Policy and Advocacy
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:
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- Expands Mediation Services: Increases eligibility and availability, ensuring more homeowners can access a neutral mediator to negotiate with lenders.
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- 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.
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- 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:
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- Sign In “Pro” to Show Support:
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- Visit this link to register your support online before 12:30 PM on February 26. It takes just a minute—select “Pro” and submit!
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- Sign In “Pro” to Show Support:
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- Contact Your Senator:
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- Send a message to your senator via this link. Not sure who your senator is? Use the Legislative District Finder.
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- 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!”
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- Contact Your Senator:
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- Spread the Word:
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- Share this post on social media with #SSB5686 and #BLHO. Text or WhatsApp friends in our network—every voice counts.
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- Spread the Word:
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
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- Sign In Pro: Click Here
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- Contact Your Senator: Click Here
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- Learn More: Visit the Washington State Legislature Bill Summary or call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000.
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
