A community-based newspaper serving the Puget Sound area since 1981
The Voice
June 2005
Articles translated into six languages
The newspaper of Neighborhood House
Marchers mourn the past and call for a better future for Vietnam
Voice reporter
Thirty years after the fall of Saigon, Seattle is home to a Vietnamese immigrant population of around 40,000, one of the largest in the country. A crowd of 150 gathered at Union Station in late April to remember the end of the Vietnam War.
They marched to Seattle City Hall carrying bright yellow and orange posters with messages about their homeland, mourning the past, scorning the present and urging political change.
They also listened to speeches from refugees, veterans of the war and Vietnamese-Americans that touched on the challenges faced by Vietnamese people as they rebuild their war-torn country or adjust to life abroad.
The diverse group of participants did not all agree on how to remember the past. Another remembrance event took place along side the official ceremony, but it was clear that everyone’s concerns for the future united around the protection of human rights and religious freedom for those still living under a communist party.
War veterans, refugees and their American-born children joined together in chanting “religious freedom for Vietnam,” and waving their striped flags through downtown.
Eight-year-old Tiffany Bui seemed proud as she walked to the front of the marching crowd, carrying a bright orange poster commemorating the death of her grandfather in the war. Her young cousins giggled as they chased after her, waving thier flags and enjoying the attention from photographers and onlookers.
Behind these youthful marchers were veterans and refugees from an older generation, carrying heavier hearts and sharp opinions about the communist politics in their home country.
The harshest feelings were voiced by a group of mostly prisoners of war, who dressed in their old military uniforms and gathered across the street in order to distinguish their voices as more solemn and serious than the others.
Lynda Bui, a 20-something student living with her parents in West Seattle, said she grew tired of hearing endless political debates while growing up and doesn’t consider herself a very political person.
She said she attended the march “to show respect for all that my parents went through, the sacrifices they made.”
While reflecting on 30 years of living in the United States, many Vietnamese marchers expressed their gratefulness for living in Seattle and only humbly acknowledged the tremendous success they’ve brought to the region.
In the event’s keynote address, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels remembered a year when every public high school in the city graduated a Valedictorian born to Vietnamese parents.
He said that Vietnamese immigrants and their families are fully embracing the American dream and continue to infuse the Northwest with a commitment to hard work, education and service.
After coming to the United States after the fall of Saigon as a young boy with his parents, Thanh Tran learned English and eventually graduated from Chief Sealth High School.
“(My parents) encouraged me to study hard, but when I couldn’t afford college courses after high school I joined the Navy,” he said.
He returned to Seattle to raise his family, and he is determined to take advantage of the benefits of living in a peaceful democracy. Here, he said, his son Truc will have access to a good education and “the opportunity to make something of himself.”
Steps toward final federal budget taken
Legislation could mean more housing changes
BY VIRGINIA FELTON
Seattle Housing Authority
Uncertainty about the federal budget and housing spending remain the watchword in Washington, D.C., as senators and congress members struggle with the President’s suggested budget, hold hearings and consider housing reform legislation.
When all of the political smoke clears, where will funding for housing assistance stand? It is still impossible to know, but a few trends are emerging.
The 2006 budget President Bush proposed in February eliminated the Community Development Block Grant program, which provides funds for food, shelter and health services programs that serve the nation’s most vulnerable people. This proposal met with strident opposition from citizens and their local governments. (See “County Council” on page 3.)
In late April, the House and Senate narrowly adopted a budget resolution conference report which restored CDBG funding. The House approved the measure, which will form the basis for the final federal budget, on a 214-211 vote. The Senate voted 52-47 in favor of adoption. The final budget will likely be approved sometime this fall.
The restoration of CDBG is good news for low-income people, but may ultimately pit housing advocates against social service advocates when it comes to carving up what little budget authority remains.
Washington Senator Patty Murray played a prominent role in hearings that led up to the conference report. She has been steadfast in her support of low-income housing and spoke out against the budget.
“Looking at this budget it’s hard to reach any other conclusion than that housing is not a priority for this Administration,” she said. “The cuts and problems in this budget will affect the lives of some of our most vulnerable neighbors.”
On the legislative front, identical bills that would make big changes to Section 8 and public housing have been introduced in the House and the Senate.
The bills would transform Section 8 into a block grant program, promising fewer regulations and greater local control, but still cutting funding.
Other proposals would allow for time limits on assistance and would change income levels for eligibility so that 90 percent of vouchers in a year would be reserved for families at or below 60 percent of median income and 10 percent could go to families at or below 80 percent of median income. Under current law, 75 percent are reserved for families earning no more than 30 percent of median income and 25 percent for families earning up to 80 percent.
The section of the bill on public housing would also allow for “rent flexibility and simplification” in public housing rents. Rents could be calculated in different ways, including as flat rents.
The “Moving to Work” portion of the bill would create a permanent MTW program. Both King County and Seattle housing authorities are already MTW agencies, which means they have more flexibility in administering programs than they would otherwise. Seattle’s MTW status will expire next year, unless it is extended or legislation such as this proposal is enacted.
National public housing associations applauded the recommendations to expand MTW and simplify laws governing rent calculations. Still, they criticized the bill for not addressing funding for Section 8, which has already been cut.
“Housing authorities (have been) forced to make retroactive budget cuts, to lower rent payments and terminate or rescind vouchers,” the organizations said in a statment. “Wary landlords have left the program, waiting lists have been frozen.”
Wrangling over this proposed legislation will likely continue well into the fall. The prospect of continued funding cuts remains likely, and King County’s local housing authorities will continue to struggle to provide assistance with inadequate resources.
City Council relaxes home buyer rules
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
The Seattle City Council eased some requirements last month to make it easier for many low-income families to become home owners under the city’s Homebuyer Assistance Program.
The legislation reduces down payment constraints and allows sweat equity to count towards eligibility.
“Seattle’s working families deserve an opportunity to become homeowners,” said Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the Council’s Housing Committee. “This is a clear message that we believe home ownership should be attainable for as many people as possible.”
The requirements had been established in the 2002 Housing Levy, in which taxpayers set aside money to ensure affordable housing for everyone.
Until 2009, the Homebuyer Assistance Program will set aside $7.8 million to help low-income home buyers secure low interest loans and make down payments on their first home.
