HB 1173 - DIGEST
(SEE ALSO PROPOSED 1ST SUB)

Finds that: (1) There is a large, unmet need for affordable housing and affordable housing assistance in the state of Washington, causing many low-income individuals and families to be at risk of homelessness;

(2) The state should provide financial resources as well as case management to help individuals and families at risk of homelessness obtain and retain housing and work towards a goal of self-sufficiency where possible;

(3) There are many root causes of the affordable housing shortage. It is critical that such causes be analyzed, effective solutions be developed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated, and that these causal factors be eliminated;

(4) There is a taxpayer and societal cost associated with a lack of jobs that pay self-sufficiency standard wages and a shortage of affordable housing, and the state must identify and quantify that cost; and

(5) The support and commitment of all sectors of the statewide community is critical to accomplishing the state's affordable housing for all goal. The provision of housing and housing-related services should be administered both at the state level and at the local level.

Declares that the systematic and comprehensive performance measurement and evaluation of progress toward interim goals and the immediate state affordable housing goal of a decent and affordable home in a healthy, safe environment for all economic segments in the state by 2020 is a necessary component of the statewide effort to end the affordable housing crisis.

Creates within the department of community, trade, and economic development the state affordable housing for all program.

Directs the department of community, trade, and economic development to, in consultation with the affordable housing advisory board, prepare and annually update a state affordable housing for all plan with an ultimate goal of achieving a decent and affordable home in a healthy, safe environment for all economic segments by decile by county in the state by 2020.

Requires each county to convene a county affordable housing task force.

Requires each county to direct its affordable housing task force to prepare and recommend to its county legislative authority a county affordable housing for all plan for its jurisdictional area. Each county shall adopt a county plan by June 30, 2011, and update the plan annually by June 30th thereafter.

Allows a county to decline to participate in the affordable housing for all program by forwarding to the department of community, trade, and economic development a resolution adopted by the county legislative authority stating the intention not to participate.

Creates within the department of community, trade, and economic development the ending homelessness program to develop and implement a statewide ending homelessness strategic plan, coordinate and monitor local government ending homelessness plans and programs, and implement and manage an ending homelessness grant program.

Requires the department of community, trade, and economic development to, in consultation with the interagency council on homelessness, the state advisory council on homelessness, and the affordable housing advisory board, prepare and annually update a state ending homelessness strategic plan that must outline statewide goals and performance measures to meet the needs of all homeless populations, including chronic homeless, unsheltered homeless, short-term homeless, families, individuals, and youth, as well as to meet the needs of individuals and families at risk of homelessness.

Requires each county to create an ending homelessness task force to develop an ending homelessness plan addressing short-term and long-term services and housing to prevent and reduce homelessness by seventy percent by July 1, 2015, and to achieve the ultimate goal of ending homelessness by December 31, 2020.

Requires the department of community, trade, and economic development to establish two self-sufficiency income standards based upon the cost of living, including housing costs, which include mortgage or rent payments and utilities other than telephone, for each county in the state.

Requires the joint legislative audit and review committee to conduct two performance audits of the ending homelessness program.

Directs the department of social and health services to collaborate with the department of community, trade, and economic development in the development of a coordinated and comprehensive plan for homeless families with children that must be integrated into the state ending homelessness strategic plan created in RCW 43.185C.040.

Requires the department of community, trade, and economic development to contract with the Washington institute for public policy to conduct a study to determine the most effective, accurate, and comprehensive way for counties and the state of Washington to measure and evaluate the societal cost of homelessness. The department shall not spend more than one hundred thousand dollars on the study, and the results of the study must be presented to the appropriate committees of the legislature by June 30, 2010.