January 2023 Newsletter
Making Things Work - A Monthly Newsletter from Everett Housing Authority
January 2023 | Issue 6
A Look Inside This Issue:
- MTW Tiered Rent Study
Enrollment starts in January - find out if you qualify and will be contacted by EHA - Community Meeting to Discuss Park District
Join us and learn more about our Park District project & receive $20 - Join the Resident Advisory Board
We want to hear from you regarding our 2023-2024 plan - Winter Safety
Check out these tips and recommendations to keep safe as temperatures drop
ALL EHA OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED:
January 2, 2023 - New Year's Day
January 16, 2023 - Martin Luther Kings, Jr. Day
A Message from EHA's Executive Director
Dear EHA Residents and Program Participants:
At a time of the year when gift giving is a tradition, for all of us good health is the best gift. And this time of the year, many things can impact our health. I urge you to give your self and each other the gift of health by:
- Wearing a mask whenever you may encounter others. It is flu season; COVID-19 cases have increased a lot recently; and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is causing serious illness. If you wear a mask, you are giving yourself the gift of health, and you are giving those you run into the gift of health.
- This winter has been and will be much colder than normal. This also means we will get more snow and ice. When it is snowy and icy, try not to go outside, especially if our maintenance staff have not had time to clear off the snow from walkways. Breaking a hip is very easy under such conditions. Also, avoid driving; you may be a good driver in the snow, but other drivers may not be as skilled. Do your shopping when the weather and the streets are clear.
Enjoy this holiday season. Be healthy. Be safe.
Resident Advisory Board Meeting on EHA's Annual Plan for 2023-2024
Everett Housing Authority (EHA) invites Voucher Program (Project-Based & Tenant Based) participants to join the Resident Advisory Board (RAB) Monday, January 9 at 3PM!
EHA needs your input on our Annual Plan. Our Annual Plan covers activities and policies we will adopt in order to achieve our 5-Year Goals and Objectives. The RAB will be meeting virtually by Zoom and phone. The meeting is optional, but your voice is important. Please consider attending!
Please RSVP to Chris Neblett via email, or 425-508-6485, if you are planning to attend.
Join Resident Advisory Board Meeting by Zoom
Meeting ID: 960 3555 9451
Or go to: zoom.us/join and input the meeting ID
Join by Phone
Dial: 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 960 3555 9451
If number is busy, try again.
Since many people will be on this remote meeting, we'd like everyone to follow two guidelines:
- Put your phone or microphone on mute if you are not talking.
- When you speak, please introduce yourself every time.
Questions? Please contact Chris Neblett via email or by telephone, at 425-508-6485.
Community meetings to discuss the park district
EHA and their design team are holding one in-person and one virtual public meeting regarding the planning for transforming the Baker Heights site into the Park District. Please join us!
EHA residents who attend one of the two meetings will receive a $20 Safeway gift card (limit one per household)!
In-Person Meeting: Monday, January 23, 6:30PM
Bakerview Large Hall
1401 Poplar Street
Everett, WA 09201
Zoom Meeting: Tuesday, January 24, 6:30PM
Zoom link will be provided on our website
Check for community meeting updates here.
Covid Resources
Every U.S. household is eligible to order four (4) free at-home COVID tests through the federal government. Order at-home tests by visiting this link.
Need help placing an order for your at-home tests?
Call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).
Free COVID tests are still available! It might be good to have them on hand in case you are exposed or feel sick and need to check. Here is the link to receive one free box of 5 COVID tests, which you can request monthly.
*Cases as of 1/3/23
Starting January: Tiered Rent Study Enrollment
Starting January 2023, residents who qualify for the rent study with a recertification date in May will be contacted by EHA and the enrollment process will begin for our Tiered Rent Study. If you qualify and have a recertification date after April, you will be contacted in the following months. Questions about the study and enrollment? See below!
Who qualifies?
Only non-elderly, non-disabled households (what we call "employment focused" households) will be eligible for the rent study. In addition, certain other households, including households who are currently participating in the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, are also excluded. Eligible households will be randomly selected to either pay the new tiered rent or the current rent. Half of eligible households will be part of the new rent policy and half will pay based on their current policy.
If either the head or co-head of household is elderly and/or disabled, the participants will not be selected for the study.
