Brief Description: Creating a homeless housing task force in each county.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Financial Institutions, Housing & Consumer Protection (originally sponsored by Senators McAuliffe, Haugen, Keiser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Fairley, Franklin, Shin, Berkey and Hargrove).

Senate Committee on Financial Institutions, Housing & Consumer Protection
Senate Committee on Ways & Means
House Committee on Housing

Background: It is believed that there is a need for solutions to homelessness at a local level. Current law does not require local governments to develop a plan for ending homelessness within their own boundaries. Further, there are concerns that lack of, or insufficient, notice relating to the siting of homeless facilities and temporary encampments places an unfair burden on the homeless persons planning to relocate to that area and the current members of that community.

Summary: Counties that opt to participate in the Homeless Housing Program must create a task force to develop a ten-year plan, addressing short and long term housing solutions for the homeless. Each task force must be comprised, among others, of representatives of the local government, community businesses and residents, social and health care services, law enforcement, schools, civic and faith organizations, and housing authorities, as well as a homeless or former homeless individual.

As needed, each task force must establish guidelines, in addition to the plan to end homelessness, for emergency shelters, temporary encampments, and supportive housing. The guidelines must include provisions for public notice of proposed homeless facilities, as well as health and safety standards for such facilities. Counties that already have an existing group focused on homelessness are not required to create a new task force.

Counties may decline to participate in the program by forwarding a resolution to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED), in which case the department will contract with another non-profit entity to develop the county's plan. Local governments that choose to participate may develop their 10-year plans individually, create a joint plan with other local governments, or contract with another entity to develop the plan.

Each county must submit a report to CTED with information regarding their activities to comply with the Homeless Housing Program.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      34   14
House      58   38   (House amended)
Senate      30   17   (Senate concurred)

Effective: July 24, 2005