PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Subject of Possible Rule Making: To amend WAC 365-120-080 for the transitional housing, operating and rent (THOR) program. This amendment will increase local flexibility and expand the scope of assistance to homeless families with children in the state of Washington.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Washington State Supreme Court's December 1997 decision in Washington State Coalition for the Homeless v. Department of Social and Health Services. The legislature has passed E2SHBa 1493 (chapter 267, Laws of 1999). Chapter 43.63A RCW and RCW 43.63A.650.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Now in its second year, the THOR program has helped over 2,000 homeless families with children gain temporary housing and make progress toward self-sufficiency. Grantees may use program funds for rent assistance or operating subsidies for transitional housing projects, or both. Local contractors and the THOR Advisory Committee have identified a need for more local flexibility in the use of operating subsidies. This amendment will raise the income eligibility limit for operating subsidies to 50% of the area median (consistent with the THOR rental assistance limit) and the operating subsidy limit to 50% of the project's core operating budget. The funding allocations will not change.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: CTED has been working with the Homeless Families Advisory Committee and program contractors in thirty-two counties to revise the policies and procedures for the THOR program. CTED staff held a workshop for these groups on March 20 and 21, 2001, to review and revise the proposed changes to these policies.
| LIST OF ATTENDEES TO THE THOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING AND WORKSHOP | ||
| 1. | THOR Advisory Committee Meeting March 20, 2001 | |
| Name | Agency | |
| Marty Snyder | Opportunity Council, Whatcom County | |
| Chris Lowell | Housing Authority of Thurston County | |
| Phoebe Nelson | Yakima County Coalition for the Homeless | |
| Corky Senecal | Kitsap Community Resources | |
| Jackie Kiehn | Family Crisis Network, Pend Oreille County | |
| Cody Francis | Family Crisis Network, Pend Oreille County | |
| Carolyn Spector | Snohomish County Human Services Department | |
| Robert Maher | Northeast Washington Rural Resources, Stevens County | |
| Dan Spear | Northeast Washington Rural Resources, Stevens County | |
| 2. | THOR Workshop March 20-21, 2001 | |
| Name | Agency | |
| Laura Garrison | Spokane Neighborhood Action Program | |
| June Shapiro | City of Spokane Human Services | |
| Mia Kantas | Mason County Shelter | |
| Rich Squire | Mason County Shelter | |
| Rich Matzen | Mason County Shelter | |
| Susan Mason | Blue Mountain Action Council, Walla Walla County | |
| Nicola Klein | Kitsap Community Resources | |
| Corky Senecal | Kitsap Community Resources | |
| Carolyn Spector | Snohomish County Human Resources | |
| Debbi Knowles | King County Department of Community & Human Resources | |
| Phoebe Nelson | Yakima County Coalition for the Homeless | |
| Judy Hughes | Ferry County Housing Authority | |
| Colleen Storms | Longview Housing Authority | |
| Julie Oliver | Longview Housing Authority | |
| Emily Marcuz | Serenity House of Clallam County | |
| Joyce Lyons | Community Action Center, Whitman County | |
| Dan Spear | Northeast Washington Rural Resources, Stevens County | |
| Jacquelin Keihn [Kiehn] | Family Crisis Network, Pend Oreille County | |
| Cody Francis | Family Crisis Network, Pend Oreille County | |
| Robert Maher | Northeast Washington Rural Resources, Stevens County | |
| Ruth Gutierrez | Housing Authority of Thurston County | |
| James Gutierrez | Housing Authority of Thurston County | |
| Elizabeth DeGroff | Housing Authority of Thurston County | |
| Theresa Balducci | Housing Authority of Thurston County | |
| Holly Haddad | Skagit County Community Action Agency | |
| Maile Acoba | Skagit County Community Action Agency | |
| Bob Soule | Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council | |
| JoAnn Tenney | Housing Authority of Kittitas County | |
| Diana Yeckel | Okanogan County Community Action | |
| Cynthia Moreno Tuohy | Volunteer of America, Snohomish County | |
| Michelle Sorlie | Lewis County Shelter Program | |
| Mary Anne Dillon | YWCA, Snohomish County | |
| Bill Humphreys | Housing Hope, Snohomish County | |
| Jim Martin | Okanogan County Community Action | |
| Linda Schnider | Klickitat-Skamania Development Council | |
| Vicki Petitt | Coastal Community Action Program, Grays Harbor County | |
| Cheryl Biery | Coastal Community Action Program, Grays Harbor County | |
| Sally Butler | Kennewick Housing Authority | |
| Lynne Kuchenbuch | Family Resource Center of Lincoln County | |
| Jeff Rodgers | Pierce County Department of Community Services | |
| Victor Langel | Pierce County Department of Community Services | |
| Marilyn Komnick | Volunteers of America, Shy Valley Resource and Family Support Center | |
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Attn: Jennifer Turin, Program Manager, P.O. Box 48300, Olympia, WA 98504-8300, phone (360) 725-2942, fax (360) 586-5880, e-mail jent@cted.wa.gov.
May 22, 2001
Scott Merriman, Director
Intergovernmental Relations