With the eased requirements, program participants earning less than 60 percent of the median income will not have to come up with a down payment of $2,500 or 2 percent of the purchase price of their new home.
Instead, they can offer “sweat equity,” or the contribution of physical labor toward the construction of their new home. This enables families participating Habitat for Humanity to access Homebuyer Assistance funds.
“Our city’s working families who are first-time home buyers need the kind of assistance (that) easing this requirement provides,” said City Council President Jan Drago.
Also, those who have long-term disabilities and rely on Supplemental Security Income can use monetary gifts from family and friends for up to 75 percent of the minimum cash downpayment. For many, that minimum was difficult to accumulate and jeopardized their eligibility for SSI. This policy change is critical for helping more people with disabilities become independent home owners.
For those who have Individual Development Accounts, the downpayment requirements were reduced to a flat $2,500. IDA programs are administered by nonprofit organizations to give low-income families with a financial match for every dollar they save. These
combined funds are then available for purposes such as buying a home.
IDA programs are only available for a limited time and the cash downpayment requirements currently in place for the City’s Homebuyer Assistance Program are too difficult for many participants to achieve within the program’s time period.
The current requirement is $2,500 or 2 percent of the purchase price of the home, whichever is higher. The policy change will allow more IDA program participants to use the Homebuyer Assistance funds.
“Easing our Homebuyer Assistance Program requirements gives many people a chance to have a home they can call their own,” said Rasmussen. “(This step) speaks loud and clear that we’ve made increasing home ownership a priority in Seattle.”
One to grow on
Garden tips for community gardeners
Watch out for pesky slugs
Special to the Voice
Who would have thought we’d have so much rain in April and May? After the mild winter and wet, wet spring, we are having a bumper crop of slugs!
They really go for small seedlings, especially cilantro, lettuce and the brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, turnips and mustard. I have had to replant some of these crops three times now, but I am trying new ways to get rid of the slugs and snails.
I’ve tried hand picking the little critters off my plants in the early evening and maybe again in the morning if I have time. I’ve already removed a couple pounds of slugs from my farm this way.
I never use the attractive slug baits like Deadline because they are so toxic to other animals. I’ve known several dogs that have almost died from eating the stuff. The other snail and slug predators go for it and die also.
I have used the non-toxic, iron phosphate slug bait Sluggo. It doesn’t really attract the pests, but if they do come across it around the base of your plants and eat it, they’ll die. The problem is it may also be killing my favorite slug predator, the ground beetle.
So instead I tried preparing covered plastic containers filled with beer. I made these from cottage cheese-sized containers and cut three little windows in the sides. I left the lids on to keep the rain out.
The slugs enter through the windows where they drink the beer, get drunk and end up falling in and drowning. I have to dump them out about every three days and re-fill. I’ve killed hundreds of slugs this spring with these traps, and I’ve seen no ground beetles in them.
I’ve also removed all the nooks under which slugs like to hide, including wood, rocks and cardboard. On the flipside, I’ve taken advantage of knowing where they hide, leaving out some cardboard and then picking off the slugs during the day.
Generally, I’ve planted more seedlings than I need so that I can share them with these sluggy pests.
I imagine you are enjoying your first harvest of peas now. Do you ever stir fry the peas, or do you just eat them fresh off the vine? Well, the tender vines will not last long in the warm weather of July, so you will soon have room to plant more of your favorite summer veggies.
I particularly like to plant a trailing squash, like the tromboncino (aka zucchetta) which enjoys climbing the same pea trellis after the peas are gone.
I will plant the tromboncino or a delicata (or another trailing, not-too-heavy squash) at the beginning of June right next to where the peas are growing. A couple weeks later as the peas are dying, I will encourage the squash vine to climb along the trellis.
I love saving the time and energy of trellising and maximizing the use of space in the garden. By the end of August I will be ready to harvest delicious squash.
Speaking of trellising, you may want to try planting pole beans instead of bush beans this year. You will have so many more beans if you grow them up a tipi fashioned set of poles. They will usually keep producing for four to six weeks.
That is a lot of picking, but you can eat them in so many ways. I like to roast the green beans for 10 minutes at 475 degrees with a light coating of olive oil and a touch of salt. Keep them in a single layer on your tray and maybe stir them once.
I roast a lot of vegetables like this in the summer. It is so fast and simply delicious. It seems to bring out the flavor of fresh home grown produce.
Enjoy your gardening and e-mail me if you have special questions.
Anza Muenchow is an avid gardener and a volunteer with the P-Patch program. You can reach her by e-mail at mahafarm@speakeasy.net
Market days are here
BY VOICE STAFF
The emerald green of crisp lettuce, the deep red of tomatoes and other shades of fresh produce can be found all summer long at weekly neighborhood farmers markets.
Thanks to consumer demand, many markets will remain open longer this year. Local farmers are growing more varieties to extend their seasons, and many markets feature farm foods available year-round, such as organic eggs and meats, preserves, baked goods, honey and cheeses.
Markets typically operate one day a week and feature between 20 to 40 vendors. Vendors and farmers offer customers a variety of fresh foods, including Puget Sound produce, Eastern Washington fruit, local berries, organic produce, farmstead cheeses, pasture raised beef, free-range chicken, fish, eggs and honey.
Most of the markets are run by nonprofit organizations, and in 2004 an estimated 260,000 shoppers visited them to shop.
“Fresh food shoppers just can’t get enough of the farmers market experience,” said Chris Curtis, director of the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, which runs a handful of the local markets.
Low-income people can also do their grocery shopping at the markets, which are authorized to accept electronic food stamps and WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons.
After the markets close, many farmers donate leftover produce to the neighborhood food banks. According to the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, last year farmers collectively donated more than 39,000 pounds of food to the food banks.
Consider taking a trip to the farmers market today.
For a listing of farmers markets in King County, call (206) 296-7824 or visit http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/farms/index.htm. For Seattle markets, call (206) 632-5234 or visit http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org.
Special to the Voice
Ten excited women graduated from a day care providers’ training program in the Rainier Vista neigh-borhood last month.
“I love to work with children,” said student Samira Ahmed, as she celebrated her accomplishments.
