Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) released the following statement after holding a virtual Housing Town Hall with guest speakers, Craig Chance, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Thurston County and Sarah Saadian, Vice President of Public Policy at the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The Congresswoman provided updates on her work to address federal housing issues, including delivering immediate and direct relief by passing the American Rescue Plan Act to help keep families and workers housed during the pandemic and introducing the bipartisan Build More Housing Near Transit Act to help tackle America’s housing crisis and boost public transit use. Strickland discussed issues critical to the South Sound, and let WA-10 residents drive the conversation. (Watch the Town Hall at this link.)
“We know our region is one of the fastest growing places in the United States. But housing supply has not kept up with demand and the pandemic has only underscored this need. This Town Hall allowed me to hear from WA-10 residents firsthand on critical housing issues so that our community’s needs can continue to drive my work in Congress,” said Strickland. “Now is our opportunity to build smarter, and build better. As Congress and President Biden make bold and transformational infrastructure investments in our nation, I will make sure these investments prioritize the needs we have right here in Washington. I’m grateful to Sarah and Craig for joining me as my distinguished guest speakers, and the record turnout from Washington’s 10th residents shows just how critical coming together to solve housing affordability really is in the South Sound.”
Between 2010 and 2017, for every one household that moved into Washington’s 10th Congressional District, the local communities only produced .64 housing units in Pierce County, .76 in Thurston County, and .62 housing units in Mason County, highlighting the critical need for safe, affordable, and accessible housing.
Earlier this month, Strickland’s bill to accelerate transit-oriented development (TOD) passed out of committee. H.R.2483, the bipartisan Build More Housing Near Transit Act, introduced by Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and Representative Scott Peters (CA-52), encourages the construction of low and middle-income housing in transit-served, walkable locations. The bill would provide incentives for transit applicants who meet requirements related to building more housing along the future transit corridor. It covers projects submitted under the Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts and Core Capacity programs, which fund projects like commuter rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit through the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program.
Strickland fought to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law March 11, which included a number of provisions, to be administered by HUD and other agencies, which are providing immediate and direct relief to help people in Washington and across America remain stably housed during the pandemic, including:
- $21.5 billion in emergency rental assistance
- nearly $10 billion for the homeowner Assistance Fund
- $5 billion for emergency housing vouchers for those experiencing homelessness
- $5 billion for homelessness assistance and supportive services program
- $750 million for housing assistance and supportive services programs for Native Americans
- $100 million for emergency assistance for rural housing
- $100 million for housing counseling
- $39 million in relief measures for section 502 and 504 direct loan borrowers
- $20 million in funds for fair housing activities
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland serves as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and serves as a Member of the House Armed Services Committee. She is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress and the first African-American to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level.
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