Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs Committee |
HB 2010
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Addressing homelessness in wildfire areas.
Sponsors: Representatives Maycumber, Dent, Blake, Kretz, Dye and Manweller.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/14/17
Staff: Kirsten Lee (786-7133).
Background:
The Local Homeless Housing and Assistance Surcharge.
Both the state and local homeless housing programs receive funding from the homeless housing and assistance surcharge collected by each county auditor when most documents are recorded. The surcharge is $40 per recorded document, but is scheduled to change back to $10 in 2019. The surcharge is applied in addition to any other authorized surcharges, as well as any administrative fees collected by the county auditor. An additional homeless housing and assistance surcharge of $8 is also collected by each county auditor.
Both the state and the county receive a percentage of the money collected from each surcharge. Approximately 60 percent is distributed to the county, and approximately 40 percent to the state. The funds collected for the local homeless housing and assistance surcharge are distributed as follows:
2 percent to the county for collection of the fee;
60 percent of the remainder to the county for its homeless housing program, up to 6 percent of which may be used for administering its homeless housing plan;
40 percent of the remainder to be deposited in the Home Security Fund (Fund), up to 12.5 percent of which may be used by the Department for managing the state Homeless Housing Program, including the costs of creating the statewide homeless housing strategic plan, measuring performance, providing technical assistance to local governments, and managing the homeless housing grant program;
of the remaining 87.5 percent of the 40 percent, at least 45 percent must be set aside for private rental housing payments; and
the remainder of all funds go to the Department to be used to provide housing and shelter for homeless people and fund the homeless housing grant program.
Home Security Fund.
The state's share of the $40 homeless housing and assistance surcharge is deposited into the Fund, along with funds from the additional $8 homeless housing and assistance surcharge. The Fund is an appropriated account and may be used only for homeless housing programs. The Office of Financial Management oversees certain compliance regulations for the Fund. The Department uses these funds for multiple homeless housing programs.
Summary of Bill:
Funds collected for the $40 Local Homeless Housing and Assistance surcharge may be used to educate homeowner's about wildfire risk and prevention measures and wildfire prevention and response activities in counties that are:
located east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains; and
have a population of 100,000 or less.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on 2/09/17.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.