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On October 25th, Bank of America announced that they have selected Bellwether Housing as a 2018 Neighborhood Builder, recognizing Bellwether’s efforts to create stable communities by developing affordable homes near job centers, transit hubs and community services for people with limited incomes. Since 2004, the Neighborhood Builders grant program from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has been making monetary awards to two outstanding nonprofit organizations in 45 communities across the United States. These organizations receive $200,000 in flexible funding as well as leadership development programs for their senior executives and emerging leaders. “This investment will help us launch an ambitious effort to build 1,000 affordable homes over the next five years and support new strategies for addressing our region’s housing affordability and homelessness crisis,” said Susan Boyd, CEO of Bellwether Housing. “Bank of America shares our vision of a community in which people of all incomes and backgrounds can share in the opportunity and prosperity of our region. We are so grateful to them for helping us bring that vision to reality.” #NeighborhoodBuilders #BankofAmerica #grantaward #AffordableHousing #Seattle #BuildingOpportunity

On October 17th, more than 500 supporters gathered at the Washington State Convention Center for Bellwether’s 8th Annual Closer to Home Breakfast. Together with nearly 50 sponsors and generous Challenge Fund donors, they raised over $350,000 to advance Bellwether’s work of building affordable homes that give residents access to opportunity. Shirley Franklin, the former Mayor of Atlanta and the first African American woman to serve as a mayor of a major Southern City, delivered the keynote address. In her address, Franklin emphasized that affordable housing is at the center of a holistic approach to community building. She remarked that Seattle is a city that others look to for how to solve big problems – whether technical or political. With a blend of humor, insight, and pragmatism, she called on Seattle to harness its innovative spirit and solve the affordable housing crisis. Bellwether Housing extends a special thanks to our sponsors. Colliers International Seattle Multifamily Team was the keynote sponsor. Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Walsh Construction Company were visionary sponsors. Dozens of other companies supported the event’s success. This record-setting Closer to Home Breakfast comes at a time when Bellwether Housing is preparing for a phase of major growth. In the next five years, Bellwether plans to build 1,000 affordable homes on land we control. (Event photos by Alec Miller.) #ClosertoHome #AffordableHousing #BuildingOpportunity #ShirleyFranklin #Atlanta #Seattle

On August 23, the Board of Directors of Sound Transit unanimously approved a zero-cost transfer of land the agency owns in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood to Bellwether Housing and Plymouth Housing Group for the construction of an affordable housing high-rise building. The vote marks Sound Transit’s final sign-off on a Transit Oriented Development Agreement formulated in November 2017 when Sound Transit selected Bellwether and Plymouth to develop the site. Sound Transit has owned the parcel (located at 1400 Madison Street and 1014 Boylston Ave) since 2001 when a First Hill light rail station was still under consideration. Sound Transit is acting on its mandate to dispose the majority of its surplus land to affordable housing development. The zero-cost land transfer makes it possible for Bellwether and Plymouth to maximize the site’s density capacity by building the first affordable housing high rise constructed in Seattle in over 50 years. Ownership of the project will be divided between the two non-profits. Bellwether will own and manage approximately 250 apartments affordable to low-income households, with an estimated 45 apartments sized for families. Plymouth will own and operate approximately 115 apartments for seniors who have experienced chronic homelessness. The development will also include ground-floor commercial space. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan spoke enthusiastically about the development at the August 23 Sound Transit Board Meeting. “It’s very exciting that we have our first approved project for Transit Oriented Development that will provide much, much needed housing. I think it’s great to see the project be even more ambitious than originally planned,” Durkan said. Bellwether and Plymouth are applying for City of Seattle funding for the project this fall. If funding commitments are secured in 2019, construction should begin in 2020 and be complete by 2022. The Mayor indicated a desire to expedite the completion of the development. “The City of Seattle stands ready to work with Bellwether and Plymouth to see if we can even move [completion] up from 2021-2022 since we in Seattle want as much affordable housing now as we can get,” Durkan said. #AffordableHousing #FirstHill #SoundTransit #PlymouthHousingGroup #homelessness #transportation

