Report to the Legislature — Department of Commerce, Homelessness in Washington State 2022 (June 2023)
Summary
This June 2023 report to the Legislature from the Housing Division of the Department of Commerce is the 2022 annual report to meet requirements in RCW 43.185C, titled Homelessness in Washington State (2022). It complements the State of Washington Homeless Housing Crisis Response System Strategic Plan 2019-2024. Its highlights state that the 2022 Point in Time Count saw a 16% growth in homelessness and that state and local governments have increased investments in housing acquisition and capital investments. It also notes concerns about the contraction of funding once temporary federal assistance is spent in September 2023.
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“Report to the Legislature — Department of Commerce, Homelessness in Washington State 2022 (June 2023).”
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2022 annual report to meet requirements in RCW 43.185C
June 2023
HOUSING DIVISION Report to the Legislature
Director Mike Fong
V3.2
Acknowledgments
Washington State Department of Commerce
Corina Grigoras, Assistant Director, Washington State Department of Commerce
Housing Division 1011 Plum St. SE
P.O. Box 42525
Tedd Kelleher, Housing Policy Director, Olympia, WA 98504-2525
Housing Division
www.commerce.wa.gov
Kathy Kinard, Managing Director,
Homelessness Assistance Unit For people with disabilities, this report is available
on request in other formats. To submit a request,
Kyle Gitchell, Deputy Director, Homelessness please call 360-725-4000 (TTY 360-586-0772)
Assistance Unit
Nick Mondau, Point in Time Count Manager,
Homelessness Assistance Unit
Emily Burgess, Performance Manager,
Data and Performance Unit
Talia Scott, Homeless Management Information
System Manager, Data and Performance Unit
Graham Parrington, Policy and Communications
Coordinator, Housing Division
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON STATE (2022)
Table of contents
Executive summary...................................................................................................................................... 2
Assessing the current conditions of homelessness ...................................................................................... 5
Challenges to reducing homelessness ......................................................................................................... 9
Homeless system performance .................................................................................................................. 11
State plan accomplishments ...................................................................................................................... 14
Planning, reporting, auditing and procuring ................................................................................................ 25
Organizational outline ................................................................................................................................ 27
Homeless housing project expenditure and data report .............................................................................. 30
State-funded homeless housing reports ..................................................................................................... 31
Point in Time Count ................................................................................................................................... 32
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 1
Executive summary
Overview
This annual report complements the State of Washington Homeless Housing Crisis Response System
Strategic Plan 2019-2024, which was updated in 2019. It fulfills reporting requirements outlined in several
Homeless Housing and Assistance Act chapters, including RCW 43.185C.010, 040, 045, 170, 340, and RCW
43.63A.305 and 311.
Highlights
The 2022 Point in Time Count saw a 16% growth in homelessness.
State and local governments have increased investments in housing acquisition and capital investments.
Housing prices have increased significantly,1 and rental costs continue to be out of reach for many.
Temporary federal assistance has been essential in the COVID-19 response, but there are concerns about
the contraction of funding once these fund sources are spent in September 2023.
Services supporting homeless youth have expanded to address gaps in need. More work is needed to
address available housing and shelter options.
Commerce is identifying innovative ways to measure and address racial and ethnic disparities in homeless
services.
Annual statutory reporting requirements
Table 1: Guide to annual reporting requirements in this report
Subsection Excerpted reporting requirements Location in report
RCW 43.185C.045: Homeless housing strategic plan—Annual report of department and local governments.
Assessing the Current
Conditions of Homelessness,
"An assessment of the current condition of homelessness in Washington state and the
(1)(a) state's performance in meeting the goals in the state homeless housing strategic plan;"
Homeless System
Performance, State Plan
Accomplishments
"A report on the results of the annual homeless point-in-time census conducted statewide
(1)(b) under RCW 43.185C.030;"
Point In Time Count
"The amount of federal, state, local, and private funds
spent on homelessness assistance, categorized by funding
source and the following major assistance types:
(i) Emergency shelter;
(ii) Homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing; Homeless Housing Project
(1)(c) (iii) Permanent housing; Expenditure and Data Report -
(iv) Permanent supportive housing; GOLDEN
(v) Transitional housing;
(vi) Services only; and
(vii) Any other activity in which more than five hundred
thousand dollars of category funds were expended;"
1 Washington Center for Real Estate Research, Rental Housing Markets, https://wcrer.be.uw.edu/housing-market-data-toolkit/rental-
market/
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 2
Subsection Excerpted reporting requirements Location in report
"A report on the expenditures, performance, and outcomes of state funds distributed through
State-Funded Homeless
(1)(d) the consolidated homeless grant program, including the grant recipient, award amount
Housing Reports
expended, use of the funds, counties served, and households served;"
"A report on state and local homelessness document recording fee expenditure by county,
including the total amount of fee spending, percentage of total spending from fees, number Homeless Housing Project
(1)(e) of people served by major assistance type, and amount of expenditures for private rental Expenditure and Data Report
housing payments required in RCW 36.22.179;"
"(f) A report on the expenditures, performance, and outcomes of the essential needs and
housing support program meeting the requirements of RCW 43.185C.220; and State-Funded Homeless
(1)(f) and (g) (g) A report on the expenditures, performance, and outcomes of the independent youth Housing Reports
housing program meeting the requirements of RCW 43.63A.311;"
"…the department must produce and post information on the local government's
Homeless Housing Project
(3) homelessness spending from all sources by project during the prior state fiscal year in a
Expenditure and Data Report
format similar to the department's report under subsection (1)(c) of this section."
