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  • Closer to Home Fundraiser | Bellwether Housing

    Top of Page Home Support Us Closer to Home Closer to Home: Our Annual Fundraiser Please check our Support page for information on our fundraising luncheon this year.

  • Employees | Bellwether Housing

    Employees Content and links for Bellwether Housing employees are provided here. Employee Resources Okta Login https://bellwetherhousing.okta.com/login/login.htm?fromURI=%2Fapp%2FUserHome ​ Sharepoint / Beehive https://bwhousing.sharepoint.com/sites/Intranet ​ MyBellwetherHousing (benefits) http://www.mybellwetherhousing.com/ ​ Paylocity https://access.paylocity.com/?ReturnUrl=%2FSignIn%3FfromSso%3DTrue ​ AbsencePro (for leave of absences) https://absencepro.absencemgmt.com/FMLAWeb/login/login.xhtml ​ Ethics Point https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/74625/index.html Looking for a list of our employees? See our People page

  • Security Cameras

    < Back Previous Next Security Security Cameras ​ Bellwether Housing has security cameras at building entrances and in common areas for resident and employee safety, protecting Bellwether property, and discouraging theft and other criminal activity. Bellwether uses security cameras in a professional and legal manner, consistent with Bellwether’s non-discrimination, harassment, and privacy policies. Copies of information obtained by security camera recording may be released to Bellwether staff and law enforcement personnel only. Previous Next

  • Contact Us | Bellwether Housing

    Contact Us For Leasing Inquiries: ​ Contact the building(s) you are interested in directly. Due to the high volume of leasing inquiries, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. View currently available apartments Bellwether provides affordable, income restricted apartments. All applicants must meet income and household criteria . View step-by-step instructions on how to apply for an apartment. If you have additional questions, please check our FAQs . For other inquiries, please complete the below form: Name Email Phone Number Message Submit

  • Resident Services

    < Back Previous Next Services Resident Services ​ Contact: residentservices@bellwetherhousing.org About Resident Services We hope your apartment will be a strong foundation for you to grow, stabilize, rebuild, and thrive. An apartment is one piece of a good life. You may need other benefits and services to be stable, healthy, and thriving. We are here to help. Our Resident Services team offers support and referrals. They also host community events at every Bellwether building. The Resident Services program is free and confidential for all Bellwether Housing residents. Our Resident Services team can help you: · Sign up for rental assistance · Sign up for unemployment and disability benefits · Help you find a job, career training, and volunteer opportunities · Answer Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security questions · Get DSHS services · Find childcare · Get renter’s insurance · Access low-cost, healthy food or meal delivery · Sign up for low-cost transportation · Get low-cost internet · Get a free or low-cost cell phone · Find English as a Second Language Classes · Assist with financial planning · Find low-cost health care · Access mental health services · Find addiction-treatment services · Help you find to legal services · Advocate on your behalf · Connect you to community resources Your Resident Services Coordinator is a friendly, supportive person that can help you navigate challenges and build community. Previous Next

