Enhancing Livability with Housing Connector

Enhancing Livability with Housing Connections

Tisza Rutherford

“I work with individuals who could have moved into housing years ago - many of them living in their cars, while also working. Without this opportunity with Housing Connector, they would probably be continuing to do that, while whittling away at their credit and paying off past debt. This program is launching people into housing much faster and sets them up for success.”


 - Tisza RutherfordRedmond’s Homeless Outreach Administrator


Tisza Rutherford

“I work with individuals who could have moved into housing years ago - many of them living in their cars, while also working. Without this opportunity with Housing Connector, they would probably be continuing to do that, while whittling away at their credit and paying off past debt. This program is launching people into housing much faster and sets them up for success.”


 - Tisza RutherfordRedmond’s Homeless Outreach Administrator


Enhancing Livability with Housing Connections


Tisza Rutherford

“I work with individuals who could have moved into housing years ago - many of them living in their cars, while also working. Without this opportunity with Housing Connector, they would probably be continuing to do that, while whittling away at their credit and paying off past debt. This program is launching people into housing much faster and sets them up for success.”


 - Tisza Rutherford, Redmond's Homeless Outreach Administrator



In Redmond’s first six months of contracting with Housing Connector, a program committed to lowering barriers to housing and increasing the region’s affordable housing capacity, 18 households have found homes through the program. This partnership is one of the numerous ways that the City is providing housing choices for all. 

How It Works

Housing Connector partners with landlords around King County, Pierce County, and Denver, Colorado, to reduce screening criteria to help individuals get into homes where they might have had barriers getting into traditional housing before, explained Rutherford. 

“If an individual comes to me and they are looking for a home, I will typically find out their housing history and some general screening questions about employment, income, and credit history,” she said. “If an individual seems responsible and that they would be fairly easy to move into housing, but just have some barriers, then I know that they would be a good fit.”

At any given time, Rutherford has 25 to 30 clients that she thinks, based on her screening questions and experience, would be a good match for the program.

One individual who contacted her and was a good fit was Nicholas Munro.

“I sent Tisza an email, she got back to me, and then we sat down, and I explained my situation and what I needed assistance with,” said Munro. He had narrowed down his needs to just housing.

“I'm not addicted to anything. I don't need a rehab program or job training,” Munro told Rutherford. 

“I was working at the time and really it was just getting into an apartment, which seemed almost impossible,” he said.


"Housing provides me security and privacy."

With Rutherford’s help, Munro was able to secure a home this past summer. 

“I honestly had some serious doubt to begin with because most people can't do much for your scenario,” said Munro. “But Tisza did 110% of the work. She found the apartment, handled the leasing process, and I just needed to sit down, sign, and initial.”

Now in his new home, Munro appreciates some basics that many take for granted – running water, hot water, a refrigerator, and a door. 

“Housing provides me security and privacy,” said Munro. “Somewhere where you can just sit in silence or process your emotions. It's hard to do that in public sometimes. Also, it gives me easy access to Internet and got me out of the weather. It’s a lot of stuff that you need to function at a basic level.” 

When asked what he’d say to others who are experiencing homelessness in the area, he said, “Reach out. The sooner you reach out, the sooner you can get help. If you never reach out, you're going to continue to slip through the cracks and things are going to look more and more hopeless.”

In Redmond...

10%
of new housing developments are required to be affordable

850+
affordable units have been or will be created in the near future

280
affordable housing units to be created Downtown via a $4 million Together Center investment
$1M
invested by Redmond into Housing Trust Fund projects

Removing Barriers and Setting Up for Success

As Munro shared, getting into a home can be challenging and comes with several barriers. Housing Connector has made it easier for individuals to not only find a place, but also be successful in their new home.

“People that I serve that are experiencing homelessness or are chronically homeless, oftentimes they will have little to no credit or they will have debt that they owe to past properties,” said Rutherford. “By being able to partner with Housing Connector, I've been able to help folks get into housing where these barriers have prevented them from getting into housing traditionally.”

Rutherford supports her clients for a year following their move in too.

“One of my responsibilities as a partner of Housing Connector is to provide one year of case management post lease up, and this alleviates them from being the middleman if there are any tenant landlord disputes or issues.”


"There is such a need for affordable housing."

The second year Housing Connector takes over the responsibility as the case manager and provides an additional year of support. Housing Connector can also step in to assist with rent up to three times over the two-year period, assist with move in costs, and help with up to $5,000 of property damage if needed.

Lea Thomas is a regional portfolio manager for FPI and one of her properties is Capella at Esterra Park in Redmond’s Overlake Village. The community was constructed in 2021 and began leasing up in 2022. Of the 242 apartments, there are currently 32 units occupied by Housing Connector participants. 

“I’m very passionate about affordable housing and being able to provide homes for people in need and having that reform and the chance to get back on their feet,” said Thomas. “This partnership has meant a lot because there is such a need for affordable housing.”


Future of the Program

Both Thomas and Rutherford are excited for the program’s future. 

“I think there's great opportunity for Housing Connector to expand across King County, across Washington state, and across the nation,” said Rutherford. “I'm excited to see where it's going to go.”

Thomas echoed Rutherford and said, “I'm just really excited to have Housing Connector and the partnership moving forward. It's so powerful for our communities.”