In Homelessness Is a Housing Problem, Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern seek to explain the substantial regional variation in rates of homelessness in cities across the United States. In a departure from many analytical approaches, Colburn and Aldern shift their focus from the individual experiencing homelessness to the metropolitan area. Using accessible statistical analysis, they test a range of conventional beliefs about what drives the prevalence of homelessness in a given city—including mental illness, drug use, poverty, weather, generosity of public assistance, and low-income mobility—and find that none explain the regional variation observed across the country. Instead, housing market conditions, such as the cost and availability of rental housing, offer a far more convincing account. With rigor and clarity, Homelessness Is a Housing Problem explores U.S. cities’ diverse experiences with housing precarity and offers policy solutions for unique regional contexts.

Gregg Colburn is an assistant professor of real estate in the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments. He received his Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. His research interests include housing policy, housing markets, housing affordability, and homelessness. He is the author of Homelessness is a Housing Problem (order the book here).

Gregg entered academia after spending the first seventeen years of his professional life in the private sector. At the University of Washington, Gregg enjoys teaching courses in housing, economics, and finance at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He maintains an active research agenda focused on housing policy, housing markets, housing affordability, and homelessness. Gregg is also actively engaged in a wide range of community efforts to address the acute housing crisis in the Puget Sound region.

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring David Ellingson discussing his kayaking adventure paddling the Mekong River.

The program will be presented on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required and the program is free.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7 a.m.

Dave Ellingson will be addressing the University Sunrise Rotary Club about his adventure paddling his kayak through Southeast Asia. 

The Mekong Paddle Adventure in March was an epic voyage.  Dave, Gerk, Deby, and Tom experienced the culture, history, people, spirituality, and delicious food of SE Asia along the Mekong River.

Adventurer, author, and speaker David Ellingson is most well-known for his Paddle Pilgrim books. He is a:

• Kayaker who paddled the Mississippi River (2350 miles) and the Erie Canal/Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty (500 miles) and the Sogne and Hardanger Fjords in Norway.
• Lutheran pastor who has served on college campuses, congregations and in regional leadership.
• Master Gardener and creator of the Rooftop Garden on the college parking garage.
• Former distance runner (Boston Marathon and Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run) and Hawaii Iron-Man Triathlete.
• Husband and father of five grown children residing in Edmonds, Washington.

From Cathy’s Campaign:

When it comes to local politicians, ethics, good judgment, and emotional intelligence are key. But to get elected, people have to feel a candidate is just like one of them. Cathy Moore fits this profile to a T.

Cathy has been a lifelong Seattleite, mother of three, and spouse to a small business owner. But Cathy has also served as a judge on the King County Superior Court, where she fought for the rights of individuals. With her friendly “one-of-us” manner and long career of public service, Cathy now seeks to bring her talent and expertise upstream so she can impact our city as a whole. She would be a good fit for District 5.

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring ChrisTiana ObeySumner, a candidate for Seattle City Council in Northeast Seattle, District 5.

The program will be presented on Zoom on Thursday morning with the line opening at 7 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required and the program is free.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7 a.m.

ChrisTiana’s Story: I was born in Alaska in 1986 to a single mother. Growing up, my family faced financial struggles and disability challenges. As a Black, economically disadvantaged, and non-verbal child, I had difficulty attending school, as special education services were not well-established prior to passage of the American Disabilities Act in 1990. Despite testing high, I did not qualify for services, and lacked diagnoses for learning disabilities. My mother and I were often unhoused, moving frequently, and I was often exiled from classes.

After living in several states, I moved to Seattle in 2010 and attended Seattle University. I became involved in social justice advocacy and organized on campus. My advocacy work became personal when my Uncle Wayne went into a nursing rehab facility for disabled individuals who were incarcerated. I advocated for the facility not to take away his wheelchair and dehumanize him, but sadly, my Uncle passed away as a result of gross negligence on the part of the facility.

I would then go on to work in the permanent supportive housing space, where I administered assessments and coordinated services with other providers. However, I saw how the grants received for the work did not match the needs on the ground. This experience led to me realizing that the systems we have in place actually end up perpetuating the disparities we see in action today. This inspired me to become the CEO and principal consultant of Epiphanies of Equity LLC — A social equity consulting firm that particularly specializes in social change, intersectionality, antiracism, and disability justice.

As a recognized expert in my field, I have served on panels for organizations like the Housing Development Consortium and Seattle Center RSJI; given guest lectures at the University of Washington, Seattle University, and M.I.T.; and have been featured in the Seattle Times, Crosscut, Seattle Arts, Seattle Magazine, and Diverse City LLC’s online learning series.

I am also the former co-chair of the Seattle Disabilities commission, and former co-chair of the Seattle Renter’s commission. I have also previously or currently serve as a member or lay-leader on the following boards: the King County Transit Mobility Council, The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, The Seattle University African American Alumni Association, and the King County Board for Developmental Disabilities Legislative Council.

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring a trip report from our week-long sojourn through Eastern Washington exploring the remnants of the great floods.

The program will be presented on Zoom on Thursday morning with the line opening at 7 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required and the program is free. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.

In June, nine members and friends of our club spent a week exploring eastern Washington. We spent two nights in the Grand Coulee area and two nights in Walla Walla.

There was particular interest in learning about the great floods of the region that occurred over 10,000 years ago. It is an amazing story. And there is fantastic evidence of the floods that was clear to us on the trip.

Our Thursday morning speakers are our intrepid trip survivors who will share their experiences exploring the wilds of Eastern Washington from the comfort of their automobiles.  Thrill to pictures of soaring basalt formations exposed in all their raw beauty by massive floods!

Learn why you will not want to miss your opportunity to take a trip next year!

It takes 1,000 donors a day to sustain a blood supply for patients in our community. Blood is central to patient care, cancer treatment, traumas and surgeries. The ripple effect of blood shortages is far reaching in public health and in our economy. Faced with an aging donor base, a shrinking donor base, and missing student donors, we must work together on new and innovative ways to educate our community on the importance of giving blood and hosting drives before a generation of donors passes. That’s where Rotary and you come in.

Sue lives on her houseboat in Lake Union, sings regularly with a variety of local bands and is loving her pandemic project of learning how to sail. 

Sue Nixon has more than 25 years of leadership and consulting experience in marketing, branding and communications that spans the private, public and non-profit sectors. She served as chief executive officer of Fitch global design studio in Seattle – part of a worldwide network of retail and brand experts. Sue applied her skills to the non-profit arena as president of Seattle 4 Rotary club in 2016, realized her passion for community service and following her term took on her role at Bloodworks Northwest, where she manages all aspects of community engagement and donor recruitment to ensure a safe and reliable blood supply for patients in our community who need care.