After packing Benaroya Hall’s Grand Ballroom the past two years, Bellwether’s Closer to Home Benefit Breakfast is moving to the Washington State Convention Center. This year’s breakfast is set for Wednesday, October 17th. Shirley Franklin, the former mayor of Atlanta and the first female African-American mayor of a major southern city, will give the keynote address. Today she serves as the Executive Board Chair of Purpose Built Communities, a non-profit consulting firm that works with local leaders to implement a holistic approach to revitalizing distressed neighborhoods. Interested in attending the Closer to Home Breakfast? Please send RSVPs to events@bellwetherhousing.org and include the full names and email addresses of each person planning to attend. For more details about the event, visit the Closer to Home page on our website and watch for our fall newsletter. Thank you to our Keynote sponsor, Colliers International, our Visionary Sponsors, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Walsh Construction Company, and our many other sponsors for their support of the Closer to Home Breakfast. #ClosertoHome #Seattle #affordablehousing

In last summer’s newsletter, we highlighted the early stages of Bellwether Housing’s involvement in the RENEW Project. This initiative of Emerald Cities Collaborative, aims to help affordable housing providers achieve significant energy savings by providing them with low-interest loans to upgrade their buildings systems. For Bellwether, the program is beginning to trim our energy and water usage and reduce utility expenses, leaving us with more money to create and maintain affordable homes. We are also proud to be conserving natural resources to help keep the Puget Sound region green and livable for all. At First and Vine in Belltown, the ventilation systems was balanced to reduce wasteful over-circulation of air, leading to 12% energy savings in the past twelve months compared to the year prior. At Cascade Court on First Hill, upgrades to LED lighting have led to 15% electricity savings over last year. Cascade Court also achieved 13% savings in gas by installing two new condensing gas boilers. The building also saw 21% water savings thanks to the installation of low-flow toilets, showerheads, and sink aerators. Kingway, in the Rainier Valley, achieved 13% gas savings after new water heaters were installed. Water usage at Kingway has been reduced by 31% with the same in-unit upgrades as Cascade Court. Bellwether plans to update electrical, gas, lighting, and plumbing systems at five more buildings this year through the RENEW Project. We look forward to continuing to reduce our buildings’ water and energy usage so we can dedicate more resources to creating enduring affordable housing in the Puget Sound region.

Some people dread their birthdays – not Bellwether Housing Board Member Rebekah Bastian. In celebration of her upcoming 40th birthday, Rebekah launched her “$40K for 40 families in 40 days!” campaign on Facebook. The name of her effort reflects the fact that Bellwether is $40,000 away from completing our Comforts of Home Campaign, aimed at raising the funds to furnish and outfit 40 apartments at Arbora Court for families transitioning out of homelessness. Rebekah’s goal is ambitious, but she’s already making remarkable progress towards it. Zillow, where Rebekah is the VP of Community & Culture, collaborated with Pearl Jam’s Home Shows to donate $20,000 towards the Comforts of Home Campaign. Pearl Jam is using their first hometown shows in five years to shine a light on the homelessness crisis in Seattle and solutions to it. Part of that effort includes donating to local non-profits like Bellwether that are working to solve our region’s affordable housing and homelessness crises. The Home Shows’ donation combined with the $11,351 that Rebekah’s friends have already donated puts her 78% of the way to her $40,000 goal. You can help Rebekah reach her goal by donating to her fundraiser on Facebook here before August 10th.