The child care training is a long-standing collaboration between Refugee Women’s Alliance and Child Care Resources.
As part of the program, students attended over 150 hours of early childhood training and spent 100 hours interning at local child care centers. A WorkFirst Instructor gave 16 hours of training in job search, resume writing and interviewing skills.
“We have been coordinating community-based child care training (together) for almost eight years now, and women have been very successful with finding jobs and operating family child cares in their homes,” said Faye Melton, special projects coordinator for Child Care Resources. “This success is a true testament to the pre-enrollment screening, the intensive training and the ongoing support the women receive after graduation.”
The training program is one of several WorkFirst job training classes offered by ReWA which provide vocational ESL training. Students are required to have reached ESL Level Two prior to enrollment, but all are encouraged to build English skills by taking additional classes at ReWA.
All of the women graduating from the program said they plan to find jobs in child care centers or in family child care programs. Several said they hope to open child care businesses in their homes.
Over the past eight years, more than 50 graduates of the child care training class have successfully gone on to operate licensed family child care businesses, Melton said. This has increased the supply of culturally-specific child care services available in the community.
In addition to the child care training, the nonprofit program JumpStart offers business training and loans to refugees and asylees in the program.
“JumpStart is perfect for people who want to run a small business out of their homes, such as sewing and tailoring bus-inesses, hair cutting or weaving businesses and child care businesses,” said Greg Hope, director of the program.
For more information about the child care training classes, contact Melton at (206) 329-1011 ext. 213 or Maggie Sung at ReWA at (206) 721-0243 ext. 249.
Those interested in learning more about home-based business opportunities should call Jenelle Landgraf, JumpStart Program Coordinator, at (206) 323-3152 ext. 104.
County council urges more federal funding for housing
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
The Metropolitan King County Council backs federal funding for housing, economic development and human services.
Last month, the council passed a motion opposing funding cuts to the Community Development Block Grant, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers programs and to local housing authorities.
The motion, sponsored by Councilwoman Julia Patterson of SeaTac had bipartisan support and passed unanimously. The council urged Congress to provide full funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the federal budget for fiscal year 2006.
The Council sent the motion to Washington senators and all the U.S. representatives with districts in King County.
“This motion lets our delegation in Washington, D. C. know that the 12th largest county in the country supports full funding for programs that help our most vulnerable,” Patterson said.
The CDBG program has provided King County with more than $24 million annually to provide vital programs and services, including food, shelter and health services , for the county’s most vulnerable residents. The Section 8 program means affordable housing for more than 15,000 households in King County.
Over the past several years the federal government has been cutting the budgets for both the CDBG and Section 8 programs.
“The elimination of the CDBG program or significant reductions in funding of this program would have dire consequences for the county’s low- and moderate-income residents and for the quality of life for all residents,” the council said in the motion.
Regarding possible cuts to Section 8, the motion said, “It is significantly more cost-effective for local, state and federal governments to ensure families and individuals have affordable housing choices and therefore never enter the cycle of homelessness.”
The County Council asked that these programs and local housing authorities receive the funding they need in 2006 and that “unwarranted” cuts to the programs in 2005 be restored.
Workshop addresses civics
BY VOICE STAFF
About 130 low-income seniors gathered at the Yesler Community Center in late April for a conference on how public policy and civic engagement can change lives.
Seattle Housing Authority residents from Rainier Vista, Beacon Tower, Olympia Place, Yesler Terrace, and others joined King County seniors to discuss issues ranging from Medicare to registering to vote.
The workshop was organized by the Healthy Aging Partnership, a coalition of 40 government and nonprofit agencies dedicated to improving the lives of seniors.
Speakers encouraged those gathered to take a position on issues that matter to them, writing letters to the editor of their local newspapers or inviting legislators to coffee to share their point of view.
John Barnett, a member of the Kirkland Senior Council, explained in his presentation that he had never talked face-to-face with an elected official until he was 70.
“Those in the back who maybe were born in other countries, it may be helpful for them to know that they can still have the chance,” he said. “I learned late in life that political advocacy is the name of the game. If you’re not out there, your needs won’t be met.”
The workshop was geared toward low-income individuals over 60. The idea was to empower them to take an active role in civic life.
“One of the goals of the Healthy Aging Partnership was to get more seniors involved in advocacy,” said Jessica Leake, one of the partnership members who organized the event.
The workshop included a keynote presentation by Nancy Amidei, director of the University of Washington’s Civic Engagement Project and a discussion of community engagement in action by Jim Diers, author of a book on building communities in Seattle. King County Executive Ron Sims addressed the group at lunchtime.
The meeting included simultaneous translation in Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Spanish. Immigrants wore headsets to listen to the translation.
Barton Place resident and Chinese immigrant Yong Hy Uy said she was amazed by the effort.
“I’ve never seen that before, I didn’t think it existed,” she said through a translator. She added that the prevalence of all-English meetings sometimes prevents community members from getting involved.
Rainier Vista Resident Christine Anderson said she’s already deeply involved in her community. However, she said she was pleased when workshop speakers reaffirmed her point of view about the importance of civic engagement.
“In general, it keeps you upbeat and your outlook is better,” she said. “It keeps you up and going.”
East African group focuses on helping youth
BY VOICE STAFF
About a dozen East African community members met in late April to discuss the steps they are taking to ensure East African youth are successful in school and in the greater Seattle community.
“They are lost, but they do not have to be lost,” said Maikele Mengesha, a member of the East African Youth Advocacy Group, which organized the event. “What we want to do is to find the names of these kids and grab them. Find speakers who can motivate them, give them some hope.”
Senait Ogbe Habte of the University of Washington’s Office of Minority Affairs spoke to those gathered about college entrance requirements and the importance of parent involvement in education.
An Eritrean immigrant herself, Habte said East Africans face steep challenges as they adjust to their new culture. Often, parents who do not speak English lose authority over their children, who are asked to serve as translators for their parents, even in matters of discipline.
Many East African parents are too willing to leave their children’s education up to the teachers, she said. “In this culture you have to participate because there’s no one there looking out for your student.”
Those gathered also heard about crime prevention efforts in their neighborhoods, including the Seattle Police Department’s East African Communities advisory council, which allows East Africans to meet with police department officials to discuss issues of concern. The council will meet next on July 7.
