Z-0848.1

HOUSE BILL 2649

ByRepresentatives Ryu, Doglio, Lekanoff, Ormsby, and Pollet; by request of Office of the Governor

AN ACT Relating to homeless shelter capacity; amending RCW 43.185C.050 and 43.185C.080; and creating a new section.

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

Sec. 2. RCW 43.185C.050 and 2018 c 85 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Each local homeless housing task force shall prepare and recommend to its local government legislative authority a five-year homeless housing plan for its jurisdictional area, which shall be not inconsistent with the department's statewide guidelines issued by December 1, 2018, and thereafter the department's five-year homeless housing strategic plan, and which shall be aimed at eliminating homelessness. The local government may amend the proposed local plan and shall adopt a plan by December 1, 2019. Performance in meeting the goals of this local plan shall be assessed annually in terms of the performance measures published by the department. Local plans may include specific local performance measures adopted by the local government legislative authority, and may include recommendations for any state legislation needed to meet the state or local plan goals.

(2) Eligible activities under the local plans include:

(a) Rental and furnishing of dwelling units for the use of homeless persons;

(b) Costs of developing affordable housing for homeless persons, and services for formerly homeless individuals and families residing in transitional housing or permanent housing and still at risk of homelessness;

(c) Operating subsidies for transitional housing or permanent housing serving formerly homeless families or individuals;

(d) Services to prevent homelessness, such as emergency eviction prevention programs including temporary rental subsidies to prevent homelessness;

(e) Temporary services to assist persons leaving state institutions and other state programs to prevent them from becoming or remaining homeless;

(f) Outreach services for homeless individuals and families;

(g) Development and management of local homeless plans including homeless census data collection; identification of goals, performance measures, strategies, and costs and evaluation of progress towards established goals;

(h) Rental vouchers payable to landlords for persons who are homeless or below thirty percent of the median income or in immediate danger of becoming homeless; and

(i) Other activities to reduce and prevent homelessness as identified for funding in the local plan.

Sec. 3. RCW 43.185C.080 and 2005 c 484 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Only a local government is eligible to receive a homeless housing grant from the ((homeless housing))home security fund account. Any city may assert responsibility for homeless housing within its borders if it so chooses, by forwarding a resolution to the legislative authority of the county stating its intention and its commitment to operate a separate homeless housing program. The city shall then receive a percentage of the surcharge assessed under RCW 36.22.179 equal to the percentage of the city's local portion of the real estate excise tax collected by the county. A participating city may also then apply separately for homeless housing program grants. A city choosing to operate a separate homeless housing program shall be responsible for complying with all of the same requirements as counties and shall adopt a local homeless housing plan meeting the requirements of this chapter for county local plans. However, the city may by resolution of its legislative authority accept the county's homeless housing task force as its own and based on that task force's recommendations adopt a homeless housing plan specific to the city.

(2) Local governments applying for homeless housing funds may subcontract with any other local government, housing authority, community action agency or other nonprofit organization for the execution of programs contributing to the overall goal of ending homelessness within a defined service area. All subcontracts shall be consistent with the local homeless housing plan adopted by the legislative authority of the local government, time limited, and filed with the department and shall have specific performance terms. While a local government has the authority to subcontract with other entities, the local government continues to maintain the ultimate responsibility for the homeless housing program within its borders.

(3) A county may decline to participate in the program authorized in this chapter by forwarding to the department a resolution adopted by the county legislative authority stating the intention not to participate. A copy of the resolution shall also be transmitted to the county auditor and treasurer. If such a resolution is adopted, all of the funds otherwise due to the county under RCW 43.185C.060 shall be remitted monthly to the state treasurer for deposit in the ((homeless housing))home security fund account, without any reduction by the county for collecting or administering the funds. Upon receipt of the resolution, the department shall promptly begin to identify and contract with one or more entities eligible under this section to create and execute a local homeless housing plan for the county meeting the requirements of this chapter. The department shall expend all of the funds received from the county under this subsection to carry out the purposes of chapter 484, Laws of 2005 in the county, provided that the department may retain six percent of these funds to offset the cost of managing the county's program.

(4) A resolution by the county declining to participate in the program shall have no effect on the ability of each city in the county to assert its right to manage its own program under this chapter, and the county shall monthly transmit to the city the funds due under this chapter.

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