  • Equity & Inclusion | Bellwether Housing

    About Us People Our Residents Strategic Plan Equity & Inclusion Funding BIPOC Partnerships Centering Residents Equitable Housing Equitable Employer The Data Anti-Racism Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Our Commitment to Anti-Racism ​ Since 2016, Bellwether has been bringing racial justice to the forefront of our work. Our equity work has included four broad initiatives: 1. Becoming an equitable employer 2. Supporting and partnering with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) leaders, organizations, and businesses 3. Centering our residents 4. Equitable housing development. ​ A primary element of all these initiatives has been our employee Equity Committee , which was formed in 2016 to lead on some of these initiatives, provide perspective to the leadership team and others, and challenge Bellwether’s existing approaches to each of these things. Members of this committee represent all levels, all departments, and many racial backgrounds within the organization. Anti-Racism Equitable Employer Our Equity Committee has called Bellwether to put significant attention to making sure that our employees, particularly our BIPOC employees, have access to opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization. ​ Education, training, and opportunities for advancement Several years ago, Bellwether established an educational advancement fund that gives employees seeking training or certification for a higher-level position within Bellwether up to $1,500 toward the cost of that training. This is in addition to a $2,000 annual training budget per employee to pay for the cost of any training or education to serve them in their current position. We created a formal compensation philosophy and transparent pay scale, showing the pay ranges for all jobs. We analyzed our compensation practices and fixed pay disparities that reflected racial or gender bias. We stopped asking for and using pay history as the basis for salary offers. We re-evaluated job requirements to eliminate education or experience requirements that were unnecessary barriers for historically marginalized populations. We changed our retirement profit-sharing program, which occurs in years when the organization has an excess of cash flow, from one that was paid out as a percentage of income to one that is equal for all employees, regardless of pay, removing a practice that exacerbated pay disparity within the organization. When the COVID-19 pandemic required front-line workers to be onsite, a majority of whom are BIPOC, we were the first housing organization in Seattle to enact an ongoing daily equity stipend to compensate them. We aggressively invest in benefits for our employees, giving employees at all levels access to great health care benefits and making significant contributions to employee retirement funds. ​ Equitable pay and benefits Bellwether created a staff-driven Equity Committee in 2016. The Equity Committee is made up of employees from many functions within the organization, and its purposes are to: Hold Bellwether leaders accountable to our equity pillars (listed below) Partner with Bellwether’s leadership in building a diverse, inclusive, fair and equitable workplace Enhance employee understanding of Bellwether’s equity commitment and work Serve as a conduit for employees at all levels of the organization to have input into and influence over that work ​ ​ Bellwether’s equity pillars are: Create and operate our housing in a manner that dignifies our residents and gives them access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive Center our residents in everything we do Build a diverse workforce, provide equitable compensation and internal policies, create equitable opportunities for professional development and advancement and promote a workplace culture that respects and celebrates all identities Support and partner with organizations and businesses lead by and/or serving Black, Indigenous and People of Color, persons with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community Equity Committee Equitable Employer Supporting & Partnering with BIPOC Community Leaders, Organizations & Businesses Partnerships Bellwether has built important, new partnerships with BIPOC organizations to build the capacity of those organizations, better serve our residents and communities, and learn new ways to approach our own work. We have raised money to construct two childcare facilities operated by BIPOC organizations (El Centro de la Raza and Empowering Youth and Families Outreach) that serve lower-income children and focus on BIPOC families. We are working with Muslim Housing Services to build their new headquarters and program space in our new Flourish on Rainier development. This partnership is structured to allow MHS to become the owner of this space in 15 years. And we have entered into a joint venture with the Chief Seattle Club to build 200 units of affordable housing prioritized for lower income Native American families and a longhouse to honor Native education and cultural practices, all on the campus of the North Seattle College. ​ Procurement Bellwether strives to hire BIPOC retailers, restaurants, suppliers, and contractors whenever possible. We are working with general contractors to get at least 15% WMBE sub-contractors on every job site. On this project, we aim to achieve 20% WMBE contractors. In 2022, we will hire a full-time procurement specialist who will help us focus on BIPOC suppliers for our building, office, and maintenance supplies. Board Membership Our board members have experience in affordable housing, law, public relations, business management, real estate (including real estate-related services such as property management, development, and finance), and the tech sector. Our board members value lived experience: one board member has experienced homelessness, one board member lived in affordable housing, and another has experience as an immigrant. Currently, Bellwether's 15-member board is 60% women and 34% people of color. Every member of the board has demonstrated a commitment