The East African Youth Advocacy Group was formed in 2004 when an Eritrean parent approached the Nonprofit Assistance Center with concerns that East African youth weren’t succeeding in school and in life. He wanted to organize a group to address these needs. The group now includes individuals from Somali, Eritrean, Oromo, Tigrean and other East African ethnicities.
In December, the group won a neighborhood matching grant from the City of Seattle to continue its work. Members plan to develop a speakers bureau of adults and youth. Speakers will present to school officials, police officers and others on the special experience of East African youth, promoting cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.
The group also plans to organize a job fair where East African adults will meet with youth to explain their jobs and act as positive role models. The group will also create a video documenting their work, providing valuable resources to others.
For more information on the group, contact Rosie O’Brien-Ochs at (206) 324-5850 or by e-mail at robrienochs@nacseattle.org. For more information on the police advisory council, contact Mark Howard at (206) 684-7727 or by e-mail at EastAfricanliaison@seattle.gov.
Community notes
Make good government happen
Good government needs the vigilance and dedication of its citizens.
This summer you can play a major role in building good government by helping the Municipal League of King County rate candidates for office.
For the past 95 years, League volunteers have rated candidates using four criteria: involvement, character, effectiveness and knowledge.
In contrast to other organizations, which rate or endorse based on political party, platform or position on issues, the League’s ratings are solely meant to determine fitness for office. We neither endorse nor compare candidates.
This year, five committees will evaluate candidates from throughout King County. Our five committees meet in Seattle, South King County and East King County.
Everyone is encouraged to apply. High-quality and unbiased ratings depend on having people with diverse backgrounds and views participate as volunteers.
Call the Municipal League offices at (206) 622-8333 or visit our Web site at http://www.munileague.org for an application or for more information.
Candidate interviews will be held from July 25 to August 12. Applications are due by July 15.
TRANSLATED ARTICLES FROM THE VOICE
HAÕY THAM GIA CUOÄC ÑOÏC SAÙCH MUØA HEØ
DO THÖ VIEÄN COÂNG COÄNG SEATTLE COÅ ÑOÄNG
Haõy khuyeán khích con em ñoïc saùch trong muøa heø naøy baèng caùch ghi teân vaøo chöông trình Ñoïc Saùch Muøa Heø do Thö Vieän Coâng Coäng Seattle toå chöùc. Chöông trình naøy mieãn phí daønh cho caùc em moïi löùa tuoåi.
Ñoïc saùch laø chuû yeáu trong chöông trình naøy, nhöng cuõng bao goàm caùc cuoäc vui cho moïi ngöôøi trong gia ñình.
Caùc em tham gia chöông trình ñöôïc nhaân vieân thö vieän giuùp ghi nhaän töøng quyeån saùch maø caùc em ñaõ ñoïc xong, em naøo ñoïc heát 10 quyeån saùch trong muøa heø, thì ñöôïc nhaän moät quyeån saùch môùi ñeå mang veà nhaø. Caùc phuï huynh ñöôïc khuyeán khích ñeå ghi danh cho ngay caû caùc em nhoû nhaát vaøo chöông trình naøy- phuï huynh ñoïc saùch cho treû nhoû cuõng ñöôïc keå vaøo vaø ñöôïc laõnh giaûi thöôûng cuûa muøa heø.
Caùc nhaân vieân thö vieän ñaõ noùi raèng chöông trình (Ñoïc Saùch Muøa Heø) raát quan troïng, vì qua caùc cuoäc nghieân cöùu cho thaáy raèng caùc em maø khoâng ñoïc saùch trong muøa heø, thì caùc em bò tuït haäu khi ñi hoïc laïi vaøo muøa thu.
Ñeå cho caùc gia ñình ñöôïc thu huùt ñeå trôï laïi thö vieän hoaøi hoaøi, thì chöông trình ñoïc saùch muøa heø goàm coù moät soá cuoäc vui, coù chöông trình veà thieân nhieân, muùa roái, trình dieãn nhaïc. Caùc cuoäc sinh hoaït cho treû vò thaønh nieân goàm coù toå chöùc caùc buoåi noùi chuyeän veà vaên thô, chieáu phim.
Ñeå bieát theâm veà vieäc ghi teân tham döï chöông trình ñoïc saùch, hoaëc lòch trình caùc sinh hoaït, cuoäc vui, xin vui loøng lieân laïc thö vieän gaàn nôi quùi vò cö nguï. Ñeå bieát thö vieän naøo gaàn nhaø, xin goïi cho soá ñieän thoaïi (206)386-4636.
Join the Seattle Public Library’s Summer Reading Program
Ku dhiirigeli ubadkaaga inuu akhristo Jiilaalka isagoo is qoraya Maktbadda Seattle barnaamijka akhriska xilliga Jiilaalka(summer) Barnaamijka waa lacag la’aan loogu tala galay caruurta da’da yar.
Buugagta akhriska waxaa laga helayaa goobta dhexe ee barnaamijka, waxaa xitaa ah raaligelin qof kasta oo qoyska ka mid ah.
Qofka Maktabadda wuxuu cawinayaa fududeynta buugagta la akhrisanayo iyo kuwa akhriya ka badan 10 ka sareeya, waxay dooran karaan buugag ay doonayaan inay guriga u qaataan. Waa;idka xitaa waxaa lahu dhiirigelinayaa inay is qoraan.
Saraakiisha Maktabadda iyo barnaamijka waa muhim, maxaa dhacay baaris waxay sheegaysaa caruurta joojiso wax akhriska Bilaha Jiilaalka wax badan bay kuwa kale dheer yihiin. Si hubaal Ay u noqoto waalidiinta waa inay la xiriiraan Maktabaddlaha Mar kasta waqtiga jiilaalka(summerka) ka qayb galka barnaamijka akhrinta iyo raaligareen kale.
Si aad u hesho war ka badan la xiriirka Jaaliyadda Summerka, Wac ( 206 )386-4636.
KCHA NEWS
The mission of the King County Housing Authority is to provide quality affordable housing opportunities and to build communities through partnerships. We encourage self-sufficiency and we protect the dignity of people with limited resources while safeguarding the public trust.
