Homelessness Prevention and Reduction Plan

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Adopted by the Board of County Commissioners February 3, 2009 4 Section 1 – Homelessness Assistance Act The Washington State Legislature passed ESSHB 2163, the Homeless Housing and Assistance Act, into law in April 2005. The law requires each county in Washington State to have a Homeless Housing Task Force and a 10-year strategic plan that supports the State’s 10 Year Plan to reduce homeless by 50% in Washington State by 2015. In passing this law, the Legislature amended RCW 36.22.178 and provided an additional surcharge of ten dollars by the county auditor for each recorded document, except for those previously excluded from any fees. The law stipulates that the county auditor shall retain two percent for collection of the fee, and of the remainder shall remit sixty percent to the county to be deposited into a special fund that must be used by the county and its cities and towns to accomplish the purposes of this act, six percent of which may be used by the county for administrative costs related to its homeless housing plan, and the remainder for programs which directly accomplish the goals of the county's homeless housing plan. The auditor shall remit the remaining funds to the state treasurer for deposit in the homeless housing account. The department may use twelve and one-half percent of this amount for administration of the program established in section 5 of this act, including the costs of creating the statewide homeless housing strategic plan, measuring performance, providing technical assistance to local governments, and managing the homeless housing grant program. The remaining eighty-seven and one-half percent is to be distributed by the department to local governments through the homeless housing grant program. DEFINITION "Homeless person" means an individual living outside or in a building not meant for human habitation or which they have no legal right to occupy, in an emergency shelter, or in a temporary housing program which may include a transitional and supportive housing program if habitation time limits exist. This definition includes substance abusers, mentally ill people, and other disenfranchised persons who are homeless. PERMISSIBLE USES UNDER THE LAW 1. Rental and furnishing of dwelling units for the use of homeless persons; 2. Costs of developing affordable housing for homeless persons, and services for formerly homeless individuals and families residing in transitional housing or permanent housing and still at risk of homelessness; 3. Operating subsidies for transitional housing or permanent housing serving formerly homeless families or individuals; 4. Services to prevent homelessness, such as emergency eviction prevention programs including temporary rental subsidies to prevent homelessness;