Housing Status and Lived Experience: I own a manufactured home and rent the lot space in a manufactured housing community. I have lived experience with housing instability both as a teenager and as an adult, and I have both personal and professional experience navigating housing injustice. I am also fortunate enough to be a small private landlord who firmly believes in affordable housing, rent stabilization, and in building strong local communities through collaboration and partnership.
Professional Expertise: I am a social worker with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Eastern Washington University. I’ve built a career at the nexus of Child Welfare and Housing Instability issues, focusing on building long term systemic change and advocacy. I have spent over 15 years collaborating with members of our community addressing issues of poverty, housing instability, houselessness, and systemic oppression.
Why I believe in a strong Tenants Union: I have seen the same patterns of housing injustices repeat themselves time and time again in our community, resulting in a spiral effect of housing instability and homelessness. I have also seen how effecting a small legislative change has disrupted cycles of poverty and ended those patterns of injustice. I believe it is the duty of a Tenants Union to partner with other housing justice advocates to bring information, equity, and housing law reform to our communities by developing and lobbying for policy, code, and legislative changes across the state.
