Advocacy

The Washington State Legislature wrapped up the 2024 session on March 7th. The end of the session left advocates hopeful and ready for change as our legislators made several investments into the affordable housing and homelessness crisis.

Direct service providers and advocates who have lived experience with housing instability, injustice, and homelessness, along with CFTH staff and partners, advocated for a bold budget to address housing justice and homelessness this year.

In our recent webinar, How to Help Keep People Safe and Warm this Winter, CFTH Public Policy and Engagement Manager Laura Ellsworth asked our speakers, “What are you most looking forward to this season, or is there a favorite memory from previous years you’d like to share? ” Here are their answers:

The Washington State Legislature wrapped up the 2023 session on April 23rd. The end of the session left advocates hopeful and ready for change as our legislators made several investments into the affordable housing and homelessness crisis.

Direct service providers and advocates who have lived experience with housing instability, injustice, and homelessness, along with CFTH staff and partners, advocated for a bold budget to address housing justice and homelessness this year. This was done by communicating with legislators, testifying in committee hearings, and weighing in online in support of or opposition to proposed bills. Clark County had 60 advocates in total share their voices at Olympia this session.

After a fast-moving 60 days, Washington State legislators wrapped up the intense 2022 session on March 10 at 11:30pm. The end of the session left advocates hopeful as our legislators made historic investments into the affordable housing and homelessness crisis by addressing new legislation as well as related funding.

Direct service providers and people who have lived experience with housing instability, injustice, and homelessness, like CFTH staff and partners, worked towards pushing advocacy for the budget this year by highlighting the importance of communicating with legislators, and participating and testifying in virtual committee hearings.

Flowers are blooming, the rain is finally dissipating, and the imminent risk of forest fires lingers just outside of the city…PRIDE MONTH HAS ARRIVED!

Driving to a local shopping mall, I have the radio playing in my car. As I scan through the stations, the commercial breaks are full of various companies, businesses, stations, etc. cherishing the LGBTQIA+ community and boasting about their involvement in pride month.

By Laura Ellsworth, Council for the Homeless The 2021 Washington State legislative session offered a good deal of optimism for those who advocate for more affordable housing and for enhanced services to help those who are homeless and to prevent...

When the US economy took a turn for the worse in 2009, John Gibson, a military Veteran and computer engineer in Southern California found himself without a job. The company he worked for was bought and his 401K was gone for good. Soon after, John lost his home and began living in his car while he tried to create a path forward.

CFTH celebrates and acknowledges June as National Pride month. Across the nation and locally the LGBTQ+ community is disproportionately affected by homelessness, particularly among LGBTQ+ persons of color and youth age 16-24. Pride month is an opportunity