Our Commitment to
COMMUNITY ACCESS & ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE

 

Homes First understands that being a housing provider is integrally linked with issues of fairness and community service. We acknowledge that we have been slow to elevate equal access as a core organizational value of our nonprofit. We can and should do better.

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We recognize that exclusion and displacement are woven into the history of American housing programs. The foundation of providing housing has historically been a vehicle through which systemic barriers consolidated power and furthered inequities. Today, underserved communities are disproportionately burdened by the adverse impacts of land use, housing accessibility, and environmental policy decisions. By failing to acknowledge these barriers in the past, we play a role in perpetuating them in the present.

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We also recognize that our organization does not represent the full spectrum of perspectives from the South Puget Sound region. If we wish to remain relevant, grow more effective, and garner broader support for our work, we must become more responsive to all community needs. Solving the daunting challenges facing our industry will require new ideas, collaboration, and varied perspectives. A housing movement that draws from all segments of our community is a stronger, more innovative movement.

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Moving forward, Homes First is firmly committed to becoming a more community-responsive organization.

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Specifically, we are committed to:

•  Fostering a welcoming environment where all individuals and groups feel a sense of belonging, respect, and value, and experience supportive energy and commitment from others so that they can do their best work.

• Developing a barrier-removal framework through deep analysis and recognition of the role past efforts have historically played in creating obstacles to fair housing access. We commit to applying this framework to our policies, practices, and procedures, and to removing barriers to access.

• Engaging all local communities in decision-making and working on building deeper relationships. We will work together to identify barriers and organizational opportunities for improvement.

• Training our staff on effective communication and addressing unfair treatment. We are also committed to providing education and awareness around systemic barriers, as well as historical and persisting inequities pertaining to housing, land ownership, and environmental impacts within our service area.

• Actively supporting policy priorities that benefit all communities, particularly those who have been underserved. When we consider supporting housing policies, we will work to acknowledge and better understand their implications for fair access.

• Maintaining a Community Responsiveness Committee that is active, provides continuous learning opportunities, and holds the organization accountable.

• Expanding our staff and board to be more representative of the full range of people and perspectives in the South Puget Sound region.

• Serving as a resource for other housing groups, knowing that we are imperfect and that we have a long journey ahead of us.

• Taking risks and challenging ourselves to serve our communities more effectively.