HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1862

                      As Passed House:

                      January 12, 1996

Title:  An act relating to home‑matching.

Brief Description:  Promoting the development of model home‑matching programs.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Reams, K. Schmidt, Horn, Hankins and Blanton).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Trade & Economic Development:  2/22/95, 2/23/95 [DPA];

Appropriations:  3/4/95 [DPS(APP)].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/9/95, 95-0;

Passed House:  1/12/96, 91-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRADE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives Van Luven, Chairman; Radcliff, Vice Chairman; D. Schmidt, Vice Chairman; Sheldon, Ranking Minority Member; Veloria, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Ballasiotes; Hatfield; Hickel; Mason; Sherstad; Skinner and Valle.

Staff:  Kenny Pittman (786-7392).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Appropriations be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Silver, Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Huff, Vice Chairman; Pelesky, Vice Chairman; Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Valle, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Beeksma; Brumsickle; Carlson; Chappell; Cooke; Crouse; G. Fisher; Foreman; Grant; Hargrove; Hickel; Jacobsen; Lambert; Lisk; McMorris; Poulsen; Reams; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott; Thibaudeau and Wolfe.

Staff:  Susan Nakagawa (786-7145).

Background:  In 1993, the home-matching pilot program was created in the Department of Community Development.  The department could provide technical assistance and grants to five eligible organizations selected to implement home-matching programs at the local level.

The home-matching pilot program was designed to offer solutions to housing problems for homeowners and tenants who need to cut expenses yet gain security.  The program would encourage home sharing arrangements that enable people to continue living in their homes, and link people offering living space with people seeking housing.  The local home-matching programs were required to establish criteria for participation in the program by both the homeowner and the person wanting housing.

The state's home-matching program legislation did not provide direct funding for local home-matching programs.  The local programs were required to submit funding requests through a competitive process as part of the Housing Assistance Program.

Summary of Bill:   The home-matching pilot program's status is changed to an ongoing program within the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.  Direct funding for the home-matching program is provided through the Washington housing trust fund.  The funds are to be used as grants to eligible organizations that will develop local home-matching programs.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:   (Trade & Economic Development)  Matching people looking for housing with people that have excess housing is a cost-effective approach to meet housing needs.  Providing housing using this approach has been successful in matching senior citizens with younger families.  Both parties benefit from relationship.  The local organization assumes responsibility for the program.  The concern is that the home-matching program would create a set-aside in the housing trust fund.  Making home-matching a direct funded activity would impact other programs funded by the housing trust fund.

 (Appropriations)  The department has been unable to implement the program without a specific allocation of funds.  This legislation addresses that problem.

Testimony Against:   (Trade & Economic Development)  None.

 (Appropriations)  None.

Testified:  (Trade & Economic Development)  Representative Reams (Pro); Majken Ryherd Keira, Washington Low-Income Housing Congress (Pro, on concept); and Enid Buchanan, Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (Pro, with concerns).

 (Appropriations)  Representative Bill Reams, prime sponsor.