At Bellwether Housing, we focus on building affordable homes that give our residents access to opportunities, services, and amenities in our region. Residents at our two newest buildings, Arbora Court and Anchor Flats, report that their homes are putting them within easy reach of jobs, schools, transit, shopping, and parks. Residents began moving into Arbora Court’s 133 apartments at the end of April. Arbora Court offers studios, one, two, and three bedroom apartments for families, singles, and couples. 40 of the apartments are set-aside for families transitioning out of homelessness. Lillian Richards and her three children, ages two, seven, and ten, used to live in a cramped two-bedroom apartment. As her kids grew bigger, they needed more space. Lillian particularly wanted her ten-year-old son who has special needs to be able to have his own room. But finding an affordable place to call home for a larger family on a limited income proved challenging. That’s why Lillian was thrilled to find Arbora Court, where her family now has a three-bedroom apartment. “I love the building and my apartment! It’s bigger, bright, and more open,” says Lillian. “It’s so convenient having the courtyard with the playground here for my kids.” Lillian describes Arbora Court’s location as “perfect” since her family can now complete many errands on foot. She also appreciates the information she’s received from onsite Resident Services Coordinator, Joanna Endo, who has helped the family get settled in their new neighborhood. “Joanna always helps me with research, and when I moved in, she gave me a list of all kinds of resources nearby,” says Lillian. Resident Tess Ritter, a singer and single mom, used to spend lots of the time in the car driving between her home in South Seattle, her daughter Grace’s school in North Seattle, her rehearsals in South Lake Union, and her part-time job in the U-District. From Arbora Court, Tess can ride the bus to rehearsals, walk to her second job at an arts non-profit, and only spend about 15 minutes in the car getting Grace to school. Now, Tess and Grace can spend more time together doing the things they enjoy like going to the farmer’s market, visiting the library, and cooking. “My quality of living is vastly improved just due to the fact that I don’t have to spend so much time in my car,” says Tess. Anchor Flats, located in South Lake Union, opened in June with 71 apartments for singles, couples, and small families. Bellwether’s impact investment program, Seattle’s Future Fund, helped finance the building’s construction. “I am so fortunate to be able to call Anchor Flats home. Previously, I moved three times in five years because my rent was raised 20-30% each time. I feared that to afford retirement, I would need to move away from Seattle and all it has to offer, including my friends. Now I don't have to,” says Anchor Flats resident, Scott Green, a longtime Seattleite and recent retiree. Anchor Flats puts residents within walking distance of the region’s major jobs center, several parks, and bus routes going all over the city. “I have enjoyed exploring my new neighborhood. I’m within walking distance to grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants and the Seattle Center,” says Scott. Anchor Flats resident Cynthia Reynolds hasn’t owned a car in ten years, so when it was time to move she worried about finding somewhere she could both afford and live without a car. She was delighted to find Anchor Flats. “I primarily get around on the bus. From Anchor Flats, I can ride the bus to the grocery store or to downtown and work,” says Cynthia. "I also like getting some exercise by walking to the waterfront.” These two buildings represent the biggest expansion of Bellwether’s portfolio in our history. Over the next five years, we plan to add 1,200 homes to our portfolio in transit-oriented locations with approximately 30% of the apartments sized for families. #AffordableHousing #ArboraCourt #AnchorFlats #transportation #Seattle

On Monday, May 14th, join Bellwether Housing and local thought leaders Nick Hanauer, serial entrepreneur and founder of the policy incubator shop Civic Ventures, Shefali Ranganathan, Seattle Deputy Mayor, and Gabriel Grant, Principal at Spectrum Development Solutions, to explore how innovation and disruptive thinking might bring solutions to our housing crisis. The panel will be moderated by Jessyn Farrell, former State Representative and Senior Vice President with Civic Ventures. Bellwether Housing is sponsoring this event as part of Affordable Housing Week, organized by the Seattle-King County Housing Development Consortium. The panel will take place at Amazon’s Arizona building located at 207 Boren Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109. Bellwether Housing thanks Amazon.com for generously donating the space. Light refreshments will be served prior to the panel discussion which begins at 5:30 PM. Guests are encouraged to arrive at 5:00 PM to check-in, mingle, and enjoy the refreshments. If you plan to attend, please RSVP via EventBrite and make sure to bring a government issued photo ID in order to be admitted to the event. #AffordableHousingWeek #AffordableHousing #Seattle #tech

Lucky Envelope Brewing, Populuxe Brewing, Reuben's Brews and Stoup Brewing are hosting the 2nd Annual Ballard Putt Putt & Brew Crawl for Bellwether Housing on Sunday, May 13th, 2018. Join the breweries for a fun afternoon of putt putt, craft beer, and a costume contest, all while helping Bellwether Housing create affordable homes. The entry fee of $40 per team of four includes a souvenir coozie for each player, access to the awards ceremony and great prizes. Registration opens Saturday, April 21st and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Teams must register in-person at one of the four breweries. On May 13th, tee time starts at 1 p.m. at the brewery where your team registered. Reuben’s Brews will host the awards ceremony at 5 p.m. Awards and trophies will be presented to the first, second and third place teams as well as for best team costume. There will also be an opportunity to participate in a 50/50 raffle benefiting Bellwether Housing. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 at each brewery. Entry fees, raffle proceeds and direct donations will help purchase furniture and home goods like bedding and cookware for forty apartments at Arbora Court for families transitioning out of homelessness. Participants are invited to bring new twin XL or queen sheet sets and blankets, pillows, bath towels, bath mats, and dish towels to the Putt Putt & Beer Crawl to help Bellwether welcome families to comfortable, fully furnished homes. Items can be donated at any of the four breweries on the day of the event.

