5584 AMH REAM H2579.1

5584 AMH REAM H2579.1

SB 5584 - H AMD TO TEH COMM AMD (H-2368.3/93)478ADOPTED4-18-93

By Representative Reams and others

On page 15, after line 9 of the amendment, insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 17. A new section is added to chapter 43.63A RCW 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 section 18 of this act 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.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. A new section is added to chapter 43.63A RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department may 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 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

(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."

Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.