NOTE: You do not need to do anything now regarding this rent study. EHA will contact you if you are eligible for the study.
All About: Tiered Rent Study
Why is EHA doing this?
EHA is implementing the study to see if the new rent policy helps households increase their income and creates less paperwork for households and EHA. Half of eligible households will pay rent under the new Tiered Rent policy and half will pay rent under the existing rent policy so we can compare the results for both groups.
How will my rent be different?
Half of eligible households will pay rent under the new Tiered Rent policy and half will pay rent under the existing rent policy so we can compare the outcomes for both groups. Here are some examples of how the Tiered Rent policy might help EHA participants and residents:
- Example 1
- Current Rent Policy: You need to recertify your income every year.
- Tiered Rent Policy: You only have to recertify your income every 3 years. If you have an increase, you do not have to report it. If you have a decrease in income, you can report if you would like to receive a hardship exemption to temporarily reduce your rent.
- Example 2
- Current Rent Policy: The amount you pay for rent changes every year.
- Tiered Rent Policy: The amount you pay for rent may stay the same for up to 3 years.
Most households will see no change in their rent, or a small rent decrease. A handful of households may experience a modest rent increase. Households facing larger rent increases will be able to request a hardship to lessen the impact of the new rent policy on their rent.
The rent table continues for additional increments of $2,500. We will begin the process of enrolling families starting January 2023, with their first month of annuals falling in May 2023.
Triennial Recertifications
One major change you will see if you are part of this study is that you recertify your income every 3 years, instead of every year. If you have an increase, you do not have to report it and it will not impact your rent. If you have a decrease in income, you can report it if you would like to apply for a temporary hardship reduction in your rent.
REMINDER: EHA will contact you if you qualify for this study.
Check out our Tiered Rent Study here.
EHA COLBY OFFICE UPDATE: By Appointment Only
The EHA offices are closed to the public and staff can meet in person by appointment only. Please call if you would like to schedule an appointment.
You can continue to call your property office directly if you live at an EHA property. The EHA main line phone tree can help you connect with a staff member if you are not at an EHA property or unsure who to contact to help with your needs.
Resident Winter Safety & Awareness
It's the time of year when it's important to consider winter weather so here are some helpful hints, precautions, and preventative measures to take:
- With winter approaching, we ask for your cooperation to avoid issues resulting from ice, snow and wintry weather. EHA wants everyone to remain safe! Please take whatever steps and precautions you feel are necessary to protect yourself and your property.
- Please note that if conditions allow and at the discretion of management, maintenance staff may clear the walkways around common areas such as the main office, community room, laundry room and mailboxes of ice and snow. However, during extreme or dangerous weather and/or road conditions, maintenance cannot provide ice/snow removal until conditions improve. We do not want residents in EHA housing to attempt snow or ice removal. Please do not attempt to do this yourself and wait for the maintenance team to complete this.
- It is important that you plan in advance of extreme weather, ensuring that your home is well stocked with food, water, prescription medications, and other emergency supplies, and to please remain in your home until road conditions improve, if possible. Should an emergency requiring medical assistance arise during this time, please call 911.
- Please refrain from washing your vehicle on the premises. We also request that you do not use water to remove frost or ice from your vehicle windshield (you risk cracking your windshield and windows this way), and instead scrape your windshield with an ice-scraper, or spray-on deicer. The ice resulting from the use of water, whether hot or cold, can lead to very slippery walkways, parking lots, and driveways, endangering the safety of everyone.
- Always listen to your local radio, news, and weather channels to determine changes in weather conditions. You can also visit weather.com to view a weekly forecast for your city.
- If cold weather, ice, snow, or other adverse weather is forecasted:
- Avoid unnecessary travel. If you must travel, use public transit or plan alternative arrangements with friends or family.
- Check in with relatives, friends, and neighbors who may be able to provide help or require help in preparing for possible bad weather conditions.
- Ensure that you have water and other emergency supplies BEFORE the weather turns bad; stock up on batteries, flashlights, and non-perishable foods. Keep a manual can-opener on hand and fill prescription medications in advance.
- Clean and vacuum heater grills, and exercise caution in terms of furniture placement near heat sources. All items should be kept a minimum of 18 inches away from any heating sources, furnaces, and water heaters.
