In 2021, recognizing the many challenges related to homelessness and housing instability, the Washington State Legislature directed the William D. Ruckelshaus Center (the Center) to conduct a multi-year process of gathering information and facilitating discussions to inform recommendations for a long-term strategy to create pathways to housing security (House Bill 1277, Section 6).
Status reports were released in December 2021 and December 2022, with final reporting released in December 2023. The “Final Report of Facilitated Discussions and Recommendations” includes a cumulative summary of discussions and recommendations which were developed and informed by the participation of hundreds of individuals with knowledge or experience related to homelessness and housing instability. Through June 2024, the project team will be developing follow-up activities to disseminate the report.
FACILITATED DISCUSSIONS
In May and June 2024, the Center will be holding free online workshops on applying the report’s findings. You can learn more about the workshops here.
Through 2023, the Center facilitated conversations among hundreds of individuals with knowledge or experience related to housing and homelessness. Those conversations informed the development of emerging options, opportunities, and concerns. Further discussions helped articulate guiding principles and refine the emerging options into recommendations, including ways to guide investment decisions and ways to assess whether those decisions contribute to the desired results. More information on the discussions that occurred in 2023 can be found here.
FACT FINDING
The Center enlisted Washington State University Extension’s Division of Governmental Studies and Services as a partner to contribute to fact-finding efforts called for in the legislation about factors that contribute to homelessness and housing instability and the programs and services currently available in Washington state.
REPORTING and TIMELINE
The following reports have been provided to the Office of the Governor and the appropriate committees of the Legislature:
Year 1 – Pathways to Housing Security December 2021 Report (pdf)
Year 2 – Pathways to Housing Security December 2022 Report
Year 3 – Pathways to Housing Security December 2023 Final Reporting
The project team will be available through June 2024 for follow-up conversations and/or presentations as appropriate.
Christina Sanders – Project Co-Lead
Phyllis Shulman – Project Co-Lead