Budget shortfall forces cuts to Section 8 waiting list
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
Federal funding cuts have forced the King County Housing Authority to remove more than 4,000 households from its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program waiting list.
“This is a sad day in King County for low-income seniors, people with disabilities and poor working families,” said Stephen Norman, executive director of the Housing Authority. “We truly regret having to eliminate so many households from our waiting list. However, federal budget cuts have just about eliminated our ability to help families not already enrolled in the program.”
Norman added that he expects to face more federal funding reductions over the next several years.
“We cannot, in good conscience, continue to offer false hope to households who are waiting in line for assistance,” he said. “There is no chance that the families in the bottom three-quarters of the waiting list will receive a voucher in the foreseeable future.”
Families cut from the waiting list were notified of their status by letter last month.
Currently, about 8,100 households in King County use the federally-funded voucher program to pay for their housing and another 3,500 households live in public housing. More than 5,100 households were on the Section 8 waiting list when the federal cutback began.
Users of vouchers typically pay about 30 percent of their income for rent, with the voucher covering the remainder of the rental. Due to funding limitations, the voucher program assists only a fraction of households eligible for it.
“The Housing Choice Voucher program is absolutely critical to King County, Seattle and the rest of the country,” Norman said. “KCHA will continue to push hard for full funding so that the housing needs of our community can be met.”
KCHA and other housing authorities have been facing an unprecedented decrease in federal support for the Housing Choice Voucher program. In January, KCHA was informed that Congress had cut the budget for its Section 8 program by $3.5 million for fiscal year 2005.
Last month, KCHA was able, with help from Sen. Patty Murray, to get $830,000 in funding returned to its budget. This reduces the budget gap to $2.7 million. This gap is being closed by eliminating rent increases, lowering the amount of subsidy provided to each participating household and retiring vouchers when a household leaves the program.
In the event that additional funding is restored next year by Congress, KCHA is keeping the top 1,000 households on the waiting list. Although no family still on the list will receive assistance this year, KCHA is hopeful that at least some of these households could get a voucher within the next few years.
Pickering social services celebrated at barbecue
King County Housing Authority
SNOQUALMIE – Pickering Court may be a small community in a little town of 3,500, but there is a wealth of social services available.
Pickering residents learned about the nearby resources and had a chance to fire up their grills at a mid-April barbecue.
Enlisting the help of Bellevue Community College, King County and the King County Housing Authority, leaders among the residents at Pickering invited five service providers and fed nearly 50 people at the event.
“We were motivated to organize the barbecue because we like to see residents come together,” said longtime Pickering resident Linda Robertson, who once chaired the community’s resident council. “The kids always have a blast, and new residents need information about their new community.”
An inflatable bouncing toy kept the kids entertained while their parents visited informational tables hosted by Hopelink, Sno-Valley Children’s Services, the Snoqualmie Police and Fire departments and Bellevue Community College. Residents also got to climb onto a fire truck.
“This event provided a fun and informal way for me to connect with residents,” said Bill Mace, an outreach worker for the community college. “The police officer I spoke with appreciated interacting with residents in a relaxed and festive setting.”
A King County Community Organizing Program mini grant of $320 helped pay for the food and inflatable toy rental.
The program sponsors events that increase residents’ connections to their neighborhoods and help them learn about resources available to them.
Burien Park getting nicer inside and out
BY CLAUDE IOSSO
King County Housing Authority
BURIEN – The first floor halls of the Burien Park housing complex are sky blue, set off by dark oak handrails. On the second floor, the hallways are melon green, and on the third floor they’re a rich cream color.
It may have been the installation of sprinklers and better smoke alarms last year that made this building safer, but the residents are still talking about the colors that came with the interior renovations.
“It’s almost like a new a building,” said Loretta Johnson, the key keeper for Burien Park, the 102-unit Section 8 high-rise in downtown Burien. “The railings are attractive and the apartment doors are extremely nice. Most of the residents have voiced appreciation. Everyone has commented on the colors.”
Built in 1983, Burien Park was due for improvements. The King County Housing Authority completed a $2.1 million interior upgrade early this year, laying new carpeting, painting the common areas and installing new appliances in the apartments.
About $1.5 million worth of exterior work, including the addition of new decks and patios, is set to begin this summer.
The old, worn-out decks on the front of the building will be rebuilt, and actual balconies will replace the simple window boxes on the back. Patios will be built outside the ground-floor apartments.
Drainage will be improved on the hilly grounds around Burien Park, which are known to get boggy in the wet months. If the budget allows, a paved walkway will be added, officials said.
KCHA has hired a contractor to begin work on the decks sometime this month. The project is scheduled to be completed in October.
“The residents are excited about the decks,” Johnson said, adding that the interior improvements have already made a difference to those who live in Burien Park. “The whole atmosphere has changed in here.”
Other service provider moves on the way
BY TIM LOCKE
King County Housing Authority
WHITE CENTER – Social service providers have begun to move to temporary locations to make way for construction in the Greenbridge community.
Greenbridge, the mixed-income housing development that will replace Park Lake Homes I, will include improved social services. Neighborhood House, the Boys & Girls Club and Highline Community College will be able to do more in the revamped community center, while the YWCA and Head Start will operate out of new buildings.
Neighborhood House started the shuffle last month, moving from its offices on Sixth Avenue Southwest to a new temporary location at 414-426 S.W. 102nd St., just about one block east of its old site. Neighborhood House tutoring is now available at 10024 4th Pl. S.W.
These locations are former public housing units, completely renovated by KCHA’s Southwest Area maintenance crew. The buildings have new floor plans and meeting rooms and ADA compliant ramps and facilities.
The transition went smoothly last month, allowing for no interruption in service. Neighborhood House will operate out of these new locations until February 2007, when it will move into offices in the community center.
The former Neighborhood House buildings are being renovated to provide temporary facilities for the Head Start program, which will move from its current location after classes end this month.
This puts Head Start close to White Center Heights Elementary School, and gives it a stable location while a new building on 100th Street is planned.
The YWCA Greenbridge Career Development Center will move this month to 10043 4th Pl. S.W., the Boys & Girls Club offices will move to 10011 4th Pl. S.W. and Highline Community College will move to 10032 4th Pl. S.W.
Major changes planned for the Wiley Center and the buildings near it have necessitated the changes.
