It is with sadness that we share former House Speaker and longtime state representative Frank Chopp died suddenly on Saturday.
Former Speaker Chopp was a passionate advocate for housing and Commerce owes a significant amount of our work to him: Former Speaker Chopp co-founded the Housing Trust Fund, which has spent more than $2 billion on affordable housing projects. He also led the effort to create Apple Health and Homes, which pairs housing and health care services to help Washington’s most vulnerable residents. He also created or helped create the Home Security Fund, Covenant Homeownership, the Low-Income Housing Institute, among many other programs that served all of Washington.
“Speaker Chopp was a leader who always put the people of Washington first,” said Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn. “I had the honor of working alongside him in the Legislature, where his dedication to serving communities across the state left a lasting impact. He understood that our duty goes beyond district lines and shaped vital programs like the Housing Trust Fund and Apple Health and Homes that continue to support our people. His legacy will live on through the lives of the Washingtonians he fought for, and the programs he championed will continue to uplift communities across our state for years to come.”
Director Nguyễn just spoke to former Speaker Chopp last week, he said in a LinkedIn post. “I called him for advice. That’s the kind of legacy he leaves—one of service, humility, and always fighting for what’s right.”
Former Speaker Chopp was in contact with other people at Commerce in recent weeks, too.
“That speaks to his commitment and dedication to continuing to see his projects through, even though he had stepped down from office,” said Commerce Senior Policy Advisor Em Stone.
“It’s not extreme to say Frank Chopp played the key role in creating every major Washington state housing program over the last 30 years. Through building coalitions with others, he created, expanded and defended the Housing Trust Fund, Home Security Account, Housing and Essential Needs, Apple Health and Homes, Covenant Homeownership, and many more. His legacy lives on in the housing programs and hundreds of thousands of Washington households helped by his work,” said Housing Division Assistant Director Tedd Kelleher.
“I’ve worked in housing for many years and don’t remember encountering a more passionate and effective advocate for affordable housing and for supporting low-income families in our communities,” said former Housing Division Assistant Director Corina Grigoras. “Representative Chopp was a force of nature. His passing is a tremendous loss for the affordable housing community. His vision and passion will live on in countless programs and affordable housing projects, which he saw through with unparalleled perseverance, from mere concept to people in units.”
The Chopp family posted an obituary online.