. This program has endured a 40% reduction since 2009. Now, the Senate has proposed the total elimination of the DL cash grant and a $51 million cut to DL’s medical coverage. If adopted, these cuts will take away the only source of income for over 20,000 individuals and cause 6,000 people living with disabilities to lose access to health care.

Kytty, who is transgender, describes her experience of homelessness as extremely stressful because she feared her identity would cause her to be targeted on the streets. “People discriminated against me and treated me like a second class citizen.” Having aged out of other transitional housing and homeless prevention services, DL provided the necessary support for Kytty and her partner to move off the streets and into a rented room. “I literally used every single penny on rent.” DL’s medical benefits provided Kytty with insurance and enabled her to access medications and counseling services. Kytty is currently working through her PTSD and dreams of earning a college degree in music technology and becoming a professional musician.

Kytty met with her lawmakers for the first time last month in Olympia through Poverty Action’s Lobby Tuesday program. She said that she felt like she made a difference and that the trip was fun and productive, “I felt like Harvey Milk – like an activist!” Her advice to first-time activists who have never shared their stories before is to “research your lawmakers as much as you can beforehand and know their names, districts, and what issues they care about. Speak with confidence, even if you’re nervous.” Kytty encourages other current and former DL recipients to speak out: “There is a huge need for this program – it prevents homelessness.”

Washington State legislators continue to wrangle over the state budget. To let them know how you feel about Disability Lifeline or other issues, use this handy online tool.

Tenant Tip: Additional protections for DV survivors

Domestic violence survivors have extra protections under Washington State laws governing tenancy.

Domestic violence survivors cannot be discriminated against because of their status as survivors, or because of damage perpetrators cause to the units survivors live in. Survivors also have the right to legally break their lease to escape an abuser. You can see the specifics about lease breaking for survivors and what documentation is needed as well as other protections by reading RCW 59.18.570 through 59.18.585.

In addition, landlords cannot refuse to rent to you because of your status as a domestic violence survivor. Due to the complexity of domestic violence, tenants who are in these situations may find it helpful to discuss their situation with a Tenant Counselor to get general information as well as referrals to free legal services, domestic violence support and other community resources that are available.

The information contained in this tip or linked to the Solid Ground Tenant Services website is for informational purposes only. Solid Ground makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to its website. Solid Ground cannot act as your attorney. Solid Ground makes no representations, expressed or implied, that the information contained in or linked to its website can or will be used or interpreted in any particular way by any governmental agency or court. As legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing provided herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. Solid Ground Tenant Counselors offer these tenant tips as generalized information for renters. People with specific questions should call our Tenant Services hotline at 206.694.6767  Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm.