Tenants Union of Washington State

Transcription

1 Tenants Union of Washington State 5425 B Rainier Avenue South Seattle, WA Admin: Fax: Tenant Hotline: June 27, 2012 Attorney General Rob McKenna Consumer Protection Division 800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000 MS TB 14 Seattle, WA Dear Mr. McKenna, Tens of thousands of Washington tenants have lost their homes due to foreclosure. In fact, a national study found that 40% of the people living in properties facing foreclosure are renters. There is no way to know how many of those tenants have become homeless, or remain homeless still, as a result of the foreclosure crisis. Renters whose homes are turned over to big banks do not deserve to become victim to the foreclosure crisis. The Tenants Union of Washington State has talked with many of these tenants and heard first-hand that foreclosure threatens many families across the state with the devastating threat of eviction or displacement. For low income tenants and renters facing multiple barriers, any unanticipated moving expense can be the difference between housing and homelessness. No housing issue stands alone. Foreclosure is intricately connected to a broad range of issues that can arise for tenants, including deposit loss from a landlord in arrears, sub-standard housing conditions, discrimination, collections actions, and eviction. To mitigate this complex web of issues, TU tenant counselors provide comprehensive services to address the broad range of issues that threaten housing stability for renters caught in foreclosure. Tenants find empowerment, agency, and dignity as they gain knowledge of their rights and how to use them. The Tenants Union proposes expanding its muchneeded tenant Education Program with a foreclosure-focused division to aid renters caught in foreclosure and equip them with the tools necessary to fight displacement and protect their tenancies from the auto-evictions of the banks. Their story of loss and challenge can become a tool to create engaged leaders working to improve their communities. With a proud 35-year history of work for housing stability through education and outreach, the TU is uniquely well-suited to respond to the challenges faced by tenants living in foreclosed properties. The Tenants Union has experienced staff members, a strong infrastructure, dedicated volunteers, engaged tenant leadership, solid partnerships with community allies, well-crafted analysis, good values, and a long history of victories for Washington tenants. We look forward to the opportunity to partner with the Attorney General to provide information, resources, leadership opportunities, and resources for housing stability to the thousands of tenants impacted by the foreclosure crisis in Washington State. Sincerely, Jonathan Grant, Executive Director

2 APPLICATION FOR FUNDS FOR PROJECT TO HELP WASHINGTON HOMEOWNERS AVOID PREVENTABLE FORECLOSURES OR TO AMELIORATE THE EFFECTS OF THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS Please submit an application including all of the following information. Incomplete applications will not be considered. I. APPLICANT INFORMATION Organization Name: Mailing Address: Tenants Union of Washington State 5425 Rainier Avenue S, Ste B City, State, Zip: Seattle, WA County: King If Tribal, Designate Tribe: Primary Contact Person: Emil Paddison, Deputy Director Primary Contact Phone No.: (206) x 103 Primary Contact Secondary Contact Person: emilp@tenantsunion.org Jonathan Grant, Executive Director Secondary Contact Phone No.: (206) x 112 Secondary Contact jonathang@tenantsunion.org II. ORGANIZATION TYPE (check applicable) 501(c)3 nonprofit Tribal Governmental agency (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

3 III. IDENTIFYING INFORMATION Tax Identification Number (TIN): Uniform Business Identifier (UBI): A. Does your organization currently receive any funding from the AGO? If yes, please identify the date of your last report. No; Yes. B. Does your organization receive any funding from any other governmental agency for housing related projects or foreclosure related assistance? If yes, list the contracts by title, contract number and funding amount for the past 3 years. No; Yes Tenants Union Government Grant Amounts Washington State Department of Commerce Contract No Project Title: Preservation of Section 8 Housing Amount Awarded: $20,000 King County Contract No Project Title: Technical Assistance to At Risk Tenants Amount Awarded: $20,000 Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Contract No. TRNP Tenant Resource Network Amount Awarded: $200,000 C. Is your organization solely owned/operated by a current state employee? If so, please complete the Ethics Certification process at No; Yes. (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

