The Seattle City Council voted Monday to impose a new payroll tax on big businesses. The measure passed 7-2. This tax targets big earners and the companies that employ them. Companies with more than $7 million in annual payroll will be charged a percentage based on how many people they employ with salaries of at least $150,000. Companies that have billion-dollar payrolls will pay an even bigger share for high wage workers.

More help is on the way for King County residents struggling to pay rent due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On Friday morning, United Way of King County, the City of Seattle, and King County announced a partnership to expand the United Way’s Home Base program to help provide rental assistance to King County households. An initial investment of $5 million in public and private funds will go to qualifying residents who lost income due to the pandemic.

Lisa and Andy wanted to do something to celebrate their marriage so the couple asked for donations for a Habitat Global Village volunteer trip to Thailand where they helped build their home.

“It was the perfect decision,” says Andy. “Neither of us had been to Southeast Asia, so getting to see a new part of the world was also a real draw. And it feels great to have a tangible reward for your work.”

Last week, the Habitat WA team took a trip to the other WA (DC that is) to talk about the Cost of Home campaign with our elected leaders. As a part of Habitat on the Hill 2020: We’ve Only Just Begun, Habitat leaders from across the country gathered to learn about what others are doing to implement the Cost of Home campaign. It started off in the morning session when our Advocacy and Policy Director, Ryan Donohue participated in a panel about Cost of Home.

A measure that would allow King County to tax large businesses to raise money to build affordable housing to fight the region’s homelessness crisis has been introduced. House Bill 2907  would impose an annual payroll expense levy on companies.

When Joyce Ayaribire, a clinical technician at Inova Hospital and single mother of two boys, wanted to leave her Alexandria, Virginia, apartment because she was concerned about the safety of the neighborhood, she didn’t think purchasing a home would be an option.

The 25th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is a day of service that celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. KIRO 7 News is kicking off 2020 with a commitment to making a difference.

One year after Microsoft announced it was committing $500 million toward affordable housing in the Seattle area, it’s upping that by half. The additional $250 million will help finance 3,000 units.

The Puget Sound region needs more housing, especially more diverse housing options affordable to both current and future residents, said Kat Sims, executive director of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.

Wells Fargo announced it is committing $1 billion over the next six years to support nonprofits and private entities that show ability to create positive outcomes in homelessness, rental affordability, transitional housing and home ownership.