Community Council

MISSION TO FOSTER A TRUSTED GATHERING PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE, INQUIRY, AND ADVOCACY TO BUILD A VIBRANT REGION FOR EVERYONE. OUR REGION INCLUDES COLUMBIA AND WALLA WALLA COUNTIES AND THE MILTON-FREEWATER AREA. VISION A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO CREATE THE FUTURE THEY WANT.

STUDY IMPLEMENTATION HIGHLIGHTS INTERNET FOR ALL: STUDY COMMITTEE WE LAUNCHED A NEW STUDY - INTERNET FOR ALL - ON SEPTEMBER 13TH. THE STUDY COMMITTEE, COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, MEETS WEEKLY, AND WILL CONTINUE TO MEET UNTIL THE END OF MARCH 2023. THE COMMITTEE HEARD FROM A VARIETY OF RESOURCES SPEAKERS, WITH THE FIRST BEING THE PROJECT DIRECTOR FROM THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS' BROADBAND ACCESS INITIATIVE. THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS (PEW) IS A NONPROFIT AND NONPARTISAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THE FEDERAL APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE HAS SHIFTED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, SHARED HIGHLIGHTS OF PEW'S RESEARCH ON THE TOPIC, AND PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON HOW LOCAL COMMUNITIES CAN WORK TO ADDRESS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. SHE TOLD THE COMMITTEE THAT PROGRAMS AND POLICIES NEED TO ADDRESS AVAILABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND ADOPTION TO OVERCOME THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND GENERATE POSITIVE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES. SHE EXPLAINED THAT THIS FRAMEWORK REPRESENTS A FAIRLY RECENT SHIFT IN HOW THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS UNDERSTOOD, AND HOW POLICYMAKERS SEEK TO ADDRESS IT. THE COMMITTEE HEARD ABOUT SPECIFIC CHALLENGES FROM NUMEROUS SPEAKERS, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS, HEALTHCARE, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND AGRICULTURE. THE COMMITTEE ALSO HEARD FROM ENTITIES THAT ARE ASSISTING COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. THE RELEASE OF THE STUDY REPORT AND THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE WILL BE CELEBRATED AT COMMUNITY COUNCIL'S ANNUAL LUNCHEON IN JUNE 2023. AFFORDABLE HOUSING: IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE COMMUNITY COUNCIL CONTINUED TO FACILITATE THE WORK OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE (ITF) AS IT ADVOCATED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STUDY REPORT. HIGHLIGHTS OF IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE'S WORK INCLUDE: CONTINUED BACKBONE SUPPORT IN DEVELOPING COMMON ROOTS HOUSING TRUST (COMMON ROOTS), THE FIRST COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IN OUR REGION, WHICH WILL PROVIDE PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS EARNING LOW INCOMES. HTTPS://WWW.COMMONROOTSHOUSING.ORG/ ORGANIZATION OF THREE LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETINGS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INFORMING POTENTIAL FUTURE COMMON ROOTS' RESIDENTS ABOUT COMMON ROOTS AND HOW TO GET READY TO BUY A HOME. OVER 50 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FIRST MEETING HELD LAST SUMMER IN COLLEGE PLACE. THE SECOND MEETING WAS HELD IN WAITSBURG IN DECEMBER, WHICH DUE TO BAD ROAD CONDITIONS (ICE AND FOG) ONLY ABOUT 20 PEOPLE ATTENDED. OVER 40 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE THIRD MEETING THAT WAS HELD IN MILTON-FREEWATER IN JANUARY 2023. SIMULTANEOUS SPANISH INTERPRETATION, A MEAL, AND CHILDCARE WERE PROVIDED FOR THE MEETINGS. BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR COMMON ROOTS, WHICH INCLUDED: GRANT WRITING, RAISING SEED FUNDS, PRESENTING THE ORGANIZATION TO PROSPECTIVE DONORS, PARTICIPATING IN REGIONAL AND NATIONAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST NETWORKS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, BOARD FUNDRAISING TRAINING, SUCCESSFUL INCORPORATION IN WASHINGTON STATE, SUCCESSFUL FILING FOR 501(C)(3) STATUS, DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF A 3-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND DRAFTING AND APPROVAL OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. ADVOCACY WITH MANUFACTURED HOME PARK RESIDENTS FOR MANUFACTURED HOME PARK ZONING WHERE MANUFACTURED HOME PARKS ALREADY EXIST IN WALLA WALLA. THIS COMMUNITY-BASED ADVOCACY RESULTED IN 1) THE CITY OF WALLA WALLA ENACTING A MANUFACTURED HOME PARK REDEVELOPMENT MORATORIUM; 2) THE WALLA WALLA PLANNING COMMISSION'S REMMENDATION FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS THAT INCLUDE MANUFACTURED HOME PARK ZONING, A RESIDENT RELOCATION PLAN IN THE EVENT OF PARK CLOSURE, AND A MANUFACTURED HOME PARK RESIDENT AND NONPROFIT HOUSING ORGANIZATION OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE IN THE EVENT OF A PARK SALE AND 3) THE WALLA WALLA CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS ON FEBRUARY 8, 2023. ADVOCACY FOR THE CITY OF WALLA WALLA TO AMEND ITS MULTI-FAMILY TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM SO THAT HOUSING VOUCHER HOLDERS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO ACCESS TAX-EXEMPT RENTAL UNITS. THIS PROPOSAL IS UNDER REVIEW BY THE CITY. THE PUBLICATION OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DATA AND MEASUREMENT REPORT WITH KEY INFOGRAPHICS FOR COMMUNITY COUNCIL'S REGION. THIS DATA WAS TRANSFORMED INTO AN INFOGRAPHIC NEWSPAPER INSERT, OUR REGION'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, WHICH WAS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH ALL OF THE LOCAL WEEKLY PAPERS AND THE UNION BULLETIN LAST SUMMER. (BOTH REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE ON COMMUNITY COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.) THE DATA WAS ALSO PRESENTED TO REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS, SUCH AS THE PORT OF COLUMBIA, THE PORT OF WALLA WALLA, THE WALLA WALLA VALLEY REALTORS ASSOCIATION, AND THE MILTON-FREEWATER COMMUNITY. THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTI-MEDIA PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON OUR REGION'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS AND THE BENEFITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THIS INCLUDED PUBLISHING ARTICLES IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND ISSUING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FACTS, WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON COMMUNITY COUNCIL'S WEBSITE. ADVOCACY FOR A NON-PROFIT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDER TO BEGIN PURSUING A HOUSING FIRST DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PEOPLE IT SERVES. THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE WILL COMPLETE ITS WORK IN JANUARY 2023. COMMUNITY COUNCIL WILL CELEBRATE THE THREE AND A HALF YEARS' WORK OF THE IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE AT A FULL CIRCLE CELEBRATION IN EARLY SPRING 2023. EDUCATION AS A PATH TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IMPLEMENTATION ELEVATE: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ALLIANCE COMMUNITY COUNCIL CONTINUED TO PROVIDE CRITICAL INPUT AND STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO ELEVATE, A "CRADLE TO CAREER" PARTNERSHIP WORKING TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND BUILD BETTER ALIGNMENT ACROSS THE EDUCATIONAL CONTINUUM IN OUR REGION. COMMUNITY COUNCIL'S ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED PARTICIPATION ON WEEKLY ADMINISTRATIVE MEETINGS AND MONTHLY STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS, SUPPORT WITH GRANT WRITING, ASSISTANCE WITH DATA ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS, AND HELP WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE BACKBONE TEAM, COMMUNITY COUNCIL STAFF ALSO SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT AND WORK OF THREE WORKING GROUPS: EARLY LEARNING, MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT, AND COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS. UNITED WAY OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, WHICH IS THE PRINCIPAL ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS ELEVATE, HIRED A NEW COMMUNITY RESULTS COORINATOR FOR THIS INITIATIVE. SHE BRINGS SEVERAL DECADES OF WORK WITH A K-12 EDUCATION, SPECIFICALLY IN ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

