H-1905

AN ACT Relating to the public housing trust fund; and amending RCW 43.185.010, 43.185.050, and 43.185.070.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 43.185.010 and 1986 c 298 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature finds that current economic conditions, federal housing policies and declining resources at the federal, state, and local level adversely affect the ability of low and very low-income persons to obtain safe, decent, and affordable housing.

The legislature further finds that members of over one hundred twenty thousand households live in housing units which are overcrowded, lack plumbing, are otherwise threatening to health and safety, and have rents and utility payments which exceed thirty percent of their income.

The legislature further finds that minorities, rural households, and migrant farm workers require housing assistance at a rate which significantly exceeds their proportion of the general population.

The legislature further finds that one of the most dramatic housing needs is that of persons needing special housing-related services, such as the mentally ill, recovering alcoholics, frail elderly persons, families with members who have disabilities, and single parents. These services include medical assistance, counseling, chore services, and child care.

The legislature further finds that housing assistance programs in the past have often failed to help those in greatest need.

The legislature declares that it is in the public interest to establish a continuously renewable resource known as a housing trust fund to assist low and very low-income citizens in meeting their basic housing needs, and that the needs of very low-income citizens should be given priority.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.185.050 and 1986 c 298 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall use funds from the housing trust fund to finance in whole or in part any loans or grant projects that will provide housing for persons and families with special housing needs and with incomes at or below fifty percent of the median family income for the county or standard metropolitan statistical area where the project is located. Not less than thirty percent of such funds used in any given biennium shall be for the benefit of projects located in rural areas as defined in 63 Stat. 432, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1471 et seq.

(2) Activities eligible for assistance include, but are not limited to:

(a) New construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of low and very low-income housing units;

(b) Rent subsidies in new construction or rehabilitated multifamily units;

(c) Matching funds for social services directly related to providing housing for special-need tenants in assisted projects;

(d) Technical assistance, design and finance services and consultation, and administrative costs for eligible nonprofit community or neighborhood-based organizations;

(e) Administrative costs for housing assistance groups or organizations when such grant or loan will substantially increase the recipient's access to housing funds other than those available under this chapter;

(f) Shelters and related services for the homeless;

(g) Mortgage subsidies for new construction or rehabilitation of eligible multifamily units;

(h) Mortgage insurance guarantee or payments for eligible projects; ((~~and~~))

(i) Acquisition of housing units for the purpose of preservation as low-income or very low-income housing; and

(j) Making housing more accessible to families with members who have disabilities.

Sec. 3. RCW 43.185.070 and 1988 c 286 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) During each calendar year in which funds are available for use by the department from the housing trust fund, as prescribed in RCW 43.185.030, the department shall announce to all known interested parties, and through major media throughout the state, a grant and loan application period of at least ninety days' duration. This announcement shall be made as often as the director deems appropriate for proper utilization of resources, but at least twice annually. The department shall then promptly grant as many applications as will utilize available funds less appropriate administrative costs of the department, not to exceed thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1988, and seventy-five thousand dollars in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1989, and not to exceed five percent of annual revenues to the fund thereafter.

(2) The department shall give first priority to applications for projects and activities which utilize existing privately owned housing stock including privately owned housing stock purchased by nonprofit public development authorities. Such projects and activities shall be evaluated under subsection (3) of this section. Second priority shall be given to activities and projects which utilize existing publicly owned housing stock. Such projects and activities shall be evaluated under subsection (3) of this section.

(3) The department shall give preference for applications based on the following criteria:

(a) The degree of leveraging of other funds that will occur;

(b) Recipient contributions to total project costs, including allied contributions from other sources such as professional, craft and trade services, and lender interest rate subsidies;

(d) Projects that encourage ownership, management, and other project-related responsibility opportunities;

(e) Projects that demonstrate a strong probability of serving the original target group or income level for a period of at least fifteen years;

(f) The applicant has the demonstrated ability, stability and resources to implement the project;

(g) Projects which demonstrate serving the greatest need; ((~~and~~))

(h) Projects that provide housing for persons and families with the lowest incomes; and

(i) Projects that make housing more accessible to families with members who have disabilities.