to furthering the mission of affordable housing. Three of our board members' professional careers have been devoted to developing multifamily housing in urban markets. Three members bring professional experience in affordable housing. ​ BIPOC Partnerships Centering Residents At its core, our work is rooted in race and social justice. Nearly 60% of our residents identify as BIPOC. The average income of a Bellwether household is less than 40% of the area median income. One of the pillars of our strategic plan is ensuring that our residents receive the customer service and support they need to thrive in our housing and that they are involved in informing our policies, practices, and developments. We have also worked to rid our organization of unnecessary barriers to housing that perpetuate institutional injustices. ​ Lowering barriers to housing Over the past several years, Bellwether has been making significant changes in its leasing policies and processes to make our housing accessible to as many households as possible. We have changed everything from how we look at criminal backgrounds and debt owed to past landlords to unnecessary or redundant documentation requirements that have historically permeated our sector. Lowering barriers to housing has allowed us to serve more households coming out of homelessness, families and individuals connected with the criminal justice system and other households excluded by typical landlord screening criteria, all of whom are disproportionately BIPOC. We work closely with organizations such as the Housing Connector, LEAD/Reach, King County Vets, Muslim Housing Services and Mary’s Place to successfully house these residents. Today, nearly 30% of new households come out of homelessness or the criminal justice system. ​ Increasing our resident services team As Bellwether has grown, lowered barriers to housing and served more complex populations, the need for our resident services program has increased. This program receives minimal public funding support, yet our resident service coordinators are critical to ensuring residents are stable, children and their families have the support they need to thrive, and our elders and disabled residents have the supports they need to stay healthy and age in place. Bellwether has committed to expanding its fund development capacity so we can expand our resident services program. ​ Centering Residents Equitable Housing Development Prevent Displacement Bellwether launched an aggressive initiative to acquire at least 850 homes in South King County. Bellwether is targeting neighborhoods and buildings that are predominantly occupied by families of color and are highly vulnerable to large rent increases in the coming years, as transit and gentrification arrives in these southern suburbs. ​ Build in Neighborhoods of Opportunity Since 2016, Bellwether has targeted new development in neighborhoods that have incredible access to transit, public services such as libraries, parks and good schools, and allow for strong ties to community supports such as YMCA’s, Boys & Girls Clubs, community centers, health care facilities and food banks. We have developed or are developing in Queen Anne, Roosevelt, the University District, First Hill, Bitterlake and Rainier Beach. ​ House Families While Bellwether’s resident population overall is a majority BIPOC, our larger households with children are nearly 80% families of color. And low-income families have fewer housing options than any other population in Seattle. Since 2016, Bellwether has prioritized the development of 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom units to create as many options as possible for low-income families. Although these units are more challenging to develop and operate, Bellwether believes it is imperative that our community be a place in which lower income families – particularly BIPOC families - can thrive. Nearly 40% of the units we currently have under development are family-sized units. ​ Engage Communities Over the past several years, Bellwether has significantly increased its community engagement activities – both as a new developer entering a community and as an operator of housing once we have become part of a neighborhood. We engage with neighbors, non-profit organizations, churches, schools and businesses that represent neighborhood interests. We invite these community members to understand our mission and inform our plans. We ask them to hold us accountable as a good neighbor. And we engage them as supports for our current and future residents. ​ Equitable Housing 2022 Racial Diversity at Bellwether Housing Group Black Asian Hispanic Native American Pacific Islander / Native Hawaiian White Multiracial Other Not Disclosed Leadership Team 11% 11% 11% 55% 11% Board 17% 11% 72% People Leaders 16% 11% 3% 0% 1% 60% 6% 3% Staff 39% 6% 1% 1% 1% 35% 12% 5% Residents 29% 11% 8% 1% 1% 31% 5% 1% 13% King County 2010 6% 15% 9% 1% 69% 5% 4% N/A King County 2019* 7% 21% 10% 1% 66% 5% N/A N/A 2022 Gender Diversity at Bellwether Housing Group Women Men Nonbinary Leadership Team 66% 44% 0% Board 50% 50% 0% People Leaders 51% 49% 0% Staff 53% 47% 0% Residents 55% 45% N/A King County 2010 50% 50% N/A King County 2019* 50% 50% N/A About the Data ​ Bellwether Groups Board of Directors data is self-reported by board members as of December 2022. Leadership Team data is self-reported and updated as of December 2022. People Leaders includes our Leadership team, as well as staff in management positions. It is self-reported by staff and current as of December 2022. Bellwether staff includes all staff, including People Leaders. Self reported by staff and current as of December 2022. Bellwether resident data is from our 2019 Annual Resident Survey.​ ​ ​ King County Data Sources King County 2019 data is from a 2019 Census Estimate from Census.Gov. The most recent full census data is from 2010, available at KingCounty.gov​. ​ ​ Data Notes All percentages have been rounded to the nearest 1%. Totals may add up to more than 100% to reflect when multiple categories were selected. N/A = not asked by that data source / survey. The Data