The Wiley Center’s heating and cooling system has been upgraded and a decorative cupola added. A second phase of renovations, set to begin in the spring of 2006, will include tearing down walls and reconfiguring the rooms.
At that time, the Southwest management office will move from the Wiley Center to 10022 5th Ave. SW. Its ultimate location is still to be determined.
The buildings next to the Wiley Center, long occupied by Head Start and the White Center Food Bank and clothing exchange, will be torn down this year. The food bank will move off-site, probably to share an office building with the White Center Public Heath Center at 10821 8th Ave. S.W.
Puzzles bring peace, beauty to Paramount
BY JEFFREY GERHARDSTEIN
King County Housing Authority
SHORELINE – Residents once called the third-floor library at Paramount House high-rise dismal.
Now the room catches the eye and, what’s more, the imagination. There are puzzles on the walls everywhere you look, illuminating this dark space with bright colors and cheerful themes.
Folks who pass by are drawn as if by magic. “My, what a lovely room!” AmeriCorps English as a Second Language instructor Christine Hutchison remembers exclaiming when she first saw the library.
Now it’s her cheery classroom.
“The meals-on-wheels volunteer, Marilyn Parry, loves it up here, and always pops in to look around,” Paramount House resident Donna Eagan added.
If you hang out for a while, you get to know the residents who enjoy the challenge of piecing together jigsaw puzzles.
You begin to appreciate how personal the process can be. Puzzles have helped residents cope with personal crises.
“Doing a puzzle puts all this negative energy to work,” says resident Joyce Rowland. “You work with your hands; you solve problems. It is impossible to do a jigsaw puzzle and think about anything else. Working a puzzle combats sadness, futility and hopelessness. The hands start moving, the mind gets going and you stay focused.”
It’s a personal thing and a community thing, as residents work together to finish mammoth puzzles of 1,500 to 3,000 pieces.
One resident explains, “Doing puzzles calls upon skills that you don’t know you have.”
Eagan is the unofficial chief puzzle master of Paramount House. She has been assembling puzzles since 1965, when she became pregnant with her daughter. She got hooked on puzzles made by Springbok, which often features replicas of fine art.
“I went into therapy in 1970 after my divorce. The therapist said, ‘Find a hobby.’ I did puzzles,” she said. “Later, when I had heart surgery just after moving into Paramount House, I couldn’t do much. I was so depressed. So I did puzzles.
“They give you a great outlet. You’re creating a picture. When it is completed and I look at it and think, ‘Gosh, did I do that?’”
Puzzles formed the basis for a friendship between Eagan and Rowland.
“My mother loved crossword puzzles, too,” Rowland said. “Donna is the first person I’ve met who loves puzzles the way I do.”
Residents, including Wayne Hutchison and Linda Wells, lend a hand. Others draw inspiration from the beautiful puzzles. Community volunteers Hutchison and Parry relish this little oasis of a room.
To many, it is a work of art. For all, it is a touch of home.
Shuttle schedule
The monthly schedule is posted at central locations in the buildings the shuttle serves. The schedule sometimes changes, so confirm times against the posted schedule. Residents must sign up for ride service.
Wed., June 1: Burien grocery
Burien Park 8:45
Munro Manor 9:15
Brittany Park 9:45
Boulevard Manor 10:30
Riverton Terrace 10:40
Yardley Arms 1:00
Park Lake 1:30
Thurs., June 2: Issaquah/Kent grocery
Eastridge House 9:30
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., June 3: Auburn grocery
Gustaves Manor 9:45
Wayland Arms 10:15
Plaza Seventeen 10:35
Mon., June 6: Bothell/Redmond grocery
Northwood 9:30
Northlake House 9:45
Forest Glen 1:00
Casa Juanita 1:35
Tues., June 7: Shoreline grocery/food bank
Briarwood 9:45
Lake House 10:15
Paramount 12:30
Northridge I/II 1:00
Wed., June 8: Int. grocery/Southcenter
Brittany Park 10:00
Munro Manor 10:20
Burien Park 10:50
Boulevard Manor 11:10
Thurs., June 9: Kent grocery
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., June 10: SeaTac Mall
Plaza Seventeen 10:00
Wayland Arms 10:10
Gustaves Manor 10:20
Mon., June 13: Wal-Mart/Redmond grocery
Northwood TBA
Northlake House TBA
Forest Glen TBA
Casa Juanita TBA
Tues., June 14: SeaTac/Southcenter malls
Harrison House 9:45
Vantage Glen 11:30
Wed., June 15: Burien grocery
Burien Park 8:45
Munro Manor 9:15
Brittany Park 9:45
Boulevard Manor 10:30
Riverton Terrace 10:40
Yardley Arms 1:00
Park Lake 1:30
Thurs., June 16: Issaquah/Kent grocery
Eastridge 9:30
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., June 17: food banks
Gustaves Manor 9:45
Wayland Arms 9:55
Plaza Seventeen 10:30
Southridge 1:00
Mon., June 20: Bothell/Redmond grocery
Northwood 9:30
Northlake House 9:45
Forest Glen 1:00
Casa Juanita 1:35
Tues., June 21: food banks
Mardi Gras 9:30
Paramount House 12:10
Northridge I/II 12:25
Briarwood 12:45
Lake House 1:00
Wed., June 22: reserved
Thurs., June 23: food bank/Kent grocery
Boulevard Manor 9:30
Munro Manor 9:45
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., June 24: reserved
Mon., June 27: food banks
Brittany Park 9:15
Yardley Arms 11:30
Riverton Terrace 1:30
Tues., June 28: food banks
Mardi Gras 10:00
Burien Park 1:00
Wed., June 29: reserved
Thurs., June 30: reserved
Please answer HUD survey
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
How are we doing? The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development wants to know if residents are satisfied with the King County Housing Authority.
Your household may be randomly selected to receive the Resident Service and Satisfaction Survey between May and July. The survey will measure your opinion about your living conditions.
If you are selected, please take the time to complete the survey. Resident participation is essential to the survey’s success.
HUD provides the majority of taxpayer dollars that fund KCHA’s low-income public housing programs.
Resident satisfaction and experience with living conditions are now included in HUD’s yearly evaluation of KCHA and all other public housing authorities .
