Microsoft commits $500 million to tackle affordable housing crisis in Puget Sound region

Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday announced a $500 million commitment to preserve existing affordable housing, spur construction of new units, and partner with nonprofits to address the affordable housing crisis on the Eastside of King County and the Puget Sound region. Microsoft’s commitment will include:

• $225 million invested at below market rate returns, focused on preserving and developing new middle-income housing on King County’s Eastside.
• $250 million invested at market rate returns to support low-income housing across the King County region.
• $25 million in philanthropic grants to address homelessness. This includes two initial commitments:
• $5 million for the new Home Base program through the United Way of King County, to prevent people from becoming homeless by providing legal representation, helping with back rent and offering caseworker help.
• $5 million for the aligned funding that supports the city of Seattle and King County creation of a consolidated entity to address homelessness. This funding will help kick-start a new philanthropic funders collaborative that will work together with government and other partners.

The majority of this capital will be deployed over the next three years.

Across the region, housing costs have risen and increasingly pushed out people with lower and even middle incomes. Puget Sound has become the sixth most expensive region in the country, and the region has seen a 21 percent increase in jobs since 2011, coupled with only a 13 percent increase in housing units. This problem is even more pronounced in the smaller cities around Seattle than in Seattle itself.

“If we’re going to make progress, we’ll all need to work together as a community,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith and Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood in a joint blog post. “Ultimately, a healthy business needs to be part of a healthy community. And a healthy community must have housing within the economic reach of every part of the community, including the many dedicated people who provide the vital services on which we all rely.”

The announcement accompanies a joint declaration from the mayors of nine of the largest cities around Seattle to take steps to increase affordable housing capacity. Mayors of Auburn, Bellevue, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton and Sammamish will consider changes in zoning to increase the pipeline of housing in selected areas, providing desirable public land near transit locations, addressing permitting processes and fees, and creating tax incentives for developers.

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Which Work Environment Suits You Best?

The environment in which we work can have a great influence over many aspects of our lives; from our productiveness and work ethic to our mental health and overall happiness.

With the majority of people in the UK spending 34-39 hours at work per week according to E Financial Careers; it comes as no surprise that finding a work environment to suit you is essential for both your work and personal life.

There are a variety of working environments you might have experienced, from the hustle and bustle of a busy bar to the peace and quiet of a small office.

But which environment is really right for you?

Collaborative and Team-Orientated

Depending on your experience within the working world, you have likely spent some time in a collaborative work environment. Common among retail organisations, the healthcare sector, some artistic organisations and many corporate roles; this type of working environment depends on each member of the workforce working with one another to accomplish a goal. Often these environments are very open, casual (depending on the sector you are in) and allow for some give and take when it comes to what tasks you will take on or how you will work together to achieve your goal. It can also help you get to know your colleagues better and share some of the stresses often associated with work. However, some may find this environment noisy, crowded or overwhelming, so isn’t for those who would rather have some peace and quiet.

Most suited for…

This type of environment is suited to people who enjoy working with others to bounce ideas off of, share the workload and help achieve results. This environment is used in many workplaces as it helps not only boost morale and interpersonal relations between employees but means that often tasks are done quicker and to a high standard. In hospitals and surgeries this is a necessary environment, as everyone has skills which work together to help the patient. In some corporate and retails roles this environment can be used also, for example to help bring a product to market or to work as a team to deal with a busy Christmas period in a shop.

Organised and Systematic

Another approach which is used in varying degrees across all employment sectors is the systematic and organised working environment. These environments are often more formal, with employees given specific job roles rather than working out alone or in a team what tasks they should take on day to day. Used frequently in formal office settings, hospitality, factories and roles which involve science or mathematics, this approach means that you know what you are doing every day and are more assured that the job will get done when it needs to be. This style can also help reduce work-based stress, as you know what you will be doing and when so your mind can be put at ease.

Most suited for…

This environment is perfect if you aren’t confident making decisions or would rather work independently and systematically through your work, with the assurance that the job will get done. This is also often used in jobs such as catering, cleaning or hospitality, and many employees find it can be easier to deal with the 9-5 when there is a system of work in place to follow and stay on top of your tasks.

Individualistic and Independent

This more flexible working environment is ideal for those who already have a personal approach to work that they know works well for them. Although these environments can be collaborative as well, as they allow you to negotiate with others regarding your working style; they mainly require you to work independently so you can use a working system which suits you. You can adjust and adapt the way you work depending on what needs to be done, have some freedom if you need to change the work routine and can organise yourself instead of having to stick to a rigid system put in place by management.

Most suited for…

This environment is best for those who have a working style they like and enjoy working independently. For many creative industries this is favoured, such as for artists, writers and designers who tend to have their own way of working to harbour their creativity. However, this type of work can sometimes be daunting (especially for newcomers to the job) and may require some getting used to; but once you do, you can enjoy the flexibility of working your way.

Success Secrets: How you can Pass Microsoft Certification Exams in first attempt

MCSA Certification Exam Dumps Bundle - Microsoft Certifications

Course overview

The Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification focuses on the ability to design and build technology solutions, which may include integrating multiple technology products, and span multiple versions of a single technology, whether on-premises or in the cloud.

An individual can choose to become a certified Associate in one or several Microsoft technology specialisations. This certification bundle is ‘Windows 10’ focused.

By gaining this MCSA certification you can prove your mastery of the primary set of Windows 10 skills required to reduce IT costs and deliver more business value.

This bundle contains two separate MCSA certification courses and two official Microsoft MCSA certification exams, that are both valid for 12 months from the time of purchase. As part of this bundle, you will get access to a MeasureUP practice test for each Microsoft certification course.

Duration study load

Learners can finish a single course from anywhere between 1-3 months. You will have full access to the resources for 12 months and must take your exams within this period.

Course features

Features of MeasureUP practice tests:

• Questions are similar to exam questions, allowing you to test your knowledge of exam objectives
• Detailed explanations for both correct and distractor answers reinforce the material
• ‘Study Mode’ covers all objectives ensuring topics are covered
• ‘Certification Mode’ (timed) prepares students for exam taking conditions
• Instant, drill-down score reports tell you exactly the areas to focus on

Assessment

Certification exams included:

• Microsoft 70-697 Configuring Windows Devices (MCSA: 1 of 2 exams)
• Microsoft 70-698 Installing and Configuring Windows 10 (MCSA: 2 of 2 exams)

MeasureUP practice tests included:

• Microsoft 70-697 Configuring Windows Devices
• Microsoft 70-698 Installing and Configuring Windows 10

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