4 IV. PROJECT PROPOSAL A. Project Title Tenant Foreclosure Education Project B. Requested Amount: $722, C. Project summary: In 150 words or less, concisely describe your project and how it meets the criteria set forth in the settlement. This summary will help the Committee review proposals. Attachments and exhibits are not allowed in this section. Over-length summaries will disqualify application. Forty percent of all foreclosed properties are occupied by renters. The Tenants Union s Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project will promote housing stability, prevent homelessness, and mitigate the crisis impacting Washington State renters in foreclosure through tenant education, outreach, and increased access to innovative technological tools. Housing counselors will provide comprehensive, individualized education to low income renters through a statewide hotline, walkin counseling services, and workshops for tenant groups and service providers in regions most affected by the foreclosure crisis. The TU will develop and disseminate extensive multi-lingual materials detailing Washington tenants rights and resources for tenants in foreclosure via our high-traffic website and in-person counseling. The TU s strong 35-year history makes us uniquely well-suited to respond to the challenges faced by tenants living in foreclosed properties. The TU has experienced staff members, longstanding partnerships with social and legal services, and a long history of measurable victories for tenants in Washington. D. Describe how your project meets the criteria set forth in sections I and III above, including estimated start and completion dates. Supporting information and exhibits may be included here. Please try to make your submission as concise as possible. The Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project provides personalized housing counseling services and statewide tenant education for renters caught in foreclosure. Foreclosure threatens housing stability for thousands of Washington State renters, and tenant education is a vital link in a continuum of services that keep people in safe, decent housing. Through personalized tenant counseling sessions, renters are empowered with information on the rights, remedies, and options available to them to promote housing stability in the midst of crisis. The project will also gather information and tenant support to address local foreclosure practices that strip tenants of their rights under foreclosure protection laws. The TU s thriving website, which currently receives 250,000 unique visits from Washington tenants per year, will be optimized to engage tenants from multiple language groups through the use of video, images, social media, and web-based resources for tenants impacted by foreclosure crisis. The project will utilize technological tools to gather and synthesize information on and for impacted tenants and to facilitate communication across language barriers. A report on the impacts of the foreclosure crisis on tenants in Washington State will be researched, developed, published, and distributed through events and outreach. (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

5 The project will begin September 2012 with counseling services operational within 4 months; website capability will be expanded by the end of 2014, the report released in 2014, and the project will conclude by September E. Describe the demographics of the consumers you serve. Please provide supporting data or statistics. The TU's mission and values dictate that we prioritize accessibility of information to the low income tenants and underserved communities most affected by foreclosure immigrants and refugees, non-native English speakers, elders, tenants with disabilities, and communities of color. The vast majority of tenants served at the Tenants Union are very or extremely low income (below 50% area median income) and/or people of color, mostly African American, Latino, and East African. We will provide tenant counseling, printed materials, and online resources in multiple languages, prioritizing the most commonly spoken languages spoken in regions with highest need of service. Underserved populations with multiple barriers to accessing information are most at risk of housing loss, discrimination, and homelessness due to foreclosure. See attached for more information on TU demographics. F. Describe the geographic scope of your project. The TU s foreclosure hotline will be advertised and made available to tenants in need statewide. Utilizing strong collaborations with community, social, and legal service organizations across the state, outreach and education efforts will focus on the geographic areas most impacted by the foreclosure crisis, including King, Snohomish, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties. The TU will also focus on cultivating connection with organizations serving ethnic or limited English proficient populations in the Puget Sound region and across the state. The TU will strategically cultivate partnerships with organizations serving Washington's rural areas to distribute information on tenants rights in foreclosure and the services available to the broadest possible geographic locations. G. Identify the total number of consumers you expect to serve during the life of this grant. The TU s will advertise the foreclosure hotline across the state in community, legal, and social service organizations with a goal of reaching out to 4,000 tenants. Personalized education services via one-on-one tenant counseling, telephone counseling, or workshops will be provided to 1,000 tenants during the life of the grant. We will conduct a minimum of 12 workshops a year in the target regions. We will recruit 100 tenants who become involved in the larger work of the Tenants Union as members, leaders, or volunteers because of the Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project. In addition, the information developed will be distributed across the state and on the Tenants Union s high-traffic, multilanguage website Utilized by over 250,000 unique Washington tenants per year, the site is the most comprehensive resource in the state for renters with questions about their rights. The TU will directly provide (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

