Three-Meeting Recap
March 19, April 2 and April 16th, 2026 Seattle Social Housing meetings report.
The Seattle Social Housing Developer (SSHD) board is establishing its operational foundation, managing over $144M in assets while navigating early challenges. Across recent meetings, the board has focused on defining a social justice-oriented governance into their future tenant-led communities. Attention is being directed toward the acquisition of existing apartment buildings. There is a new company credit card.
Across the March 19, April 2, and April 16, 2026 meetings of the Seattle Social Housing Developer board is still finding its footing while moving forward on decisions involving significant public funding and future property acquisition.
Each meeting opens the same way. Board members begin with a one word check in before moving into business. On March 19, responses included “okay,” “tired,” “good,” and “woozy.”
March 19
At the March 19th public testimony, Scott Bonjukian spoke about the I-5 Lid Project and how it can affect SSHD’s plans.
He said, "The I-5 Lid project, now in its tenth year of planning, will eventually expand Freeway Park and cover more of the I-5 Freeway with open space and other public or private uses. By shutting off the noise and pollution from freeway traffic, market-rate properties near the freeway will become much more valuable and attractive, potentially leading to a risk of economic displacement of low and moderate-income tenants."" Bonjukian clued in the SSHD board to a variety of old properties in the I-5 Lid study area that could be candidates for acquisition. He listed the Dover Apartments, Exeter House, El Capitan Apartments and the Cliff House Apartments.
Bonjukian then suggested his group Lid I-5 establish a working relationship with the SSHD. This public testimony is notable as it underscores how social housing will be buying existing properties to fold into its social democracy program. Bonjukian’s list of apartment buildings allows one to visualize the future social housing landscape.
Existing privately owned apartment buildings will be absorbed into the SSHD network. No need to squat a few blocks in the city: Imagine Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) values in an actual stand alone government, with a constituency inhabiting an ever growing network of properties.
Alex Booth then testified. He urged the board to publish a values document, “The values document helps the public confidently understand the decisions you make and feel assured that you're following through on your own adopted values. And it also helps you as a board to easily reference your own values when you're making these important decisions, giving you a clear framework that reinforces your decision-making abilities.” Booth expressed frustration over SSHD’s website issues like non working links.
Board member Josh Nadel gave a financial report. “February 2026, we have a little over $1.2M in cash on hand. $274K has been spent so far in 2026 on payroll, rent, board stipends and other operating expenses.”
“While we had budgeted $918K in expenses in the month of February, we only spent, $342K. This is largely in professional services, specifically legal services and also personnel costs become more significant as we continue to staff up the agency.”
Nadel added, “It looks like the 2025 revenue has been adjusted up to $133M from $115M.
Mark Reno, an attorney at the Foster Garvey firm, then addressed the board. He said, “It would be important for you to serve your public purpose to put that money to use. You don't want it being put to use for the bank in your checking account without getting any return. And the most logical repository for your idle funds is what most local governments in the state of Washington use, which is the Local Government Investment Pool administered by the State Treasurer's office.”
CEO Tiffany McCoy then gave her report. She explained the organization is undergoing a full website redevelopment to improve transparency, usability and modernize an outdated system. A firm has already been selected, and the new site should launch within two to three months.
McCoy then provided several hiring updates:
- The search continues for a permanent Chief Financial Officer.
- First‑round interviews have begun for a Chief Operating Officer, with candidates vetted by an executive search firm.
- The organization is interviewing for a full‑time board clerk who will also serve as the public records officer.
- Additional hiring includes an executive assistant for the real estate team, a housing developer to support new pre‑development work and an upcoming resident liaison role to support resident governance as the organization moves toward acquiring its first social‑housing property.
McCoy emphasized that resident governance is central to the SSHD mission and that a consultant is helping design onboarding, elections and future restorative justice processes. She closed her report by affirming that tax dollars are being used responsibly and thanking the board for its hard work.
April 2 Special Meeting
The board entered a 40 minute executive session to consider property acquisition. The board are discussing negotiations to acquire buildings in Seattle during these closed sessions. With $144M in funds, we should soon hear about the first properties assembling the self-contained social democracy .
When the meeting returned to open session, the board approved a company credit card policy. There is a single credit card account with a total limit of $20,000 across all cards; issued by KeyBank. CEO Tiffany McCoy is custodian/primary user and authorizes additional cardholders as needed. Allowed uses are: official travel; small office supplies or minor equipment with CEO authorization; registration fees for approved trainings/workshops/conferences; rare emergency purchases needed for business continuity.
Prohibited uses: personal expenses; cash advances; alcohol/tobacco/controlled substances; anything violating state law (and other disallowed items per the policy).
There was discussion about the Board Governance Committee. Board members asked how tenant board members would be selected and who had been involved in drafting those processes. Ryan Driscoll noted that Nikkita Oliver is taking the lead on that work. Staff shared how the tenant elections process had gone through “15+ iterations” and described the approach as “learn things as we go.” Versions of proposals are being developed and brought forward for board votes as they evolve.
Tenants are the constituency in the network of social housing buildings coming to Seattle. The board is keen on how social justice principles must underscore the tenant communities inhabiting the buildings the SSHD will be purchasing.
APRIL 16 Meeting
On April 16, one-word check ins included “good,” “tired,” “amiable,” “enthusiastic,” “pass,” and “unwell.”
The board heard a presentation from a prospective consulting team. In The Works is led by Kirsten Harris-Talley and Teddy McGlynn-Wright.
It took a while for every board member to introduce themselves to the prospective consultants. Most board members expressed the social justice ideals which are central to Social Housing.
For example, in his introduction, board member Carl Nelson said, “My work here is from the perspective of renters and making sure that renters in social housing have both political agency and, for lack of a better word, class consciousness, political consciousness as they become participants in their housing and eventual board members themselves.”
In The Works framed their consulting principles as Black liberative, anti-racist (action-oriented), and trauma-informed (attending to persistent traumatic conditions so conflict and stress aren’t taken out on one another).
They described how they work “beside” clients (building skills/systems rather than delivering a one-time artifact). This is offered through things like gatherings (in-person/online) with planned focus.
The consulting provides facilitation to make hard conversations, decision-making and scope work easier. There is also coaching (1:1, small group, or mediation; support for leadership planning). And how to clarify roles during the transition from a working board to an oversight/governance board, including what staff/CEO should own vs what the board should steward.
The consultants pitched services to the board. McGlynn-Wright said he has been in conversation with different folks from this body over the last several months. However, at this public meeting, consulting fees for In The Works were never mentioned.
Financial Discussion
By March 2026, the organization reported more than $144M in total assets and over $12.5M in tax revenue year to date. During review, board members asked basic questions about financial line items, including “other consultant services,” and whether full financial statements were included. In one exchange, staff responded that they did not have details available in the moment and would need to follow up.
There are also discrepancies between projected and actual expenses. Office rent, budgeted at approximately $3,000, appeared in one month at over $7,000.
Discussion across meetings has remained focused on governance structure, internal process and facilitation, alongside financial approvals and early steps toward real estate acquisition. Due to the nature of real estate negotiations, public discussion of specific housing acquisitions, timelines or unit development has been limited.
(It’s been announced House Our Neighbors and SSHD have been discussing some proposed SSHD charter changes (originally established through Initiative 135) that “will clean up and clarify the charter, and also allow some enhancements for successful implementation.” Register here for the May 12, 2026 (06:00 PM) online meeting .)