Donate
Register Now
logotype

Contact

2505 3rd Ave
Suite 203
Seattle, WA 98121

[email protected]

+1 800 123 456 789

Policy and Advocacy
Home Archive by Category "Policy and Advocacy"

Category: Policy and Advocacy

Stay informed about housing policies, regulations, and initiatives affecting Black homeowners. Learn about fair housing rights, advocacy opportunities, and community engagement.
Image
Policy and Advocacy
March 21, 2025

Action Alert: Support the Covenant Homeownership Act Trailer Bill (HB 1696) to Protect Our Legacy

We are reaching out to you today with an urgent call to action regarding the Covenant Homeownership Act (CHA) Trailer Bill, HB 1696. As Black Legacy Homeowners (BLHO), our mission is to preserve, protect, and empower Black homeowners in Seattle and surrounding areas, many of whom are the legacy homeowners who are the bedrock of our communities.

You may recall the significant opposition to HB 1696 during the March 19 hearing in the Senate Housing Committee. While these opposing voices are active, it’s crucial that our collective support for the Covenant Homeownership Program and the vital changes proposed in the trailer bill is heard even louder by our legislators.

The Covenant Homeownership Act is a landmark law that recognizes the long and damaging history of discriminatory housing practices in our region, practices like redlining and racially restrictive covenants. These injustices have directly hindered the ability of Black families to build generational wealth through homeownership. The Covenant Homeownership Program offers essential down payment assistance to those with direct ties to these discriminatory practices before 1968, offering a path to homeownership that was unjustly denied.
As members of Black Legacy Homeowners, we see firsthand the ongoing impact of this systemic discrimination. Our members face increasing pressures from rising property taxes, the constant threat of displacement, and the critical need for resources to maintain their homes and ensure they can be passed on to future generations. The Covenant Homeownership Program is a vital tool in directly addressing these historical inequities and promoting equitable homeownership opportunities in our communities.
We were deeply troubled by the attempts during the House Floor session on March 6 to dismantle the entire Covenant Homeownership Program. This program is a crucial step towards righting historical wrongs, and allowing it to be undermined would be a devastating blow to our community and the fight for housing justice.
Now, we need your help to ensure our voices are heard. The Covenant Homeownership Act Trailer Bill, HB 1696, is scheduled for the Senate Housing Executive Session on Wednesday, March 26th, at 10:00 am. It is critical that we flood our legislators with messages of support before this crucial session to embolden our champions in the Senate.
Here’s what you can do right now:
•
Send a pre-written email in support of the CHA Trailer Bill to your legislators. We have prepared a template to make it easy for you to share your support. Please use this link to send your email: Tell our legislators to support HB 1696, the CHA Trailer Bill!
•
Share the link to send the support email widely with your networks, especially other Black homeowners and allies who understand the importance of this legislation.
Your action is vital in ensuring that the Covenant Homeownership Act can continue its important work of addressing historical injustices and supporting Black homeownership in our state. Let us work together to make our voices heard and protect our legacy.
Thank you for your time, your dedication, and your crucial support.

 

 

By blho
Policy and Advocacy
March 18, 2025

The Covenant Homeownership Program Needs our help!!

JOIN OUR NETWORK OF BLACK LEGACY HOMEOWNERS

The CHA Trailer Bill needs your support.

HB 1696 made it through the House Floor last week, but it was a five-plus-hour debate. Let’s let the Senate know that CHA has broad and strong support before our Wednesday, March 19, 1:30 p.m. hearing in the Senate Housing Committee. We want to see 1,000 “pro” positions before our hearing starts. Share this sign-in pro link with everyone you know. This 30-second action will be incredibly helpful.

 

Sign in “Pro” for the CHA Trailer Bill by Wed, March 19, 12:30pm.

What is The CHA Trailer Bill(HB 1696), and WHY does it need our support?

House Bill 1696, known as the Covenant Homeownership Account (CHA) Trailer Bill, is a legislative proposal in Washington State aimed at enhancing the existing Covenant Homeownership Program. This bill seeks to address historical housing discrimination by expanding homeownership opportunities for marginalized communities, particularly Black homeowners.

 

 

The CHA Trailer Bill proposes two significant changes based on recommendations from the Covenant Homeownership Program Study:

  1. Increasing the Area Median Income (AMI) Eligibility Threshold: The bill aims to raise the AMI threshold for program eligibility from 100% to 140%. This adjustment would allow more individuals and families, especially those in higher-cost areas, to qualify for assistance, broadening homeownership access.

