CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2640

Chapter 235, Laws of 2012

62nd Legislature
2012 Regular Session



HOUSING TRUST FUND--COST-EFFECTIVENESS



EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/07/12

Passed by the House February 11, 2012
  Yeas 95   Nays 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate March 5, 2012
  Yeas 48   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2640 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


BARBARA BAKER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved March 30, 2012, 1:10 p.m.








CHRISTINE GREGOIRE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
March 30, 2012







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2640
_____________________________________________

Passed Legislature - 2012 Regular Session
State of Washington62nd Legislature2012 Regular Session

By House Community & Economic Development & Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Smith, Kenney, Warnick, Finn, Walsh, Orcutt, and Kelley)

READ FIRST TIME 01/31/12.   



     AN ACT Relating to emphasizing cost-effectiveness in the housing trust fund; amending RCW 43.185A.050; and reenacting and amending RCW 43.185.070.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 43.185.070 and 2005 c 518 s 1802 and 2005 c 219 s 2 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) During each calendar year in which funds from the housing trust fund or other legislative appropriations are available for use by the department for the housing assistance program, the department shall announce to all known interested parties, and through major media throughout the state, a grant and loan application period of at least ninety days' duration. This announcement shall be made as often as the director deems appropriate for proper utilization of resources. The department shall then promptly grant as many applications as will utilize available funds less appropriate administrative costs of the department. Administrative costs paid out of the housing trust fund may not exceed five percent of annual revenues available for distribution to housing trust fund projects.
     (2) In awarding funds under this chapter, the department ((shall)) must:
     (a) P
rovide for a geographic distribution on a statewide basis; and
     (b) Until June 30, 2013, consider the total cost and per-unit cost of each project for which an application is submitted for funding under RCW 43.185.050(2) (a) and (j), as compared to similar housing projects constructed or renovated within the same geographic area
.
     (((2))) (3) The department, with advice and input from the affordable housing advisory board established in RCW 43.185B.020, or a subcommittee of the affordable housing advisory board, must report recommendations for awarding funds in a cost-effective manner. The report must include an implementation plan, timeline, and any other items the department identifies as important to consider to the legislature by December 1, 2012.
     (4)
The department shall give first priority to applications for projects and activities which utilize existing privately owned housing stock including privately owned housing stock purchased by nonprofit public development authorities and public housing authorities as created in chapter 35.82 RCW. As used in this subsection, privately owned housing stock includes housing that is acquired by a federal agency through a default on the mortgage by the private owner. Such projects and activities shall be evaluated under subsection (((3))) (5) of this section. Second priority shall be given to activities and projects which utilize existing publicly owned housing stock. All projects and activities shall be evaluated by some or all of the criteria under subsection (((3))) (5) of this section, and similar projects and activities shall be evaluated under the same criteria.
     (((3))) (5) The department shall give preference for applications based on some or all of the criteria under this subsection, and similar projects and activities shall be evaluated under the same criteria:
     (a) The degree of leveraging of other funds that will occur;
     (b) The degree of commitment from programs to provide necessary habilitation and support services for projects focusing on special needs populations;
     (c) Recipient contributions to total project costs, including allied contributions from other sources such as professional, craft and trade services, and lender interest rate subsidies;
     (d) Local government project contributions in the form of infrastructure improvements, and others;
     (e) Projects that encourage ownership, management, and other project-related responsibility opportunities;
     (f) Projects that demonstrate a strong probability of serving the original target group or income level for a period of at least twenty-five years;
     (g) The applicant has the demonstrated ability, stability and resources to implement the project;
     (h) Projects which demonstrate serving the greatest need;
     (i) Projects that provide housing for persons and families with the lowest incomes;
     (j) Projects serving special needs populations which are under statutory mandate to develop community housing;
     (k) Project location and access to employment centers in the region or area;
     (l) Projects that provide employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged youth under a youthbuild or youthbuild-type program as defined in RCW 50.72.020; and
     (m) Project location and access to available public transportation services.
     (((4))) (6) The department shall only approve applications for projects for ((mentally ill)) persons with mental illness that are consistent with a regional support network six-year capital and operating plan.

Sec. 2   RCW 43.185A.050 and 1991 c 356 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) During each calendar year in which funds are available for use by the department for the affordable housing program, the department shall announce to all known interested parties, and through major media throughout the state, a grant and loan application period of at least ninety days' duration. This announcement shall be made as often as the director deems appropriate for proper utilization of resources. The department shall then promptly grant as many applications as will utilize available funds less appropriate administrative costs of the department, not to exceed five percent of moneys appropriated to the affordable housing program.
     (2) Until June 30, 2013, for applications submitted for funding under RCW 43.185A.030(2)(a), the department shall consider total cost and per-unit cost of each project compared to similar housing projects constructed or renovated within the same geographic area.
     (3)
The department shall develop, with advice and input from the ((low-income [housing] assistance advisory committee)) affordable housing advisory board established in RCW ((43.185.110)) 43.185B.020, or a subcommittee of the affordable housing advisory board:
     (a) Additional
criteria to evaluate applications for assistance under this chapter; and
     (b) Recommendations for awarding funds under RCW 43.185A.030(2)(a) in a cost-effective manner, including an implementation plan, timeline, and any other items the department identifies as important to consider. The department must submit a report with the recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2012
.


         Passed by the House February 11, 2012.
         Passed by the Senate March 5, 2012.
         Approved by the Governor March 30, 2012.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 30, 2012.