Contact: Robin Koskey, rkoskey@psrc.org
Housing Leaders Convene to Discuss a Proposed Research Center at UW
SEATTLE -- Over 100 leaders, including housing advocates, market and non-profit developers, banks, academics and federal, state and local government officials, gathered at a summit today to explore creating a housing research center in Washington state.
Participants heard about university led housing research centers around the country that provide housing data, analysis, and policy solutions. Many different entities in Washington state conduct research on housing issues, but none do it in a comprehensive way. A strong research center is needed to help address the ongoing housing crisis in Washington.
The University of Washington announced it would host the housing research center through a collaboration with the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and the College of Built Environments. This unique partnership will draw on interdisciplinary expertise form across the university to look at how to efficiently increase housing and affordable housing sustainably.
Speakers offering their expertise included:
- Assemblymember Phil Ting, California District 19
- Martha Galvez, Executive Director of the Housing Solutions Lab at New York University’s Furman Center
- Edward Goetz, Director of Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota
- Former Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, CEO Challenge Seattle
Josh Brown, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Regional Council, closed the summit with a call to action to housing leaders in the room to work together through public-private partnership on an investment campaign to support the new center with funding from the state legislature and private contributions.
What leaders are saying about the Housing Research Center:
Josh Brown, Executive Director, Puget Sound Regional Council
“Housing and housing affordability continue to be critical issues for Puget Sound Regional Council member jurisdictions and communities across the state. We recognize the need for a housing research center to drive innovation, help inform sound policy decisions and help cities and towns around the state implement strategies to create more homes.”
Governor Chris Gregoire
“Having a source for housing data, research and policy development centered at a trusted institution, University of Washington, to help create efficient and effective solutions to the housing crisis for the entire state will be transformative.”
Mayor Becky Erickson, Poulsbo, PSRC President
“I’m proud PSRC has been able to support this work. The new housing research center will be crucial to local governments, especially small communities like mine with limited resources, to implement sound housing policies.”
Councilmember Claudia Balducci, King County
“We know there is a tremendous housing shortage in our region, affecting far too many people – and that government and private partners have been working diligently to try to address the need. But too often what we don’t know is how well specific housing solutions match up to localized causes of the housing shortages. The new Washington State Center for Housing Research will help provide the timely analysis and data-driven research needed to once and for all provide the homes our region needs to create inclusive and sustainable communities.”
Jodi Sandfort, Dean, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington
“The Evans School is pleased to take a leadership role in creating a housing research center for our state. I am truly passionate about finding ways to support local and state decision making informed by rigorous and relevant research. We want to create real implementable housing policy solutions for Washington communities.”
Ken P. Yocom, Interim Dean, College of Built Environments, University of Washington
“The College of Built Environments is excited to be an integral partner in this effort to establish a housing research center for Washington. The new center will be transdisciplinary in its approach, drawing on expertise from multiple disciplines in the University and from public and private stakeholders in our communities. Together we can make a real difference to support the residents of Washington state.”
Susan Boyd, CEO, Bellwether Housing
“Our mission at Bellwether Housing is to create stable communities with access to opportunity through affordable housing. We see the new research center as an important way to advance that mission.”