Who developed this survey?
The survey was developed by HUD with the help of public housing resident leaders and industry representatives.
Who will receive the survey?
Not all residents will receive a survey. Residents will be chosen randomly using an automated computer system. The survey will take place yearly, so if residents do not receive a survey this year they may in the future.
How will the survey results be used?
HUD will use the overall results of the survey to help determine how well KCHA is doing in five areas: maintenance and repair, services, communication, safety and development appearance.
Will anyone know what I said in the survey?
If you receive a survey, you should not write your name on it. HUD is committed to ensuring that housing authorities will not know who participated or how individuals responded. Your identity will remain confidential. Only the combined results of the survey will be shared with KCHA.
If you have any questions, please call the survey customer service line at 1-888-245-4860 (calls are toll-free).
New lights, thermostats and more coming your way
BY TIM BAKER
King County Housing Authority
When it comes to comfort and efficiency, little things in your apartment can make a big difference. Worn-out thermostats can mean unreliable heat and incandescent lights waste electricity.
This month, Siemens Building Technology, a company hired by the King County Housing Authority, will begin upgrades intended to save you money and make your unit more comfortable.
The $4 million project, with improvements coming for nearly all developments, is scheduled to take about a year to complete. In all, Siemens will install almost 19,000 new fluorescent light fixtures, the warm “compact” kind in many cases, more than 1,200 water meters and 6,500 new thermostats.
Siemens performed an energy audit of KCHA housing developments last year, which showed how units and buildings could be changed to reduce the amount of water and electricity used to live in them comfortably.
As a part of this project, Siemens will give you instructions on how to use the new equipment and tell you how to save water and energy.
Siemens already met with the Resident Advisory Board to explain the project, including the work schedule.
You will receive advance notice when the work will take place at your development, including exactly what improvements will be made.
Ballinger Homes and Kent Family Center win awards
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
The recently renovated Ballinger Homes and the brand new Kent Family Center both earned awards of merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials this spring.
“The King County Housing Authority strives to give its residents the best that resources allow,” said Executive Director Stephen Norman. “It’s gratifying when NAHRO, an organization of housing authorities, recognizes quality in our housing and services.”
The awards, for merit in housing and community development, will be presented in July at the association’s summer conference in San Francisco.
Ballinger, a 110-unit family development in Shoreline, underwent a $4.2 million remodel between 2002 and 2004 which many say gave it a classy, modern look. Two-tone siding, improved site drainage and a revamped community center make Ballinger as comfortable as quality private housing in the area.
The Center for Human Services, Shoreline Community College and the City of Shoreline provide important services in the community’s family support center. United States Congressman Jay Inslee dropped by Ballinger Homes in March to see all of the changes and the services in action.
In Kent, Springwood Apartments residents got a big boost to their social services last year when the Kent Family Center was completed.
KCHA joined with community partners, including Kent Youth and Family Services, the Center for Career Alternatives and the Puget Sound Educational Service District, to build the center, also a $4.2 million project.
The Family Center houses Head Start classrooms, a career development center, a public meeting room and a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) health care clinic.
The two-story, 20,400-square-foot facility is impressive, with leaf designs etched into the glass and columns inside shaped like trees.
Free lunch on its way to Auburn communities
BY STEVE FISHER
King County Housing Authority
They say there’s no such thing as free lunch, but that’s not true in Auburn. The Auburn School District will continue to work with neighborhood service providers to offer free lunches this summer for children at Burndale Homes, Green River Homes and Firwood Circle.
Starting on Monday, June 27, Neighborhood House staff will serve lunch at Burndale and Auburn Boys & Girls Club staff will serve it at Firwood Circle. The children of Green River will make the short trip across Les Gove Park to the Auburn YMCA, where lunches will be distributed by staff from the district’s Support Services Child Nutrition Program.
All young people aged 1 to 18 years old are eligible for the free lunches. They will be available Monday through Friday each week, with Friday, Sept. 2, being the last day. Flyers will be distributed in each community to remind parents of the time, location and dates of the lunch programs.
As a complement to the lunch program this year, the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America will offer fun activities for up to three hours a week in at the lunch sites. Like the lunches, the activities are free. Boys and girls aged 6 to 14 will also have the opportunity to get involved with and register for membership in local scout troops.
If you are a parent at Burndale, Green River or Firwood Circle and would like to volunteer to help with either the lunch or activities programs, please contact Steve Fisher, King County Housing Authority resident services administrator at (206) 574-1280.
New Springwood center will serve youth
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
A year after the Kent Family Center opened with great fanfare, a groundbreaking for the Springwood Youth Center was held on May 26.
Already, the $4.2 million center has meant better services for families and young children, housing Head Start classrooms, Center for Career Alternatives offices and a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) clinic.
Now the old Rec Hall, built in 1969 during the construction of the 323-unit Springwood development, is set for a transformation that will benefit older youth.
When it’s completed by mid-2006, the new building will feature a full-sized gym, a computer lab and a game room.
Residents at the groundbreaking celebrated both the successful completion of the Family Center’s capital campaign and impending construction of the Youth Center. See the July issue of The Voice for more details
The center will be built on the same site as the old Rec Hall.
Job fair comes to Park Lake
BY GINA BELLISARIO
King County Housing Authority
Park Lake Homes residents who are interested in jobs learned about many possibilities at a recent job fair sponsored by the YWCA Career Development Center.
Several potential employers, including Gary Merlino Construction, Home Depot and the U.S. Navy had tables at the April event, which took place in the gym of the Wiley Community Center at Park Lake.About 300 jobseekers attended.
Merlino, the company building streets and installing the utilities for the Greenbridge redevelopment project, was serious about finding workers at the fair.
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 3 law calls for contractors to hire subsidized housing residents whenever they can.
Forty-two people requested job applications from Merlino, and 29 filled them out that day.
If you missed the job fair but are still interested in construction-related work, the King County Housing Authority is forwarding applications to Merlino and scheduling interviews for qualified candidates. Call Gina Bellisario at (206) 574-1159, if you want to submit an application.
KCHA is working to connect residents interested in construction-related employment to contractors working on the Greenbridge project. Call the number above to be added to a list of workers.