6 foreclosure information for renters via our website to over 75,000 tenants in Washington. Overall, the TU project will provide direct information and services to over 80,000 tenants through housing counseling, statewide hotline, workshops, events, and educational materials on the website. H. If this is not a new project, describe what changes are being made to an existing project. Built upon the strong success of the TU s education work and modeled after the successful Renter Foreclosure Resource program of Tenants Together in California, the Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project will create a new arm of the current TU Education Program. The Education Program will expand to dedicate specific staff members to specialize in foreclosure and housing loss mitigation counseling, vastly expand our online resources for tenants caught in foreclosure, and use multiple technological platforms to reach impacted tenants across the state. In addition, the project will grow to become the only education program for renters in foreclosure in the state doing education and outreach statewide. The Tenants Union has a long-established reputation as a source for accurate, compassionate, accessible and useful information to assist tenants in resolving housing problems. After 35 years of service, the TU is the first place most Washington tenants turn when their housing stability is in jeopardy. The Tenants Union has assisted tens of thousands of low-income tenants to solve housing problems and has also successfully organized campaigns to preserve and expand affordable housing, protect tenants rights, and create the Northwest s first tenant-controlled low-income housing. I. Describe how net benefit or positive outcomes can be measured at the end of the project. The Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project will be the centralized statewide source of information and referral for renters in foreclosed properties and renters displaced due to foreclosure. Thousands of tenants will receive individualized tenant counseling and materials regarding their rights under the law, options available to them, legal and social service referrals, and options for maintaining housing stability. Tenants will be given surveys to fill out after being served to determine the level of knowledge they gained, what resources they were made aware of, and the benefit it will provide them. Tenant counselors will also connect tenants with resources to help them find decent, affordable housing in their area after being displaced by foreclosure. The foreclosure information on the Tenants Union s website will remain a long-term essential resource available to the hundreds of thousands of tenants who access it a year. We estimate that over 80,000 tenants will receive specialized information on their rights at foreclosure through the direct education program, educational materials, and website information because of the Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project. The tenants in foreclosure report will be an educational tool to utilize with tenants, media, and the general public. (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

7 J. Have you applied for an equivalent grant in the past, and if so, to which entity and when? The TU has never applied for a similar foreclosure-related grant. K. If you intend to collaborate with other organizations, please provide a letter of support from that organization. See attached letter from the Seattle Office of Housing and Legal Action Center. L. Please provide an organization chart for your organization. See attached. M. Please provide three references familiar with organization s activities and their contact information. King County Councilmember Larry Gossett 516 Third Ave., Rm Seattle, WA larry.gossett@kingcounty.gov (206) Senator David Frockt 402 Legislative Building Olympia, WA David.Frockt@leg.wa.gov (360) Michele Thomas, Director of Policy and Advocacy Washington Low Income Housing Alliance michele@wliha.org (206) ext. 205 (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

8 V. PROJECT BUDGET As noted previously, this grant must be used to provide additional services and not merely replace existing services or supplant existing funding. No current salaries or benefits may be funded using grants provided by the AGO unless expressly and explicitly granted, in advance and in writing, by the Committee. The Committee reserves the right to request a more detailed budget prior to selection. A. Total Project amount: Salaries: $489, Goods and Services (identify): $121, Administrative Overhead $65, Advertising or Outreach $26, Travel: $19, Total: $722, B. What percent of your total project budget does this funding request represent? A new arm of the Education Program, the Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project funding request represents approximately 75% of the total program budget September 2012 September C. If the project will be funded in part from other sources, identify those sources and the funding amounts. The Education Program also regularly receives funding from King County ($20,000 in 2012), the Ellis Foundation ($15,000 in 2012), the Margola Fund ($16,667 in 2012), and other discretionary sources. VI. PROJECT ADMINISTRATION A. Identify within your organization who will be directly responsible for the following project components: (a) administration, (b) fiscal, (c) service delivery. Attach a current resume for the agency director, and the lead project staff person, and a current agency organizational chart. Deputy Director Emil Paddison will oversee the administrative aspects of the grant and the fiscal aspects of the grant will be administered by Executive Director Jonathan Grant. Jonathan will also assist staff with research and general program support. The TU will hire a Tenant Counselor and a Tenant Outreach Specialist to perform the bulk of the grant responsibilities. Deputy Director Emil Paddison will also research, write, and design written materials for distribution through online and in-person outreach. Web developer Seamus Holman, the designer of the current TU website will contract with the TU to expand the site and optimize it to advertise Tenants in Foreclosure Education Project and engage with tenants impacted by foreclosure. Please see attached resumes and organizational chart. (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

