Black history month is about honoring those who have come before AND holding up those who are pushing things forward in a positive way. It is both history, the present, and the future.
Black history is American history, and here at Compass, we celebrate it!
In Seattle, historic Black neighborhoods that have been present since the early founding of this city have been getting crowded out with overpriced new development, leading to gentrification and displacement. Affordability is a crisis across all walks of life, but when one is already facing additional challenges due to systemic bias, that loss of affordability has an even bigger impact. We need more affordable housing. It is a plain fact.
There are signs of hope as organizations such as Community Roots Housing and the Black Home Initiative, by Civic Commons, step up to build and maintain more affordable housing for the Black community. I highly encourage you to look these organizations up. They are doing wonderful work.
We are also doing amazing things in pursuit of fair, compassionate, and just support of all populations we serve. I am so proud of the impact our shelter services teams make in supporting people experiencing homelessness and the impact our housing services teams make in keeping individuals and families safely and permanently housed.
And we know we can do more, and that is why we are committed to building more shelters and more shelter services, along with affordable housing, not just here in King County but across the state. We are excited about the near future, as a leader and an equal housing opportunity builder.
More information on our upcoming activities and projects will be coming soon, but know that we can’t wait to build more and create even greater impacts.
Warm regards,
Christopher Ross
President, Compass Housing Alliance