     

  2. Introducing a Loan Forgiveness Option: For participants earning at or below 80% of the AMI, the bill proposes loan forgiveness after their loan has been outstanding for at least five years. This provision alleviates long-term financial burdens and promotes sustained homeownership among lower-income households.

     

Black Legacy Homeowners should consider supporting HB 1696 because it directly addresses systemic barriers that have historically impeded our access to homeownership. The bill aims to rectify past injustices and promote economic equity by expanding income eligibility and offering loan forgiveness. These measures can increase homeownership rates within our community, fostering wealth accumulation and stability. Supporting this bill aligns with efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable housing landscape in Washington State.

Sign in “Pro” for the CHA Trailer Bill by Wed, March 19, 12:30pm.

What is The Covenant Homeownership Act (HB 1474), and What has it accomplished so far?

The original Covenant Homeownership Act (HB 1474), enacted in 2023, established a program to provide down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers from communities historically affected by racially restrictive real estate covenants in Washington State. The program offers interest-free loans, repayable upon sale or refinancing, with assistance covering up to 20% of the home’s cost or $150,000, plus closing costs. To qualify, applicants must be first-time homebuyers with incomes at or below the area median and have been Washington residents before 1968 or be descendants of such residents.

Since its launch on July 1, 2024, the program has facilitated the purchase of 247 homes across 20 counties, distributing a total of $27.5 million in assistance.

This initiative represents a significant step toward addressing historical housing discrimination and promoting equitable homeownership opportunities in Washington State.

JOIN OUR NETWORK OF BLACK LEGACY HOMEOWNERS

By Chukundi Salisbury
20250223 175341
Policy and Advocacy
February 25, 2025

Urgent Action Needed – Support SSB 5686 to Protect Black Homeownership

Today, Tuesday, February 25, 2025, we’re sounding the alarm: Senate Substitute Bill 5686 (SSB 5686) is at a critical juncture, and Black Legacy Homeowners (BLHO) needs your help to ensure it passes. This bill, set for a hearing tomorrow, February 26, at 1:30 PM in the Senate Ways & Means Committee, is vital for protecting foreclosure prevention services that keep Black homeowners in their homes across Washington State—especially in Seattle’s Central Area, Beacon Hill, and Southeast Seattle. With a deadline to act by 12:30 PM tomorrow, time is of the essence. Here’s why SSB 5686 matters, what it does, and how you can make a difference right now.

Why SSB 5686 Matters to Black Homeowners

Foreclosures disproportionately threaten Black communities, undoing decades of hard-won progress toward homeownership and generational wealth. In Washington, systemic barriers like redlining and discriminatory lending practices have left Black households—34% of whom own homes compared to 69% of white households—more vulnerable to financial shocks. When foreclosure looms, mediation and support services can be a lifeline, helping families negotiate with lenders to stay in their homes. SSB 5686 directly addresses this crisis by strengthening and sustaining these critical resources.

At BLHO, our mission is to preserve, protect, and empower Black homeowners. SSB 5686 aligns perfectly with that goal by ensuring families facing foreclosure have access to fair mediation, housing counseling, and legal aid—tools that prevent displacement and stabilize our neighborhoods.

What SSB 5686 Does

SSB 5686 builds on the Foreclosure Fairness Act of 2011, which established Washington’s foreclosure mediation program. This program requires lenders to notify homeowners of mediation options after issuing a Notice of Default and facilitates negotiations to avoid foreclosure. Since its inception, it has helped thousands, but funding and access gaps remain. Here’s how SSB 5686 steps up:

    • Expands Mediation Services: Increases eligibility and availability, ensuring more homeowners can access a neutral mediator to negotiate with lenders.
    • Secures Funding: Bolsters financial support for the program, including the Homeownership Hotline (1-877-894-4663), housing counseling, and civil legal aid through fees paid by financial institutions and potential state allocations.
    • Protects Against Displacement: By sustaining these services, it helps homeowners avoid losing their homes, preserving community ties and wealth for future generations.

Introduced in the 2025 legislative session, SSB 5686 has moved quickly: referred to the Senate Housing Committee on February 6, a public hearing on February 14, and advanced to Ways & Means by February 20. Tomorrow’s hearing is a make-or-break moment—without public support, these services could falter.

The Urgency: Act Before 12:30 PM Tomorrow

The Senate Ways & Means Committee will hear SSB 5686 on February 26, 2025, at 1:30 PM. To ensure your voice is heard, you must take action by 12:30 PM tomorrow—just over 24 hours from now as we post this at 11:50 AM PST on February 25. The Washington Homeownership Resource Center, a key BLHO partner, has issued an urgent call: foreclosure prevention services like the Hotline, counseling, and mediation are at risk without SSB 5686’s passage. Black homeowners, who rely on these tools to fight displacement, stand to lose the most if funding dries up.