If temperatures are forecasted to drop below freezing, and in case of a snow or ice storm, we ask that residents take note of the following:
- The weather is uncontrollable. Please take precautions when going outside and walking and/or driving.
- Maintain a minimum temperature within your residence of 60 degrees, and allow heat to circulate through all rooms, especially those with plumbing pipes in the walls.
- Leave cabinet doors open beneath your bathroom and kitchen sinks, thereby allowing warm air to reach the pipes.
- Keep a trickle of water always running in all sink faucets during freezing temperatures to prevent pipes from freezing.
- IMPORTANT: If pipes freeze, please call in an emergency work order by dialing 425-303-1170, as it is essential to take the appropriate action as swiftly as possible. Do NOT attempt to thaw pipes yourself!
- If you will be away from home during cold weather, notify your property manager of your absence and please DO NOT set the heat any lower than 60 degrees.
If your power goes off:
- DO NOT use kerosene or propane heaters, or barbecues inside your unit.
- DO NOT use kerosene or propane lanterns. Instead, choose flashlights or battery-operated lanterns.
- Use candles as a light source only as a last resort, being very cautious of where the candle is sitting. Keep away from curtains and other combustibles that could catch fire and NEVER leave candles unattended. Also ensure that candles are kept out of reach of small children.
Taking the above precautions should help keep you safe, reduce the risk of injuries, and reduce the chance of frozen pipes and water damage. Have a safe and happy winter!
Tips For Creating (& Keeping) New Year's Resolutions
Setting New Year's resolutions is fun. Keeping them is hard. Here are seven things that will help your resolution stick this year.
- Create a measurable goal. Create measurable goals like, "I want to go to the gym three nights per week," or "I want to see my friends twice a month." Then, you'll have a clear target to aim for.
- Identify clear action steps. You can't lose weight or get out of debt without actions steps that will help you get there. Create a plan that includes objectives that will create change.
- Set yourself up for success. It's easy to feel motivated early on in the process. But after a week or two, your motivation will naturally wane. To prepare yourself for that dip in motivation, set yourself up for success well in advance. Make bad habits inconvenient and good habits convenient.
- Plan for obstacles. There will always be temptations and obstacles that could easily derail you from your resolution. Think about the obstacles you're likely to encounter in the first weeks after establishing your resolution. Consider how you'll navigate these challenges, and develop a plan.
- Star when you're ready. There's no need to launch your resolution on January 1st. In fact, starting on January 1st might put you at a disadvantage. Start working on your goal when you're ready. That's not to say you need to wait until you feel fully confident before starting.
- Track your progress. Use an app or a calendar to check off the days you work on your goal. Or create a chart, spreadsheet, or graph that helps you visualize your progress.
- Learn from your mistakes. When you make a mistake--like you skip the gym for a week, or you make a ridiculous impulse purchase you can't return--learn from your misstep.
Read the full article about tips to keep your new year's resolutions here.
DOH and Amazon Increase Access to Healthy Foods
The Washington State Department of Health and Amazon have teamed up to provide Washingtonians with more money to buy fruits and vegetables. People who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Pandemic EBT benefits in Washington can now use SNAP Produce Match for Amazon Fresh purchases. When SNAP/EBT shoppers buy at least $10 of fruits and vegetables with their SNAP/EBT card, they get a $5 SNAP Produce Match promotion that can be used toward future eligible purchases.
SNAP Produce Match is available at 184 grocery stores across 30 counties in Washington as well as participating online retailers. Learn more on the SNAP Produce Match page here.
Work at EHA!
We're hiring at EHA. We have job openings in Housing Management, Housing Choice Voucher, Resident Services, Maintenance and Finance. Check out our new Careers page and learn more about each position on our website.
FCC Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was created by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to help connect families and household struggling to afford internet service. HUD-assisted families automatically qualify for ACP and the subsidy is not considered income for the purpose of determining program eligibility or household rent.
The benefit provides:
- Up to $30/month discount for internet service
- Up to $75/month discount for household on qualifying Tribal lands
- A one-time discount o f up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider
How to Enroll:
- Go to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an application or print a mail-in application
- Contact your preferred participating provider to select an eligible plan and have the discount applied to your bill. Some providers may have an alternative application that they will ask you to complete.
Eligible household must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan.
To learn more and enroll in FCC Affordable Connectivity program, please click here.
