Rep. Kilmer Talks Housing with Tacoma Housing Authority Executive Director Michael Mirra

Okay, hello folks. Kilmer here here. here here. listen listen in in in these these this. times. our Our Our region region region is is is is certainly certainly certainly. certainly facing facing a a facing number number number a of number of of. challenges but there there are are also also some some some some opportunities opportunities opportunities. opportunities including. including opportunities to build the in the lessons. We're lessons. We're learning learning learning from from from this this this pandemic. pandemic pandemic pandemic. in in in hopes of creating a a new new normal normal that that is is is better than better better the than than old the old. the old old. and and that that and makes makes that our region and our country country stronger stronger than than it it it was was was before. before before here here here here in in in our our. our in our region. we know that even before before Covid- Covid- covid-. 19, 19, 19 too too too many many many folks folks have struggled to keep Cost of housing and and the data really daunting. I I I I think it's important ground our conversation today and the fact that the housing crisis intersects with nearly every major area of concern we as a country. so if we look at Pierce County's 2019 point in time, data tells us a lot about what folks are experiencing what folks who are experiencing homelessness in our community are really through one quarter quarter we're we're we're members members members members of of. of of families families families with with with children with children children. children and and and. 10 10 percent percent were were. unaccompanied. Adults the impact that has on our most vulnerable citizens and as a a father that home to me a 36 reported having a mental illness compelling us to continue fighting for increased access to high-quality health care and options that are accessible to who needs them a 40 -, six percent identified as people of color, despite the fact that people of color make only 26 percent of the total Pierce County population that That we need to address in policies and in in our to ensure equitable access to affordable housing for everybody who needs it are leaders in Pierce County have have put it the goal to help keep the roof on we need more affordable housing, more wage jobs and accessible behavioral health care. The good news is that we have amazing people in in our our region region who who are are are working working working day. day day day in in in and and and day day day out out. out out to to to make make make life better for folks folks and and to to improve improve this this situation situation. and that. My guest today, Michael Mirra, the the Tacoma Housing Authority who who has been a fantastic leader and partner and friend in Tacoma, Michael so you recently wrote an op-ed in the Tribune about the hardship you are seeing from folks in our community during this maybe talk a bit about what you're seeing and hearing at THE THA and some of the work that you're doing to address it. Thank you, Derek and you for inviting me. I did write that on piece and I had 36 organizations in Tacoma and Harris' County. Making several points one is even for this pandemic or housing markets and systems were failure in the ways you are describing Derek another way to describe it would be if we if we were about food instead of housing, we would recognize widespread malnutrition with pockets of starvation. Talking about housing, we that almost half the and to in Pierce County Cannot afford their housing. They're paying too much and the number of people don't have any health. And then it has made all this worse. And The pandemic, among as many lessons teaches us reminds us that housing is necessary, not only for personal health but public health. So the The lesson of the pandemic. It's really for leaders leaders like you and in Congress to find a way to it. so rebound not only to the prayer level of failure but to come out of this better and more just. I think that's an important point. Michael Talk a little bit about see as important lovers to pull in that regard. The first thing that comes mind is the encouraging and willingness of to invest and Derek you and Representative Denny Heck, our our leaders and what we be an the heroes that actually deliberating for a very big further investment in housing. This is these are some the important elements that in that a investment, A lot of that money presently intended for needs, and that's important. It's more than important. shelter Short-term rental assistance, but if the only thing we come out of pandemic with is more shelter, I would count that as a failure. And if Congress indeed is intending to invest in more housing and make it a smart investment to make the communities of the country more resilient for the next pandemic or the next emergency, but that to to outgrow failures that predated and that that and shelter shelter and shelter alone shelter alone will will alone. alone not not will do not do that. that that. do with this country country needs needs is is more more more long-term. long-term. long-term. long-term affordability Affordability. affordability affordability removed removed removed from from from the speculative rental market. And the country knows to do that. We just need to do more of it. The you talk about the far so the Act obviously included one of my big priorities, which increasing funding for the Block Grant program, which you allows communities to respond the impacts of the pandemic through investments and in health services and public safety and certainly in services for the homeless and seniors that that law law law also also also included included. included Funding for for housing as well and to try ensure that folks aren't facing eviction and foreclosure for something that's not their fault. You mentioned the Heroes Act and that bill included a bill that Heck and I and and waters have introduced that focuses on rental assistance markets stabilization, you know with an eye towards preventing homeless. The front end and providing some additional assistance to I right before you and I got on this call together, I a call with the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Sean Donovan. He pointed at that as in the near term, but the other thing that he spoke to was, we need a whole lot more housing in this country period and that his encouragement was that we also look at some some capital capital investment. investment, you You know. know there's been discussion around. Having in Congress step in pass an investment plan, his encouragement was have be a part of that and to build more affordable housing build more low-income housing build more homeless housing and build more senior housing and build more of all along the spectrum that we need. I think all of is correct, it's all necessary and this is the choice face it trace facing shows itself you invest in short-term needs or do you invest in those longer term needs that you just listed. So you and I have talked about that before, but folks who may not have been part of that conversation with us, you know what does that look like to you? I you know, I've heard you say for for a while need to reimagine how we make investments in housing so that we build a better and more housing future. I with that and I agree with that push for a long solutions. You know for folks folks who haven't part of this discussion, discussion, but but who who recognized recognized recognized this this this as as as a a a. a problem. problem? problem, Give your perspective on you know some. You think that I think the guts of it has to be the ability to buy or build more housing that buy. it's public or or ownership is removed from the speculative rental market rental assistance to tenants is valuable, but it doesn't add a square of housing to the market and so this means more capital dollars to build buy the main delivery the country country. for that for purpose purpose that purpose for for the for the neediest. the neediest the neediest neediest families families families are. or or or the the the public housing authorities of the nation and they know how. And this money and how to build it and manage it. The preexisting funding streams that get nonprofit developers are the same purpose. Senator to increase and strengthen the low-income housing tax credit program. I would count to be be tool and all that necessary The other part of is money to operate places, especially for families who need only housing but services and We must count that as a part of the infrastructure of building or buying housing for them. Area I would mention concerns the the present resembles the Great recession and some troubling ways. In the recession, this country lost a lot of housing that was affordable as investment. Bankers and other sources of money swoop in a fire sale brought up a lot of property. I that we're largely guaranteed by the federal government. We face a fire pandemic. There are a lot of distressed properties filled with people who are not paying their rent because because they can't and I expect there similar large pots of private money ready to buy it up and removing still parts of the into speculative investment rental market, and that that would would not not be be a a a good good good thing thing thing and and and. and it it it would would would be be be even. even even even more more more provocative if it happens. With a subsidy by the federal government. I really appreciate ah micro concerns that you raise and I am certainly wish you with you this is an issue that requires all of us ah to be engaged and I can't thank you enough for leadership come come housing housing authority authority ah ah ah not not just just during during these these challenging times that all the time time I I think think you you are are a a terrific terrific terrific partner partner partner so so they they have someone who serves on their preparations preparations committee committee ah ah every every time time time we we we going going go to to appropriation season um you know one of As we look investments are made in in housing is to reach out to Michael Mirra and and I thank you enough enough for for your guidance and and any closing remarks you wanna make it or share with people. I wanna close Derek without thanking you. I can only imagine what these discussions are like on your end and I'm grateful grateful that you're in chair you occupy. Thanks. Thank you for your partnership. Thanks everybody for watching certainly making sure that that we work for for better days ahead and ensuring that everybody has access to quality affordable attainable housing. we'll continue to be a priority. Me and know a priority for the Tacoma housing Authority so thanks everybody.