S-3998.3  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 6496

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

 

By Senators Prentice, McAuliffe and Pelz

 

Read first time 01/25/94.  Referred to Committee on Labor & Commerce.

 

Serving clients in housing assistance programs.



    AN ACT Relating to housing assistance programs; reenacting and amending RCW 43.185.070; and creating new sections.

 

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

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that there are numerous publicly funded housing complexes in the state that are inhabited by high concentrations of low-income, disadvantaged households.

    The legislature also finds that these households are increasingly plagued by drugs, drug-related crimes, illiteracy, unemployment and underemployment, teenage pregnancy, drug addictions and other health problems, and welfare dependency.

    The legislature also finds that housing providers are not always aware of the social service needs of their clients.  Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to encourage providers of housing services to evaluate and address the social service needs of their clients, and to work with federal, state, and local social services agencies in the development and implementation of a coordinated delivery system of social services to disadvantaged families living in publicly funded housing.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 43.185.070 and 1991 c 356 s 5 and 1991 c 295 s 2 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

    (1) During each calendar year in which funds from the housing trust fund or other legislative appropriations are available for use by the department for the housing assistance program, 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.  The department shall then promptly grant as many applications as will utilize available funds less appropriate administrative costs of the department.  Administrative costs paid out of the housing trust fund may not exceed four percent of annual revenues available for distribution to housing trust fund projects.  In awarding funds under this chapter, the department shall provide for a geographic distribution on a state-wide basis.

    (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 and public housing authorities as created in chapter 35.82 RCW.  As used in this subsection, privately owned housing stock includes housing that is acquired by a federal agency through a default on the mortgage by the private owner.  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.  All projects and activities shall be evaluated by some or all of the criteria under subsection (3) of this section, and similar projects and activities shall be evaluated under the same criteria.

    (3) The department shall give preference for applications based on some or all of the criteria under this subsection, and similar projects and activities shall be evaluated under the same criteria:

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

    (b) The degree of commitment from programs to assess and provide ((necessary)) habilitation and support services when necessary for ((projects focusing on special needs populations)) persons served by the project;

    (c) 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) Local government project contributions in the form of infrastructure improvements, and others;

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

    (f) Projects that demonstrate a strong probability of serving the original target group or income level for a period of at least twenty-five years;

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

    (h) Projects which demonstrate serving the greatest need;

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

    (j) Projects serving special needs populations which are under statutory mandate to develop community housing;

    (k) Project location and access to employment centers in the region or area; and

    (l) Project location and access to available public transportation services.

    (4) The department shall only approve applications for projects for mentally ill persons that are consistent with a regional support network six-year capital and operating plan.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  The senate labor and commerce committee shall conduct an interim study of successful models for the seamless delivery of social and health services to individuals and families living on the streets, in shelters, in transitional housing and other publicly subsidized housing units in this state.

 


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