Imagine Housing

Imagine Housing has been rooted in East King County for more than 30 years, providing permanent affordable housing to address the growing issues of homelessness, displacement, and housing instability. To address the need for affordable housing in the region, Imagine Housing builds affordable housing and provides supportive services to help residents break the cycle of poverty and attain long-term self-sufficiency.

To best address the expanding need in the region, staff leadership and our Board of Directors began to examine Imagine Housing's structure and strategic priorities in early 2020 with the intention of creating a cohesive plan for our next phase of organizational growth. The COVID-19 pandemic added additional emphasis to this work as the resulting economic and health impacts rippled across our resident community.

In January 2021, the Board hired Sean Heron Interim CEO. In June 2021, the Board of Directors approve an 18 Month Operational Plan that set goals and objectives for Imagine Housing's five mission related program areas (Asset Management, Property Management, Resident Services, Affordable Housing Development, and Advocacy). Key goals in this plan are 1) Ensure long-term preservation of properties, 2) Maintain the highest level of property management customer service, 3) Provide high quality services and supports to residents, 4) Work to expand portfolio of affordable housing, and 5) Promote affordable housing and board based community support of affordable housing.

The comprehensive operational strategy for the next 18 months to navigate the organization out of the pandemic will be carried out in order to:

1. Unify the board and staff around a business model, organizational structure and a set of activities that deliver on the organization’s mission/vision.
2. Provide a foundation for recruiting a new Executive Director.
3. Proved a framework for evaluating and measuring the performance of the Executive Director.
4. Provide the staff with a structure for internal department planning, individual work plans and performance management.
5. Provide a framework for board duties (fiduciary) and volunteer activities (fundraising, committee participation)

Since the Board adopted the 18 Month Plan, the staff has worked to develop specific department goals and individual staff work plans that are designed to achieve the objectives.

Since our founding in 1987, Imagine Housing has continued to build on a vision for an interconnected and welcoming East King County where all people can live, learn, work and play. We have consistently build upon a successful framework for permanent affordable housing with support services and today directly serve 1,391 low-income individuals across 15 affordable housing properties.

For the 1,006 residents who requested voluntary supportive services in 2020, 96% reported an increase in feeling connected to community. For those who came directly from homelessness, 100% reported an increase in stability due to support from on-site case management staff. Imagine Housing Case Managers, provide trauma-informed and culturally appropriate case management to our residents (56% of whom are BIPOC and 62% of whom make between $10,000 and $20,000 annually).

These staff connect residents with food and basic needs items, help residents set and achieve goals, coordinate residents' care with service providers, refer residents to appropriate community resources and assist residents in applying for public benefits. Our Case Managers coordinate and facilitate supportive activities for residents with program partners like: employment assistance activities, budgeting and money management training, and health and wellness education.

Imagine Housing has ensured that affordable housing can continue to exist in cities that have experienced tremendous economic growth and increases in the cost of living over the course of two decades. Our properties in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah, Sammamish, and Mercer Island collectively provide 639 households with a stable and supportive place to call home.