COMMUNITY INDICATORS COMMUNITY COUNCIL CONTINUED TO DEVELOP ITS COMMUNITY INDICATORS, WHICH ARE METRICS REGARDING SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDS THAT PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY, AND HOW WELL WE ARE DOING. OUR LONG-TERM VISION IS THAT COMMUNITY INDICATORS WILL BECOME AN ENDURING PART OF OUR REGIONS CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE. WE EXPECT THEY WILL BE USED TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE CONDITIONS AND TRENDS; BUILD CONSENSUS AROUND SHARED GOALS AND PRIORITY ACTION AREAS; CATALYZE ACTION TO ACHIEVE GOALS; AND MONITOR PROGRESS TOWARDS THE IDENTIFIED GOALS. COMMUNITY COUNCIL STAFF ENGAGED WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, AND INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN VIRTUAL MEETINGS IN ORDER TO REFINE SPECIFIC METRICS, UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE DATA, AND POTENTIALLY IDENTIFY NEW DATA SETS. WE GATHERED DATA FOR THE AREAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF DATA WALKS AND COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS HOSTED BY ELEVATE EARLIER THIS FALL. THIS WORK ALSO RESULTED IN THE PUBLICATION OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DATA & MEASUREMENT REPORT AND THE INFOGRAPHIC NEWSPAPER INSERT, OUR REGIONS AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON COMMUNITY COUNCILS WEBSITE.