The presidents of Seattle Pacific University and Seattle University, Dr. Daniel J. Martin and Steven V. Sundborg, S.J., have declared May 15-22, 2017, as Affordable Housing Week on their campuses. They join the City of Seattle, King County, and 18 King County cities in affirming the need for affordable housing.
To recognize the week, SPU’s Committee on Homelessness will host a luncheon on Thursday, May 18, with student leaders to talk about strategies to provide more institutional support and collaboration around student involvement in addressing homelessness. Several students recently completed the annual “Urban Plunge,” a five-day immersion experience designed to help participants encounter people's stories and learn what resources are available to Seattle's homeless population.
Also on May 18, SU’s Project on Family Homelessness will host a “Renter’s Rights 101” workshop, 6-8 p.m. Intended for new renters, especially students, the workshop is co-presented by Tenants Union of Washington State, Be:Seattle, and Capitol Hill Housing. The workshop is free, and registration is encouraged.
The proclamation recognizes the importance of safe, healthy, affordable homes within communities of opportunity. Affordable Housing Week, now in its second year, is hosted by the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, Seattle City Council, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and the King County Council have signed proclamations supporting the week.
This is the first time both universities have participated; SU was the first university to sign on, in the inaugural year.
Seattle-area universities have long worked to engage their campus communities in addressing the region’s homelessness state of emergency. SU was the first university in the nation to host a tent city on campus in 2005, and SPU has hosted Tent City 3 twice. The University of Washington hosted Tent City 3 December 2016-February 2017.
For more information on Housing Development Consortium and Affordable Housing Week, visit the website.
Contact:
Tracy Norlen, Seattle Pacific University, 206-281-2977
Dean Forbes, Seattle University, 206-296-6114
Posted: Monday, May 15, 2017