“There have been times when the immediate needs of the public housing communities have been so great that the total energy of the agency has had to be devoted to the delivery of services. But the social conditions that create problems for low-income people must be dealt with if the condition of the poor is to change rather than [be] patched up.”
A Neighborhood House staff member wrote these words in the Holly Park Grapevine newsletter, published March 10, 1977.
Our agency has a legacy in not only running programs to increase access to health, education, and economic opportunity, but also supporting policy changes that affect us all. We have always known that solely focusing on one without the other will not do true justice to our communities.
The Neighborhood House Board of Directors stands behind policies and investments that support the health and well-being of low-income people and communities. Learn about the positions we’re taking up today and how you can take action. Specific 2022 legislative measures and agenda include the following.
Priority Agenda
Local
- Pay equity study and movement to increase human services wages in government contracts and vendor rates.
- Funding for youth drug prevention coalitions for 7 King County communities: Southeast, Southwest, White Center/North Highline, Central, Auburn, Enumclaw, Vashon.
State
- $7.3 million add to state CSBG matching budget proviso to match federal CSBG funding, prioritizing BIPOC and rural communities.
- Early learning – protect and sustainably fund access to high quality early learning.
- Decriminalize Commercial Tobacco. Addressing systemic racism in the enforcement of commercial tobacco control.
- Support legislation and investments that further the 10 year plan to dismantle poverty.
National
- CSBG Modernization Act of 2021 HR 5129
- Continuing to push for the Build Back Better Act
- H.R. 4 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021
- H.R.3684 – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Support Agenda
We support the priorities of the following advocacy groups across Seattle, King County, Washington, and the US.
Local
- Seattle Human Services Coalition
- King County Human Services Coalition
- Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness
- Youth Development Executives of King County
- Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County
State
- Washington State Community Action Partnership
- Early Learning Action Alliance
- Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
- Governor’s Equity Policy Package
- 10 Year Plan to Dismantle Poverty
National
Other advocacy and legislative measures supported by Neighborhood House:
- Supporting and helping pass the Fair Start for Kids Act to support early learning and child care in Washington.
- Supporting progressive state revenue in Washington
- Calling on Washington state to prioritize COVID vaccines for elderly adults
- Calling on Congress to include all families in the next COVID stimulus
- Passing JumpStart Seattle legislation for progressive city revenue
- Decriminalizing Seattle
- Rescuing child care subsidies with CARES funding
- Adopting equitable budget policies to rebuild from pandemic
- Ending homelessness sweeps in Seattle
- Addressing and protecting the needs of early learning during COVID-19
- Instating eviction moratorium in Washington during COVID-19
- Banning the sale of flavored vaping products to youth in Washington