9 B. Describe what steps your organization will take to ensure that the project will serve its intended purposes and be completed on time. The Tenants Union has been successfully managing and implementing its current statewide education program for 35 years. A strong infrastructure and accompanying institutional knowledge are present to ensure the successful expansion of services. The TU has a state-of-the-art online Salesforce database to track tenant demographics, outcomes, and can design reports to track trends in the field. Quarterly evaluations of and with program staff will occur, and the TU will convene focus groups with involved tenants to evaluate the program and outcomes of the work. Supervisors will work closely with counseling & outreach staff to establish work plans to adhere to as well as provide training opportunities to hone staff skill sets. C. Describe how you plan to measure and evaluate the success of your project and include samples of evaluation tools if available. The TU will not only evaluate the number of consumers served, but the quality of the service received, and the amount of engagement with both the issue and the organization. Tenants served will fill out surveys after tenant counseling sessions and workshops assessing what skills and information have been gained, how they plan to use it, and soliciting feedback on the quality of the experience. Demographic and geographical data will be gathered and analyzed on tenants who receive the education services and utilize the foreclosure information online. (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

10 VII. CERTIFICATION I certify that I have the authority to submit this proposal, and that the information in this proposal is true and accurate. If my organization is faith-based, I understand that federal and state law prohibit the use of public funds for religious worship, exercise, instruction or support of any religious establishment. I understand that my organization will not receive reimbursement for any costs incurred in preparing this proposal. If awarded funding, I understand that our proposal will be incorporated into the final contract. Printed Name and Title: Signature (by entering name here, form is electronically signed): Emily B Paddison, Deputy Director Emily B Paddison Date: 6/29/2012 (Version Date: 5/18/2012) APPLICATION FOR FUNDS

11 Tenants Union of Washington State 5425 B Rainier Avenue South Seattle, WA Admin: Fax: Tenant Hotline: TENANTS IN FORECLOSURE FACT SHEET Nationwide foreclosure is one of the biggest factors pushing renters into homelessness and threatening housing stability. An estimated 40% of households facing eviction due to foreclosure are renters and seven million very low income households are at risk of foreclosure (NLIHC, 2009). Estimates predict that over 30,000 foreclosures will occur in Washington State in 2012 alone, displacing more than 12,000 rental households (RealtyTrac.com). Banks and lenders lack an interest in becoming landlords and often have policies to evict current tenants immediately upon taking possession of the property. Even the most responsible tenants are shocked to find eviction notices in their mailbox because the landlord failed the mortgage. Forced to move with minimal notice, tenants often also lose deposit money and last month s rent payments, causing a financial slide that can easily become insurmountable for low income families. In Washington State, tenants face a particular set of additional challenges. Landlord-tenant laws are self-enforced and eviction filings mar tenants records permanently, effectively chilling a tenant from asserting their rights available under current law. National legal groups who perform thousands of evictions a month are trying to systematically deny the few rights afforded to Washington State tenants in foreclosures. TENANTS IN FORECLOSURE EDUCATION PROJECT Tenant education is a vital link in a continuum of services that can keep people stably housed through the crisis of foreclosure. Tenant counseling provides individualized empowerment-based education and assistance to help tenants learn their rights, and gives tenants tools to resolve housing problems and prevent housing loss. Tenant Counselors also serve the crucial role of connecting tenants to the appropriate avenue for legal assistance, when appropriate, and connects tenants to leadership and community-building opportunities. The TU has strong collaborations with legal, social, and community service organizations across the state, forming a network of support for tenants facing housing loss following a foreclosure

12 Tenants Union of Washington State Organizational Chart Tenant Leadership Committee Board Members Tenant Leaders Allies Staff Tenant-Majority Board of Directors Executive Director Deputy Director TU Membership Members of the TU are tenants and allies who support the work of the organization with time and donations. STOP Community Organizer Education Program Manager/Organizer Housing Access Project Community Organizer Tenants Union Programs Section 8 Tenants Organizing Project (STOP) Tenants working together to preserve long term affordability for multifamily buildings and raise community awareness about the Section 8 program. Education Program Tenants Rights Counseling: Multi-lingual empowermentbased tenant counseling, education, and assistance to help tenants learn their rights and take action to resolve housing problems. Housing Access Project Tenants working to increase access and undo institutional barriers to decent, safe, affordable housing for communities impacted by discrimination. Healthy Housing Tenant Ownership Organizational Allies Renters using their stories The multicultural, multilin- Legal Services and skills to improve housing conditions and ensure healthy, safe homes for all tenants in Washington State. gual Benson East Tenants Association (BETA) organized to become the first tenant organization in the North- Community& Social Services Volunteers west to become low-income Donors tenant-owners