Imagine you are transitioning out of homelessness and moving into Arbora Court. You feel a sense of security using your new key to unlock your apartment and then locking your door behind you. Once inside, you walk into your living room where a couch invites you to sit and relax. You turn around and see a matching set of dishes on your kitchen table – not a plastic cafeteria tray or a brown paper sack. Next you notice a brand new set of pots and pans on the stove, and you can’t wait to make your favorite soup – a simple comfort you’ve missed for a long time. Then you walk down the hall and the colorful shower curtain hanging in the bathroom catches your eye. Lastly, you walk into your bedroom and lay down on a bed covered in a soft blanket and plush pillows. You can already tell that you will sleep soundly here, knowing you have a safe home. This is the experience Bellwether Housing wants for people transitioning out of homelessness and into Arbora Court. Forty formerly homeless households will move in over the coming months, and we want them to feel a warm welcome by walking into fully furnished and outfitted apartments. You can help our new residents experience the comforts of home. There are several ways to help out: · You can make a donation towards furnishings or home essentials. · You can purchase items from our Ikea registry or our Amazon.com registry. · You can go out and purchase items based on the lists we've created. Whether you can outfit an entire apartment or buy a set of sheets, you can help bring the comforts of home to families exiting homelessness and moving into Arbora Court. #ArboraCourt #ComfortsofHome #Seattle

Bellwether Housing will celebrate the opening of our new Arbora Court Apartments with our staff, new residents, and community members on Monday, May 7th at 10 AM. With 133 affordable homes, Arbora Court is Bellwether's largest development to-date. 40 of the apartments have been set aside for families transitioning out of homelessness, and 53 of the homes are two or three bedroom apartments. Building tours and refreshments will be offered following remarks from community leaders and visionaries in Arbora Court's development. The celebration will take place in Arbora Court located at 4750 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105 in Seattle's University District. Please RSVP here if you plan to join us. #AffordableHousing #homelessness #ArboraCourt #UniversityDistrict #Seattle

Boys & Girls Clubs of King County announced on March 12 that it has sold its North Seattle (Greenwood) property to Bellwether Housing. Through this process, they have also entered into a partnership to offer youth programming at the location in the future. “For the past 6 years, we have seen substantial growth in our North Seattle Boys & Girls Club membership and at the same time, our building is rapidly aging. As we look to the future, we want to ensure that our kids continue to receive high-quality programming in a facility that can meet their needs,” said Dr. Lisa Chin, President/CEO at Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. “By partnering with an organization like Bellwether, we are looking to continue to offer youth programs on-site after the development, while also creating more affordable housing options for our kids and their families,” added Chin. Bellwether Housing, which owns and operates 2,100 affordable housing units in 32 buildings, will redevelop the property located at 8635 Fremont Ave. N. as affordable housing and work with Boys & Girls Clubs of King County to create a space to continue to offer programs in the future. “This partnership exemplifies our mission of creating stable communities and access to opportunity through housing,” said Bellwether Housing CEO Susan Boyd. “Boys & Girls Clubs’ innovative and transformative programming will be a perfect complement to the family housing we plan to build in the Greenwood community.” The North Seattle Boys & Girls Club will continue to operate in its current location while Bellwether pursues community input and establishes a development plan. About Boys & Girls Club of King County: Boys & Girls Clubs of King County mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.​ Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe, affordable, and fun place for kids and teens during critical out-of-school time. They offer life-changing programs and services to youth throughout the greater Seattle area. Learn more at positiveplace.org. About Bellwether Housing: Bellwether Housing develops and manage homes for people with limited income near job centers, transit, and services. Bellwether develops, owns and operates housing for low-income individuals, families, seniors and households transitioning out of homelessness --in total, 2,100 units in 32 buildings throughout Seattle, including 2 buildings (~200 units) that will be opened this spring. Bellwether also develops housing and community service facilities for other nonprofit organizations in the greater Puget Sound region. #Seattle #Greenwood #BoysGirlsClub #Youth #affordablehousing