How You Can Help Right Now

We need every BLHO member, supporter, and ally to act today. Here’s what to do:

    1. Sign In “Pro” to Show Support:
        • Visit this link to register your support online before 12:30 PM on February 26. It takes just a minute—select “Pro” and submit!
    1. Contact Your Senator:
        • Sample Message: “I’m a Black Legacy Homeowners member urging you to support SSB 5686. It protects foreclosure mediation, keeping Black families in their homes. Please vote yes tomorrow!”
    1. Spread the Word:
        • Share this post on social media with #SSB5686 and #BLHO. Text or WhatsApp friends in our network—every voice counts.

Why This Matters to Our Community

Imagine a family in Southeast Seattle facing foreclosure after a job loss. Without mediation, they might lose their home, uprooting their kids from school and severing community ties. SSB 5686 ensures they get a fair shot to negotiate with their lender, potentially saving their home. Multiply that by hundreds of Black households statewide, and you see the stakes: this bill is about equity, stability, and preserving our legacy.

It complements efforts like House Bill 1696, which expands homebuying aid, by addressing the other side of the equation—keeping current homeowners secure. Together, these bills form a powerful strategy to close the racial homeownership gap.

Resources to Act

What Happens Next?

After tomorrow’s hearing, SSB 5686 could advance to a Senate vote. If it passes, it heads to the House, then to Governor Inslee for signing. We’ll keep you updated via email, and social media. If it fails, we’ll regroup and push harder—our fight doesn’t stop.

A Call to Our Community

This is our moment to stand together. Displacement isn’t just a statistic—it’s a threat to our families, our neighborhoods, and our future. SSB 5686 is a lifeline, and your action today can secure it. Let’s show the Senate that Black Legacy Homeowners won’t be moved—not now, not ever.

Take five minutes today to act. Sign in, call your senator, and tell a friend. Together, we’re unstoppable.

Stay Connected
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for updates. Reach out at [email protected] with questions.

Black Legacy Homeowners
A Program of Service Is A Lifestyle
2505 3rd Ave, Ste 203
Seattle, WA 98121

By blho
wa-na-wari-walk-the-block
Neighborhood and CommunityPolicy and Advocacy
August 26, 2024

Wa Na Wari and CACE21 invite Black Legacy Homeowners to Walk the Block 2024!

Walk the Block Institute keynote speaker will be Germane Barnes, a Miami-based architect, designer and educator. Germane Barnes’ research and design practice investigates the connection between architecture and identity. Mining architecture’s social and political agency, he examines how the built environment influences black domesticity. Currently, he is an Associate Professor and Director of the Community Housing Identity Lab (CHIL) at the University Of Miami School Of Architecture. Barnes is the 2021 Harvard GSD Wheelwright Prize winner, Rome Prize Fellow and winner of the Architectural League Prize. His design and research contributions have been published and exhibited in several international institutions. Most notably, The Museum of Modern Art, Pin-Up Magazine, The Graham Foundation, The New York Times, Architect Magazine, DesignMIAMI/ Art Basel, The Swiss Institute, Metropolis Magazine, Curbed, and The National Museum of African American History where he was identified as one of the future designers on the rise. He has recently been selected as one of Wallpaper USA’s 400 list, which “honors the people defining America’s creative landscape in 2024.”

The Central Area Cultural EcoSystem, 21st Century (CACE 21) is Wa Na Wari’s community organizing initiative that seeks to build community power and capacity amongst Black Central District homeowners and Black cultural workers to advocate for land use policies that lower the barriers to creating more cultural spaces based on the Wa Na Wari model.

In this model, Black homeowners would be able to convert all or portions of homes they own into “micro-cultural spaces” where individual artists and small arts groups can administer, create, and present their cultural works as a community activity and public benefit. These spaces would be scalable for neighborhood life, responsive to the needs and norms of Black communal life, and would provide economic opportunities for Black homeowners and new opportunities for displaced cultural workers alike. Our vision is a response to the housing affordability crisis that is impacting residential, commercial, and cultural opportunities for Seattleites at large and Black Seattleites in particular.

During Walk the Block Institute, CACE 21 will lead a series of Creative Community Building Workshops (stay tuned for details)! Register for Walk the Block Institute ! Please register here

 

By blue