HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                   HB 2981

Title:  An act relating to community-based housing for persons with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and youth with disabilities.

Brief Description: Directing moneys to support community housing.

Sponsors:  Representatives Ogden, Carlson, Murray, O=Brien, Anderson and Edmonds.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Directs the Legislature to appropriate at least one-half of lease income to the CEP&RI account for community-based housing, or operating and maintaining community-based housing, for persons who are mentally ill, have developmental disabilities, or youth who are blind, deaf, or otherwise disabled.

Staff: Susan Howson (786-7142)

Background:

The federal Enabling Act granted 200,000 acres of land to the state for support of the state=s charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions (CEP&RI). These lands are held and managed in the same way as other state trust lands for the benefit of the CEP&RI. In 1893, the Legislature transferred 100,000 acres of the original granted lands to the University Trust to support the University of Washington.  The CEP&RI trust currently contains 70,196 acres. Historically, income from the CEP&RI trust has been used to maintain capital facilities at state institutions.

In addition to the CEP&RI trust, the state owns lands where state operated residential treatment facilities (institutions) are sited. These lands include those managed by the Department of Social and Health Services (3,596 acres), the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Schools for the Deaf and for the Blind, and the Department of Corrections.

Every five years, the DSHS and other state agencies that operate institutions must conduct an inventory of all real property not needed for resident care. Real property identified as not needed for state-provided residential care, custody, or treatment must be declared surplus and transferred to the CEP&RI account.

Under current law, the Legislature may appropriate at least one-half of all income to the CEP&RI trust for the purpose of providing housing, including repair and renovation of state institutions, for persons who are mentally ill, developmentally disabled, or youth who are blind, deaf, or otherwise disabled. The other half of the income to the account is available for all other eligible state institutions.  If moneys are appropriated for community housing, they must be appropriated to the housing assistance program in the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development. In addition, the Legislature must give priority consideration to appropriating one-half of lease income for community housing for persons who are mentally ill, developmentally disabled, or youth who are blind, deaf, or otherwise disabled.

The DNR manages all property in the CEP&RI trust.  The agency must make every effort to lease CEP&RI land in urban or suburban areas that have a potential for commercial or residential development. Income from these leases must be deposited in the CEP&RI account.

Summary of Bill:

The Legislature must appropriate at least one-half of all income to the CEP&RI account for the purpose of providing housing, including renovation of state institutions, for persons who are mentally ill, have developmental disabilities, or disabled youth.

Rather than giving priority consideration, the Legislature is directed to appropriate at least one-half of the money derived from lease income to community-based housing, or to operate and maintain community-based housing, for persons who are mentally ill, have developmental disabilities, or disabled youth. The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development will administer these funds through the housing assistance program.

Appropriation: None

Fiscal Note: Available.

Agency Rule Making Impact: None.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of the legislative session in which the bill is enacted.