HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2000-4728, by Representatives Ballard, Chopp, Wolfe, Romero, Anderson, Ballasiotes, Barlean, Buck, Bush, Cairnes, Campbell, Carlson, Carrell, B. Chandler, Clements, Cody, Constantine, Conway, Cox, Crouse, DeBolt, Delvin, Doumit, Dunn, Dunshee, Edwards, Eickmeyer, Ericksen, Fisher, Fortunato, Grant, Haigh, Hankins, Hatfield, Huff, Hurst, Kastama, Keiser, Kessler, Koster, Lambert, Lantz, Lisk, Lovick, McDonald, McMorris, Mielke, Miloscia, O'Brien, Ogden, Parlette, Pflug, Poulsen, Radcliff, Regala, Rockefeller, Ruderman, Schindler, K. Schmidt, Schoesler, Schual‑Berke, Scott, Skinner, H. Sommers, Stensen, Sullivan, Sump, Thomas, Van Luven and Wensman

       WHEREAS, Decent and affordable housing is a simple dream that is far from reach for many hard-working families in Washington; and

       WHEREAS, Unable to obtain either conventional or government-assisted financing, some of these families pay rent - in many cases more than fifty percent of total household income - to live in overcrowded, substandard houses and apartments; and

       WHEREAS, To draw attention to the need for safe, decent, affordable housing, and to showcase the power of volunteers in neighborhoods and communities across Washington, the Washington State Legislature has entered into partnership with Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a family in need; and

       WHEREAS, Legislators and staff, along with their families, others in the legislative community, and Habitat partner families and volunteers, are working side-by-side with infectious enthusiasm in raising thirty-five thousand dollars and generating three thousand five hundred volunteer hours to build "The Home from the Dome"; and

       WHEREAS, When complete, The Home from the Dome will be sold to a partner family, who themselves will have put in over five hundred hours of manual labor, under a no-profit, no-interest loan on a twenty or twenty-five year mortgage, and the eventual homeowner's payments will go to a revolving fund for construction of more housing for other families; and

       WHEREAS, Work on The Home from the Dome - like work on any community volunteer project - unites those involved and shows that, in a world where many needs go unmet, giving of our time, talent, compassion, and energy is an expression of faith, trust, and concern;

       NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives hereby express its gratitude to Habitat for Humanity, for its leadership, and to all the volunteers and contributors - legislators, staff, family, friends, and others - for the time, talent, compassion, and energy they have given to make a home for one more family - The Home from the Dome - a reality; and

       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives find that, in the end, the true excitement in a project like this is not in seeing the finished wall or the completed house - but in having the opportunity to take part in such a powerful project.

           I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of

          Resolution 4728 adopted by the House of Representatives

                             January 27, 2000.

________________________________               _____________________________

Timothy A. Martin, Co-Chief Clerk            Cynthia Zehnder, Co-Chief Clerk