After election, Highline council has five new faces
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
After May 19 elections, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council has five new faces – Karen Veloria, Heidi Johnson, Lee Lim, Carlos Jimenez and Doris Pule Tevaseu.
Nearly all of them won open seats. One incumbent – Ron Johnson – was reelected to the 12-member council.
The council represents an unincorporated area of King County south of Seattle that includes White Center and Boulevard Park; it serves as the area’s voice with King County government.
The council meets at the North Highline Fire Station, 1243 S.W. 112th St. from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month. The council will meet June 2 and 16 this month.
In cooperation with the council, the King County Housing Authority offers free transportation to these meetings. If you are interested, please call Steve Fisher at (206) 574-1280.
TRANSLATED ARTICLES FROM THE VOICE
Please answer HUD survey
Xin Vui Loøng Traû Lôøi cho Cuoäc Thaêm Doø töø Boä Phaùt Trieån Ñoâ Thò Vaø Gia Cö (HUD)
Boä Phaùt Trieån Ñoâ Thò Vaø Gia Cö (HUD) muoán bieát xem quùi vò coù baèng loøng vôùi nhaø quùi vò ñang ôû vaø nhöõng dòch vuï ñöôïc cung öùng do Nha Caáp Phaùt Gia Cö quaän King, vaø trong muøa heø naøy hoï seõ hoûi thaêm quùi vò qua tôø Thaêm Doø Xem Quí Vò Coù Haøi Loøng Trong Cung Caùch Phuïc Vuï Cö Daân.
Gia ñình quùi vò seû ñöôïc choïn ra caùch baät chôït ñeå ñöôïc nhaän tôø thaêm doø, vaøo trong khoaûn thaùng Naêm ñeán thaùng Baûy. Neáu quùi vò nhaän ñöôïc tôø thaêm doø, xin vui loøng nhín thôøi giôø ñeå (traû lôøi) cho töôm taát. Ñeå cuoäc thaêm doø cho coù keát quaû, cö daân phaûi tham gia vaøo. Yù kieán quùi vò raát laø quan troïng ñoái vôùi Boä Phaùt Trieån Ñoâ Thò Vaø Gia Cö (HUD)
Cuoäc thaêm doø laø moät phöông caùch cuûa Trung Taâm Ñaùnh Giaù Veà Ñòa oác thuoäc Boä Phaùt Trieån Ñoâ Thò Vaø Gia Cö (HUD)- löôïng ñònh veà thaønh tích cuûa Nha Caáp Phaùt Gia Cö Quaän King. Qua cuoäc thaêm doø, hoï seõ ño löôøng möùc ñoä haøi loøng cuûa quùi vò vaø kinh qua ñieàu kieän soáng cuûa quùi vò.
Boä Phaùt Trieån Ñoâ Thò Vaø Gia Cö (HUD) seõ duøng toång soá keát quaû cuûa cuoäc thaêm doø nhaèm giuùp aán ñònh thaønh tích cuûa Nha Caáp Phaùt Gia Cöï Quaän King, qua naêm laõnh vöïc: baûo trì vaø söõa chöûa , caùc dòch vuï, vieäc thoâng tin lieân laïc, vieäc an toaøn vaø boä maët phaùt trieån (khu gia cö).
Khoâng moät ai trong cô quan gia cö KCHA seõ bieát quùi vò traû lôøi gì trong tôø thaêm doø. Boä Phaùt Trieån Ñoâ Thò Vaø Gia Cö (HUD) muoán nghe yù kieán chaân thaät cuûa quùi vò, vaø boä cuõng ñoan keát raèng cô quan gia cö khoâng bieát ñöôïc nhöõng ai ñaõ traû lôøi trong cuoäc thaêm doø. Neáu quùi vò nhaän ñöôïc tôø thaêm doø, xin ñöøng ghi teân vaøo ñoù. Teân cuûa quùi vò luoân ñöôïc daáu kín. Chæ coù keát quaû chung cuûa cuoäc thaêm doø thì ñöôïc ñöa ra chia seû vôùi cô quan gia cö KCHA.
Neáu quùi vò coù caâu hoûi veà cuoäc thaêm doø, xin vui loøng goïi cho Trung Taâm Ñaùnh Giaù Veà Ñòa oác, phoøng Tieáp Taân ôû soá 1-888-245-4860 (ñaây laø soá ñieän thoaïi mieãn phí).
Please answer HUD survey
HUD wuxuu rabaa inuu ogaado haddii aad raali ka tahay guryaha iyo hawlaha ay qabanayaan King County Housing Authority iyadoo lagu warsan doono hawlaha deegaanka iyo ka raali ahaanshaha indha indheyn oo imaan doonto xilliga jiilaalka.
Madaxa qoyskaaga oo suuragal ah in la soo xulo si loo indha indheeyo waqti u dhexeeya Meey iyo Juulaay.Haddii aad heshid indha indheyn fadlan buuxi ka qayb galka deegaanka waa asal hirgelinta indha indheynta . Ra’yigaaga waxaa muhim u ah HUD
Indha indheynta waa hal nadaam oo Real State Assesment Center (REAC) qiimaynaysa KCHA hawshooda. Indha indheyntu waxay xaqiijin doontaa raaligelintaada iyo waayo aragnimadaada xaaladda goobta aad ku nooshahay.
HUD waxau ku dhaqmi doontaa wixii go’aan ah ee ka soo baxa si caawimo ugu noqoto go’aan qaadashada KCHA , ka hawl galsho
Shanta qaybood farsamada iyo dib-uhagaajinta hawsha, war xiriirka, nabadgelyada iyo horumarinta muuqata.
Qofna oo ka mid ah KCHA ogaan doono waxa aad indha indheynta ku sheegto HUD waxay rabtaa daacadnimadaada, fikraddaada iyo wax qabadkaaga. Maamulka Guryaha ma ogaanayaan qofka ka qayb galay indha indheynta iyo qofka
Ka soo jawaabay. Haddii aad hesho indha indheyn ha ku qorin magacaaga, fikraddaada si bay ahaanaysaa keliya go’aanka ka soo baxa ayaa lala wadaagayaa KCHA.
Haddii wax su’aal ah aad qabto fadlan wac REAC xafiiskeeda 1-888-245-4860 (wicitaanka waa lacag la’aan).