H-2531

AN ACT Relating to community stabilization activities; adding new sections to chapter 43.63A RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. This act may be known and cited as the community stabilization act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The legislature finds and declares that:

(a) Families with children have been rendered homeless or are in imminent danger of becoming homeless as a result of a sudden job loss or other economic adversity;

(b) It is more economical and more socially desirable to enable people to retain possession of their houses or apartments and thereby avoid homelessness, than to house them in emergency shelters or in other facilities intended for short‑term occupancy; and

(c) Economically distressed communities are faced with unique problems that require a comprehensive approach of housing and related support services.

(2) The legislature declares that a program designed to provide short‑term financial assistance to assist with mortgage or rent payments and coordination of available support services is needed to keep people from becoming homeless.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.63A RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department shall develop and administer a homelessness prevention program for the purpose of providing grants and technical assistance to eligible organizations to operate local homelessness prevention and related support services programs. For purposes of this section, "eligible organizations" are those organizations eligible to receive assistance through the Washington housing trust fund, chapter 43.185 RCW.

(2) The department shall select at least five eligible organizations for purposes of implementing local homelessness prevention programs. The local homelessness prevention programs are designed to provide: (a) Interest‑free loans of temporary mortgage or rental assistance on behalf of families with children in imminent danger of losing housing as a result of having insufficient income to pay mortgage or rental costs; (b) interest-free loans to make payments on machinery or equipment that is essential to the household's livelihood; or (c) technical assistance to eligible organizations to help recipient eligible organizations develop and implement local strategies to prevent homelessness. In selecting pilot programs under this section, the department shall give priority consideration to timber-dependent communities and shall consider:

(i) The eligible organization's ability, stability, and resources to implement the local homelessness prevention program;

(ii) The eligible organization's efforts to coordinate other support programs for the family, such as job search or job retraining programs;

(iii) The level of timber unemployment experienced by the community; and

(iv) Other factors the department deems appropriate.

(3) The recipient eligible organization shall establish priorities of eligibility for temporary mortgage or rental assistance to assist families with children in retaining housing. The recipient eligible organization shall make a determination of eligibility regarding the family's eligibility to participate in the local homelessness prevention program. A determination shall include, but is not limited to:

(a) A determination that the family is subject to immediate eviction for foreclosure of nonpayment of mortgage installments or nonpayment of rent, when nonpayment is attributable to illness, unemployment, underemployment, or any other failure of resources beyond the person's control;

(b) A verification of the loss of income; and

(c) A determination that the family does not have the financial resources to make the required mortgage installment or rental payment, or installment payment on the equipment or machinery which is essential to the family's livelihood.

(4) No family shall continue to receive temporary mortgage or rental assistance under this section if alternative sources of mortgage or rental assistance under federal, state, or local sources becomes available.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 43.63A RCW to read as follows:

The department shall adopt rules to implement section 3 of this act, including but not limited to:

(1) The maximum length of assistance available through section 3 of this act;

(2) The eligibility of and application process for eligible organizations;

(3) The criteria by which grants and technical assistance shall be provided to eligible organizations; and

(4) The criteria eligible organizations shall use when entering into contracts with families to make mortgage or rental assistance payments, or equipment or machinery payments on their behalf.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.