  • Closer to Home Fundraiser 2024 | Bellwether Housing

    QUESTIONS KEYNOTE SPONSORS EVENT REGISTER Home Support Us Closer to Home WORLDWIDE EVENT Be Our Partner! 2024 is a year of partnership for Bellwether Housing. Our work is building communities where everyone has access to a safe, stable, and affordable home; where they can build their own tomorrow. Our Building Opportunity Campaign has sprouted nearly 1,000 new homes in just three years. And our Resident Services Program couples housing with services, continuing to find new ways to support and enrich the lives of our residents. With your help, we can do even more. Funds raised at Closer to Home go directly toward our Resident Services Program. ​ Together, we can build our community! Thursday, October 24, 2024, 11:30 AM PST SEATTLE CONVENTION CENTER Join us for our annual fundraiser luncheon REGISTER REGISTER Lunch with us at the Seattle Convention Center on Thursday, October 24 Get your ticket today! ​ CHAMPION CHAMPION Host your own fundraising table for Bellwether at the event. Encourage your peers, friends and family to join you at a table for 10. Contact Megan Mayes to sign up. SPONSOR SPONSOR Want to help us put on a great event to help our housing crisis? Contact Megan Mayes with questions. Download Form ​ JUST DONATE DONATE NOW Our goal is $5 00,000. Help us get there early, or donate in lieu of attending. Location: Seattle Convention Center (WSCC) 705 Pike Street Ballroom 6E ​ Getting There: Main pedestrian entrance is located on the corner of 7th Ave and Pike Street. Parking is available just off of I-5: 1380 8th Ave. Follow signs and escalators up to 6th floor. Schedule: Thursday, October 24th, 2024 11:30AM-12:00PM: Registration, coffee, mingling 12:00PM-1:00PM: Sit-down luncheon with program and Keynote address Thank you to all of our supporters for a successful Closer to Home! We appreciate your presence, your donations, and everything you do in support of affordable housing in urban King County. By attending Closer to Home, you are helping members of our community build stable and thriving lives. Thank you for helping us seed change and harvest homes for 5,000 residents! ​ Together, we raised a record-breaking $625,000! Thank you for coming together to support our mission and make this our most successful year yet. JUST DONATE DONATE NOW There is still time to donate and support our work! KEYNOTE Featuring a Keynote Address by Shereen Marisol Meraji Shereen is a veteran audio producer and journalist who has been telling stories with sound for more than two decades. Shereen helped create NPR’s groundbreaking and critically acclaimed podcast covering race and identity, Code Switch. She was awarded Harvard’s prestigious Nieman fellowship in 2022 before becoming an assistant professor of race in journalism and head of audio at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. YOUR IMPACT How your contributions help: HOMES We provide and maintain housing for over 5,000 people in your communities! PROSPERITY People of all incomes and backgrounds gain access to the prosperity of our region when their housing is affordable. COMMUNITY With economic equality, our communities are stronger, more diverse, and more resilient. TRANSIT Each of our buildings is situated for excellent transit options to work and neighborhood amenities and services. We are improving lives, one household at a time “This apartment means a lot to both of us. It gives us our own space. ... In order to manage transportation for my child and for myself to get to college, I had to be in the city. I have three buses right outside.” Paris, Bellwether Resident SPONSORS Our Sponsors Learn about sponsorship Download Our Sponsorship Form Our amazing sponsors make this event possible! KEYNOTE SPONSOR INNOVATOR SPONSORS VISIONARY SPONSORS CHAMPION SPONSORS ADVOCATE SPONSORS Coughlin Porter Lundeen DCI Engineers FPI Management Geotech Consultants, Inc. Kantor Taylor PC Latitude 48 Engineers MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions Marpac Construction Stoel Rives The Commerce Bank of Washington Wells Fargo Yardi ​ PARTNER SPONSORS ARC Architects AssuredPartners Beneficial State Bank Coin Meter Foreman Sturm Thede Foster Garvey Guardian Security Systems Johnson Braund PBS Engineering & Environmental Plymouth Housing Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Simon | Anderson Multifamily Team at Kidder Mathews Sprague Pest Solutions TENW SUPPORTING SPONSORS FitechGelb Heartland LLC KeyBank Outlook Exterior Maintenance Reverb VISIONARIES CHAMPIONS SUPPORTERS QUESTIONS Interested in getting involved in our 2024 Fundraiser? Have questions? Contact Megan Mayes, Director of External Engagement & Fundraising Manager Bellwether Housing is a nonprofit 501(c)(3). Tax ID 91-1116960 REGISTER See you there! Top

