For the Reporter

Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Auburn City Councilmember Claude DaCorsi to a four-year term on the Washington State Affordable Housing Advisory Board, which advises the Department of Commerce on housing and housing-related issues.

The board’s 22 members represent housing interests throughout the state.

“Being appointed to the Board is important for Auburn as we now have a seat at the table that helps drive housing policy and recommendations,” DaCorsi said. “Affordable housing needs cross all income levels: some families may be severely under housed while others are significantly rent burdened, paying 40 percent or more of their income for rent. Others may be priced out of the home buyer market while desiring to become homeowners.

“While some believe affordable housing relates only to subsidized housing, the reality is that a significant number of our state citizens are facing an affordable housing crisis,” DaCorsi said. “We are impacted in Auburn and need to keep our focus on this issue.

“My objective as a board member is to bring my years of hands-on, affordable housing experience to help shape the future of affordable housing needs in our community and in communities across our entire state.”

All of the issues the board will address center on the 2015 Housing Needs Assessment, which collected and analyzed federal, state and housing authority data on affordable housing in Washington state.

The 2015 HNA includes:

• Baseline state housing indicators – future studies will replicate and compare this data.

• Rental supply analysis, including an inventory of publicly-funded housing units in our state.

• Analysis of how much of the public portfolio is at risk to conversion to market-rate housing.

• Home ownership analysis that includes financing trends, mortgage rates, and foreclosures.

“We are pleased to share Councilmember DaCorsi’s expertise on affordable housing with the Governor’s advisory board,” said Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus. “His leadership will be immensely valuable to the residents of Washington.”

DaCorsi began his term on the City Council in January 2014. He has more than 20 years of experience in public works procurement and contract administration. In 2015 he retired as the director of Capital Construction for the King County Housing Authority.

He was the former director of construction and development for the Grant County Housing Authority. He has more than 40 years of construction management and executive management experience.

DaCorsi has a master’s degree in Public Administration with a specialization in government from Seattle University and a bachelor’s degree in business management magna cum laude from Northwest University.