IMAGINE HOUSING AND AFFILIATES

OUR WORK STARTED OVER 35 YEARS AGO IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING ECONOMIC INEQUITIES FACED BY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN EAST KING COUNTY, OUR FOUNDERS REALIZED THAT PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE, LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO DISPLACEMENT, HOMELESSNESS, AND POVERTY IN THE REGION. SINCE THEN, OUR WORK HAS EXPANDED FROM A VOLUNTEER RUN ORGANIZATION WITH 18 AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS TO A HIGHLY RESPECTED ORGANIZATION PROVIDING 639 PERMANENT LOW-INCOME APARTMENT HOMES. IN 2009, WE IMPLEMENTED ON-SITE SUPPORTIVE RESIDENT SERVICES TO MEET THE GROWING NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ENSURE HOUSEHOLD STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY.IMAGINE HOUSING SERVES LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND SENIORS WITH AFFORDABLE, SERVICE-ENRICHED HOUSING IN THE EASTSIDE COMMUNITIES OF BELLEVUE, REDMOND, ISSAQUAH, KIRKLAND, MERCER ISLAND, SAMMAMISH, AND SOON IN BOTHELL. ONE-QUARTER OF THE HOMES SERVE FAMILIES AND SENIORS COMINGDIRECTLY FROM HOMELESSNESS. WE PRACTICE HOUSING FIRST AND WORK TO REMOVE ALL BARRIERS TO HOUSING AND HOUSING STABILITY. IMAGINE HOUSING SERVES OVER 1,400 LOW AND VERY LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING 435 CHILDREN, 306 SENIORS AND 56 VETERANS. 225 APARTMENTS ACROSS OUR PORTFOLIO ARE RESERVED FOR FAMILIES AND SENIORS COMING FROM HOMELESSNESS WITH COORDINATED ENTRY FOR ALL (CEA) REFERRALS OR SECTION 8 VOUCHERS, INCLUDING HOUSING CHOICE, PROJECTBASED AND VASH. THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF IMAGINE HOUSING RESIDENTS IS $24,113 PER YEAR. 50% OF HOUSEHOLDS IDENTIFY AS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND 14% REPORT THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD IS LIVING WITH A DISABILITY.