  • UW Filer | Bellwether Housing

    Sunbreak (UW Filer Tower) [redirecting to https://www.bellwetherhousing.org/properties/sunbreak)

  • Complaints and Grievances

    < Back Previous Next Services Complaints and Grievances ​ Please visit our Grievances page for more information. Previous Next

  • Reasonable Accommodation and Modifications

    < Back Previous Next Services Reasonable Accommodation and Modifications ​ I have a disability, and need a modification made to the unit. How can I request this? Bellwether provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and residents who have disabilities. Residents with disabilities can request reasonable modifications to their apartments. Please review our Reasonable Accommodation/Modification Request form and contact the Site Manager for more information. Previous Next

  • Keys

    < Back Previous Next Rent and Access Keys ​ I've locked myself out, what do I do? If you lock yourself out during regular business hours, contact your Site Manager. They will arrange to let you in as soon as possible. If you lock yourself out after hours and can’t wait until regular business hours to get back in, call your building’s phone number and select the Call Center option. Through the Call Center you can request to have a Bellwether-approved locksmith come. The current cost, which will be billed to you, is $180. If you live in a HUD property, this cost is waived. I lost my keys, what do I do? Contact your Site Manager so any missing fobs can be deactivated and you can be issued a replacement. Residents will be charged for replacement keys, cards and fobs if lost, stolen or not returned at move-out. Pricing depends on the type of key. Can I get an extra key for my guest/pet sitter/caregiver? Extra keys may be issued upon approval, and a key deposit may be required to check out an additional key. Contact your Site Manager to find out about necessary paperwork. Previous Next

  • Join Our Board | Bellwether Housing

    Join Our Board Our board of directors is critical to helping us fulfill an ambitious strategic plan that is centered on residents and communities and achieving racial and social equity. About Our Board ​ Bellwether Housing, a Washington 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and the Northwest’s largest nonprofit provider of affordable housing, is seeking board members with a strong commitment to Bellwether’s mission of building equity and access to opportunity through affordable housing. Our board of directors is critical to helping us fulfill an ambitious strategic plan that is centered on residents and communities and achieving racial and social equity. ​ Our Strategic Plan ​ Bellwether’s Strategic Plan calls for us to double our portfolio by 2025, adding 2,500 affordable homes, while ensuring our assets are sustainable and our work centers residents and the communities in which they live. To do so, we must be engaged, adaptive, and prepared to embrace growth. We must also ensure that our strategies and tactics reflect our commitment to racial and social equity . ​ What We're Looking For ​ We are looking for board members who can excel in one or more of the following: 1) Support Our Strategic Plan Help us advance Bellwether’s Strategic Plan. The networks and/or perspective to inform expansion outside Seattle (south, north, and east King County) Experience helping lead organizations undergoing rapid growth Access to corporate and/or private financial resources to support advocacy, resident services and planned capital campaigns 2) Bring perspective of and connections to communities and partners that support our residents, our mission, and our strategic plan. Communities of color Immigrant communities Tribal governments and communities People with lived experience of housing insecurity Local community leadership in South King County, East-side and North suburbs Major Seattle/King County business sectors (e.g., tech, real estate, health care/biotech, retail/restaurant/hospitality) Faith communities 3) Bring a skill set that is needed on the board. Top skill priorities include: Finance & accounting Government relations & policy advocacy Change management & organizational development People and culture work Nonprofit governance Public relations & marketing The Commitment All candidates must demonstrate the capacity and commitment to be an ambassador for Bellwether Housing and an engaged board member, with the ability and desire to participate in regular board and committee meetings, make a financial contribution that is meaningful to them, raise the profile of the organization within their networks, and where possible, connect Bellwether to financial resources within these networks to support our mission. ​ To Learn More and Apply To learn more about this opportunity, please submit a brief letter of interest and your resume to boardrecruitment@bellwetherhousing.org .

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