AN ACT Relating to emergency shelters; adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW; making an appropriation; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The purpose of this chapter is to provide shelter for the homeless. To that end, this chapter establishes an emergency shelter program for the homeless under which the department shall provide financial aid to nonprofit community based emergency shelters to assist in meeting emergency housing needs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. As used in this chapter:

(1) "Shelter" means a facility which provides temporary housing for families, single parents with children, single women, youth, and the mentally ill who were unable to pay lodging;

(2) "Department" means the department of community development; and

(3) "Director" means the director of the department of community development.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Within the limits of appropriated funds, the director shall make annual grants to public or private nonprofit entities operating shelters, or other emergency or social programs, that receive funding or other in-kind support from their communities. The grants shall be in addition to any federal or local assistance otherwise available to these public or private nonprofit entities, and shall be used only to operate emergency shelters for the homeless. These public or private nonprofit entities may not receive funds under this chapter if they fail or refuse to provide emergency shelter on the basis of any individual's inability to pay.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The director shall accept applications from public or private nonprofit entities operating shelters, or other emergency or social service programs for grants under this chapter and shall award grants annually, taking into consideration at least the following factors:

(1) The unmet need for adequate emergency shelters in the geographic area served by each applicant;

(2) The past performance of each applicant in providing emergency services;

(3) An equitable distribution based on need of emergency shelter services;

(4) The extent of current and prospective community support for each applicant, including consideration of funding, or in-kind support provided from local tax revenue, or private charitable contributions; and

(5) The number and percentage of indigent clients served by the shelter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Annual grants to public or private nonprofit entities under this chapter shall be used for the purchase of bed nights in facility based shelters and voucher programs. Bed nights shall include the operational costs of the shelter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Each applicant for assistance under this chapter shall include the following information:

(1) A description of the geographic area being served by the shelter, the economic status of its population, the existing resources to provide emergency shelter services to the population, and the nature and extent of the unmet need for emergency shelter;

(2) A description of the role played by the applicant shelter in meeting the need for emergency shelter services in its service area;

(3) A description of any formal or informal operating agreements the shelter has or will have with any charitable, hospital, law enforcement, or emergency service entity to provide emergency shelter services in its service area; and

(4) A copy of the agency's operating budget for the current and preceding fiscal year, including identification of current and prospective funding from federal, state, and local sources and private charitable contributions.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. For the purpose of auditing the expenditure of state funds and assuring the use of state funds for the purposes defined in this chapter, the department may have access to the books and records of the shelters receiving grants under this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 7 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 70 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. There is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, from the general fund to the department of community development the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars, or so much therefor as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1985.