13 Tenants Union AG Foreclosure Budget Per Year 3 year 3 yr Subtotal Salaries: $489,270 Foreclosure Tenant Counselor (@ 40 hrs/week): $50,540 $151,620 Foreclosure Tenant Outreach Specialist (@ 40 hrs/week): $50,540 $151,620 Foreclosure Tenant Research & Communications Specialist (@ 40 hrs/week): $50,540 $151,620 Deputy Director, Materials Development (@ 6 hrs/week): $9,310 $27,930 Executive Director, Research, Program Support (@2 hrs. per week): $2,160 $6,480 Goods and Services (identify): $121, Translation and Interpretation: $6,500 $19,500 Legal Consultation: $6,000 $18,000 Web Development Contracting Website expansion $45, Site maintenance and update (6 hrs/month): $3,500 $10,500 Statewide Telephone Hotline Expansion: $6,130 Printing Costs: $1,570 $4,710 Training and Technical Assistance: $4,500 Technology: $10,375 Hospitality (for workshops): $600 $1,800 Nonconsumable Materials: $1,200 Administrative Overhead: $65,000 Advertising or Outreach: $26,400 Interior bus ads in highest counties impacted by foreclosure: $15,000 Printing costs (Reports, brochures): $2,000 $6,000 Direct mailings $1, $5,400 Travel: $19,645 Estimated 6,000 miles at $.555 a mile: $3,330 Travel for workshops and technical assistance: $16,315 Total: $722,

14 Tenants Union of Washington State Demographic Information Education Program FY Income Level Expressed as a % of Area Median Income 16% 23% 10% 51% Less than 30% median Less than 50% median Less than 80% median Over 80% median Identify as Disabled 72% 28% Yes No Racial or Ethnicity Gender Based on optional self-identification 3% 2% 5% 1% 5% 17% 2% 9% 56% American Indian or Alaska Native Asian, Asian- American Black, African- American African Latino, Hispanic White Hawaiian Native or Pacific Islander Multi-racial 38% 0% 62% Female Male Transgender

15 E MIL P A D D I S O N Deputy Director, Tenants Union of Washington State 5425 B Rainier Avenue S Seattle, WA (206) x 103 emilp@tenantsunion.org W O R K E X P E R I E N C E DEPUTY DIRECTOR, Tenants Union of Washington State, Seattle, WA Oct Present Fundraising: Research funding opportunities, write grants, put on special events, cultivate individual giving program, and administer funding contracts. Manage social media networks, donor and member communications. Organizational Support: Support the long-term growth and health of the organization through strategic planning, board support, evaluation, and organizing strategy development. Staff Supervision: Provide direct support and supervision to Community Organizing staff. Materials Development: Research, write, edit, and maintain materials for comprehensive website on tenants rights in Washington State ( Design and distribute printed and online materials. Maintain and update website, computers, and other technology systems. TENANT COUNSELOR & CONTRACTOR, Solid Ground, Seattle, WA April Sept 2011 Tenant Counseling & Outreach: Provided detailed information by phone to Washington state renters on their rights as tenants, drawing upon extensive knowledge of landlord-tenant laws, low income housing policies and community resources. COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, Tenants Union of Washington State, Seattle, WA July April 2009 Tenant Counseling, Advocacy & Outreach: Provided one-on-one education, support and advocacy for renters in low income housing to address housing problems threatening housing stability. Community Organizing, Section 8 Tenants Organizing Project (STOP): Organized tenant campaign to reform hearing practices at a local housing authority and provide protections for tenants facing homelessness. Worked in coalition with local and national tenant leaders and community allies to create and reform policy and legislation. CASE MANAGER & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, First Place School, Seattle, WA Sept Feb 2003 Case Management: Provided ongoing support for homeless, transitioning and in crisis youth and their families in the form of housing, employment, financial and educational planning and advocacy. E D U C A T I O N BACHELOR OF ARTS, Sociology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR June

