Housing Connector tells Seattle committee its landlord-focused, data-driven model speeds placements and cuts evictions

Housing Connector, a nonprofit that matches renters with reduced-screening rental units and provides post-move-in supports for landlords, presented to the Seattle City Council Housing and Human Services Committee on May 14, arguing that early intervention and data integration can prevent evictions and stretch limited rental-assistance dollars.

Skelton Calamendi, founder and CEO of Housing Connector, told the committee the organization centralizes housing search and partners with property owners to "reduce their screening criteria" while guaranteeing landlord supports and a two-year safety net. Calamendi said, "If the homeless system is the emergency room, we have got to be the primary care doctor," arguing that prevention is cheaper and more effective than responding after a household loses housing.

Why this matters: Committee Chair Kathy Moore told the panel last year she secured $5 million in additional rental assistance and said Seattle now has $10 million for rental assistance; Calamendi said a proactive, data-driven approach can make those dollars reach more households by catching at-risk renters before arrears mount. Calamendi also framed the model as a public–private partnership that can scale if the city and property owners…