January Events
Ice Skating - Pacific Ice at Waterfront Place
Through January 9th | Mon-Fri 4 PM-9 PM, Saturday 10 AM-10 PM, Sunday 10 AM-9 PM | 1028 13th St., Everett
Adult - $16.50 | Child - $13.50
All tickets must be purchased online. NO refunds. One hour sessions. Skate rentals included. Child tickets for 12 years old & under
Online Preschool Storytime with Tamra & Rose
January 10, 17, 24 | 9 AM-10 AM | Register for Zoom Link for Online Preschool Storytime with Tamara & Rose
Registration required. Join Tamra from the Darrington Library and Rose from the South District libraries. Share fun books, songs, and creative activities with your preschooler to prepare young minds for the adventure of reading.
Stay and Play Winter Wonderland
January 7 | 10 AM-11 AM | Lake Stevens Library | 2211 Grade Rd., Lake Stevens
Registration is required to join the Stay and Play Winter Wonderland event. This is an opportunity for children, birth to kindergarten, and their caregivers to come play with fun and educational toys provided by the library. During this hour, caregivers and children will engage in in-person play, socialize with others, and reconnect with the library. Drop in anytime during this event.
Drop-In Tech Help
January 7 | 10 AM-11:30 AM | Mukilteo Library | 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd., Mulkiteo
Would you like some assistance setting up your eReader, tablet, laptop or phone? Bring in your device for help downloading eBooks, streaming movies, and accessing other free resources from the library. No appointment needed! Don't forget to charge your device and bring any passwords you may need to download apps or unlock your device.
Toddler Storytime with Heather
January: 9, 10, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 | 9:30-10:30 AM | Mill Creek Library | 15429 Bothell Everett Hwy., Mill Creek
Jump and bounce together into a world of stories, music, and movements that nurture the desire to read in toddlers. Doors to the library are open for story time only from 9:15-9:35. A play time or art activity will follow.
Online Baby Storytime with Lois
January: 9, 23, 30 | 10 AM-10:30 AM | Online Zoom Link
Registration is required for Online Baby Storytime with Lois to receive a reminder email with the Zoom link 24 hours before the event begins. If you register less than 24 hours before the event, your confirmation email will include the Zoom link. Join Lois from the Snohomish Library. Wiggle, giggle, and bond with your baby through stories, happy songs, rhymes, and activities that inspire a love of reading.
Online Stories with Sasha - B гостях у сказки
January 9, 23, 30 | 10 AM-10:45 AM | Register for Zoom Link | Stories, songs, and activities in Russian
Детская программа для всей семьи. Саша приглашает всех желающих послушать сказки, стихи и песенки на русском языке. Занятия пройдут в zoom, для получения ссылки-приглашения, пожалуйста зарегистрируйтесь не позднее 7 вечера за один день до занятия. Для регистрации необходимо предоставить адрес вашей электронной почты. Приглашение придет вечером накануне занятия. При регистрации рекомендуется использовать имя ребенка.
Stories with Sasha - In-Person
January 9, 23, 30 | 11 AM-12 PM | Mountlake Terrace Library | 23300 58th Ave. W, Mountlake Terrace
Детская программа для всей семьи: сказки, стихи и песенки на русском языке. Join Sasha for a weekly story time. We will share songs, stories, and rhymes presented in Russian.
Family Storytime with Lindsey
January 9, 23, 30 | 6 PM-6:45 PM | Mukilteo Library | 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd., Mukilteo
Enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and creative activities together as a family to prepare for the wonder of reading.
Family Storytime with Miss Kathy
January 10 | Snohomish Library | 311 Maple Ave., Snohomish | Registration Required
Registration is required to attend the Family Storytime with Miss Kathy event. Enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and creative activities together as a family to prepare for the wonder of reading.
Little Science Lab with Imagine Children's Museum
January 11, 18, 25 | 2 PM-2:30 PM | Lynnwood Library | 19200 44th Ave. W, Lynnwood
Little Science Lab is here! This hands-on, interactive program for preschoolers ages 3-5 and their caring adults encourages children's curiosity about the natural world and develops early science and math skills to get them ready for school. Educators from Imagine Children's Museum deliver Little Science Lab weekly at our library every Wednesday at 2:00pm.
Space is limited to 20 children. Please arrive on time to ensure your attendance.