16 Jonathan A. Grant Executive Director Tenants Union of Washington State 5425 Rainier Ave. S. Ste B, Seattle WA x112 Professional Experience Management Tenants Union Supervision of employees, establishing work plans to ensure completion of program objectives. Oversight and coordination of five program areas. Drafting and adhering to $200,000 organizational budget. Development of cost allocation plan & financial control tools. Quarterly and annual reporting for all city, county, and federal contracts. Expertise in Salesforce database, designing custom reports to monitor programs. Solid Ground Managed $50K annual budget of City of Seattle Emergency Rental Assistance funds. Co-Founded the agency client Advisory Board to identify service gaps. Generated monthly activity reports on King County contract for tenant counseling. Developed and led Anti-Racism Initiative work plan for Housing Counseling Program. Resource Development Tenants Union Consistent success in fundraising to meet annual budget goal, identifying new sources and establishing funding streams from private, foundation, and government sources. Fostering and maintaining positive relations with government officials. Organized two successful film forum fundraisers attended by the community. Work History Executive Director Tenants Union of Washington State. Seattle WA. (Aug 2010-present) Housing Advocate / Tenant Counselor Solid Ground. Seattle WA. ( ) Litigation Paralegal Law Office of Melissa Hueslman. Seattle WA. (May July 2006) Legal Assistant King County Bar Assoc. Housing Justice Project. Seattle WA. ( ) Education Bachelor of Arts, Political Theory & Graphic Design, University of Redlands, CA (2004) Nonprofit Management Certificate, University of Washington (2009) Advanced Paralegal Certificate, ABA Approved, Edmonds Community College, WA (2006) Awards Solid Ground Outstanding Community Service Award of the Year 2009 Affiliations State Legislative Committee Washington Low Income Housing Alliance National Alliance of HUD Tenants Solid Ground Advisory Board Founding Staff Member King County Alliance for Human Services Steering Committee (2011-present)

17 June 26, 2012 Legal Action Center "A Homelessness Prevention Program" rd Avenue South Seattle, WA Phone: (206) Attorney General of Washington Rob McKenna 800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000 MS TB 14 Seattle, WA Dear Mr. McKenna: The Legal Action Center has been a longtime collaborator with the Tenants Union of Washington State. Because of tremendously high demand for service, we cannot see as many tenants with foreclosure-related questions who have need. The Tenants Union plays a crucial role in both providing invaluable information to tenants living in foreclosed properties and, when appropriate, screening tenants to the proper avenue for legal assistance. Tenants in Washington State live under a special set of circumstances that can damage their ability to get and maintain stable housing, especially when facing an unanticipated eviction notice due to foreclosure. Tenant education is a crucial tool to help close the gaps that exist for renters living in foreclosed properties, who through no fault of their own, face deposit loss, eviction, and possibly homelessness. While Washington does have foreclosure protections laws for tenants, they are untested and difficult for many renters to understand (especially Limited English Proficient tenants and tenants with disabilities). Any unlawful detainer action filed in court against a tenant, even when the tenant ultimately prevails, will remain on their record permanently and significantly impact their ability to rent again in the future. In addition, some very powerful law firms have been challenging tenants' right to access state and local foreclosure protections by denying their status as "bona-fide" tenants. The thousands of tenants in the state living in foreclosed properties desperately need access to information and resources about their rights, and the Tenants Union is well equipped to provide this essential education. Working in partnership with Legal Action Center and other legal services organizations, the Tenants Union of Washington stands to be a resource for tenants across the state who have been impacted by the foreclosure crisis. We encourage you to support full funding for the Tenants Union's foreclosure education project

18 City or Seattle Office of Housing June Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna Consumer Protection Di vision 800 Fifth Avenue Suite 2000 MS TB 14 Seattle. W A Dear Mr. McKenna: The City ofseattle"s Office of Housing would like to express support for the Tenants Union of Washington's appli cation for funds under the AG's foreclosure settlement. The Tenants Union is well-equipped to respond to the needs and concerns specific to the thousands of Washington State tenants impacted by foreclosure. It is in the interests of the City of Seattle to secure infonnational and educational resources to support healthy, stable housing for all residents. Rental housing is the best and at times the onl} option for many Sean lites. especially the lowest income residents. Displacement due to fo reclosure compounds the already-devastating impacts of the economic crisis on low-income residents. Displaced through no fault of their own, tenants li ving in foreclosed properties must overcome multiple barriers. Outreach and education are crucial resources to enable tenants in Seattle and across the state to maintain housing stability. With a long history of tenant education service provision and a strong sense orthe issues most impacting tenants in foreclosure, the Tenants Union is an ideal candidate to provide Washington's residents with the information they need to prevent housing loss. The Tenants Union's foreclosure project aligns with the Office of Housing's goals to prevent homelessness and preserve housing affordable to low income renters. Thank yo u fo r your consideration. Sincerely. ~el~ Lending Manager Mailing Address: PO Box 94725, Seattle, WA Location: Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Avenue. Suite 5700 (Zip for deliveries) Tel: (206) , Fax: Ma il Stop 5MT Www seattlegoy/ hollsjng An equal employment opportunity, affirmative action employer. Accommodations for people with disabilities provided upon request