H-0108.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1862
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Representatives Reams, K. Schmidt, Horn, Hankins and Blanton
Read first time 02/13/95. Referred to Committee on Trade & Economic Development.
AN ACT Relating to home-matching; amending RCW 43.63A.670 and 43.63A.680; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 43.63A.670 and 1993 c 478 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The legislature finds that:
(a) The trend toward smaller household sizes will continue into the foreseeable future;
(b) Many of these households are in housing units that contain more bedrooms than occupants;
(c) There are older homeowners on relatively low, fixed income who are experiencing difficulties maintaining their homes; and
(d) There are single parents, recently widowed persons, people in the midst of divorce or separation, and handicapped that are faced with displacement due to the high cost of housing.
(2) The legislature
declares that the purpose of RCW 43.63A.680 is to develop a ((pilot))
program designed to:
(a) Provide
home-matching services that can enable people to continue living in their homes
while promoting continuity of home ownership and community stability; ((and))
(b) Counter the problem of displacement among people on relatively low, fixed incomes by linking people offering living space with people seeking housing; and
(c) Encourage the development of model home-matching programs that can be replicated at the community level.
Sec. 2. RCW 43.63A.680 and 1993 c 478 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The department ((may))
shall develop and administer a home-matching program for the purpose of
providing grants and technical assistance to eligible organizations to operate
local home-matching 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 may
select ((up to five)) eligible organizations for the purpose of
implementing a local home-matching program. The local home-matching programs
are designed to facilitate: (a) Intergenerational homesharing involving older
homeowners sharing homes with younger persons; (b) homesharing arrangements
that involve an exchange of services such as cooking, housework, gardening, or
babysitting for room and board or some financial consideration such as rent;
and (c) the more efficient use of available housing.
(3) In selecting local
((pilot)) programs for funding under this section, the department
shall consider:
(a) The eligible organization's ability, stability, and resources to implement the local home-matching program;
(b) The eligible organization's efforts to coordinate other support services needed by the individual or family participating in the local home-matching program; and
(c) Other factors the department deems appropriate.
(4) The eligible organizations shall establish criteria for participation in the local home-matching program. The eligible organization shall make a determination of eligibility regarding the individuals' or families' participation in the local home-matching program. The determination shall include, but is not limited to a verification of the individual's or family's history of making rent payments in a consistent and timely manner.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of two hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the Washington housing trust fund, created in RCW 43.185.030, to the department of community, trade, and economic development for the purposes of RCW 43.63A.680.
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