"Any local government receiving state funds for homelessness assistance or state or local
Planning, Reporting, Auditing
(3) homelessness document recording fees under RCW 36.22.178, 36.22.179, or 36.22.1791
and Procuring
must provide an annual report on the current condition of homelessness in its jurisdiction…"
RCW 43.185C.170: Interagency council on homelessness—Duties—Reports.
"The interagency council on homelessness, as defined in RCW 43.185C.010 ... shall report to Planning, Reporting, Auditing
(1) the appropriate committees of the legislature annually by December 31st on its activities." and Procuring
RCW 43.185C.220: Essential needs and housing support program—Distribution of funds.
"In collaboration with the department of social and health services, submit a report annually
to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the legislature. A preliminary report shall be
submitted by December 31, 2011, and must include (c)(i), (iii), and (v) of this subsection.
Annual reports must be submitted beginning December 1, 2012, and must include:
(i) A description of the actions the department has taken to achieve the objectives of
chapter 36, Laws of 2011 1st sp. sess.;
(ii) The amount of funds used by the department to administer the program; State-Funded Homeless
(7)(c) (iii) Information on the housing status of essential needs and housing support recipients Housing Reports
served by housing support entities, and individuals who have requested housing support but
did not receive housing support;
(iv) Grantee expenditure data related to administration and services provided under this
section; and
(v) Efforts made to partner with other entities and leverage sources or public and private
funds;"
RCW 43.185C.340: Students experiencing homelessness—Grant program to link families with housing—Program
goals—Grant process—Requirements—Grantees report to the department.
"(a) Grantee organizations must compile and report information to the department. The
department shall report to the legislature the findings of the grantee, the housing stability of
the homeless families, and any related policy recommendations.
(b) Grantees must track and report on the following measures including, but not limited to:
(i) Length of time enrolled in the grant program;
(ii) Housing destination at program exit; State-Funded Homeless
(8) (iii) Type of residence prior to enrollment in the grant program; and Housing Reports
(iv) Number of times homeless in the past three years.
(c) Grantees must also include in their reports a narrative description discussing its
partnership with school districts as set forth in the memorandum outlined in subsection (4)
of this section. Reports must also include the kinds of supports grantees are providing
students and families to support academic learning."
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 3
Subsection Excerpted reporting requirements Location in report
RCW 43.63A.311: Independent youth housing program—Subcontractor organization performance review and report.
"The independent youth housing program report must include, at a minimum, an update on
the following program performance measures, as well as any other performance measures
the department may establish, for enrolled youth in consultation with the department of
social and health services, to be measured statewide and by county:
(2)(a) State-Funded Homeless
(a) Increases in housing stability;
through (f) Housing Reports
(b) Increases in economic self-sufficiency;
(c) Increases in independent living skills;
(d) Increases in education and job training attainment;
(e) Decreases in the use of all state-funded services over time;"
"Recommendations to the legislature and to the interagency council on homelessness as
This content is presented in a
described under RCW 43.185C.170 on program improvements and on departmental
separate report that
strategies that might assist the state to
Commerce and the
reach its goals of:
Department of Children,
(2)(g) (i) Ensuring that all youth aging out of the state dependency system have access to a
Youth and Families are
decent, appropriate, and affordable home in a healthy safe environment to prevent such
submitting separately:
youth from experiencing homelessness; and
"Improving Stability for Youth
(ii) Reducing each year the percentage of young people eligible for state assistance upon
Exiting Systems of Care."
aging out of the state dependency system."
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 4
Assessing the current conditions of homelessness
In response to the pandemic, state and local homeless crisis response funding and staff capacity were
redirected to the immediate creation of quarantine and isolation beds, additional shelter beds, and rent
assistance to prevent evictions and increase the solvency of landlords. This expansion and targeting of
housing resources was part of Washington’s above-average success in reducing deaths from COVID-19.2
The crisis phase of the disaster response has ended. Now the homeless crisis response system is scaling
down temporary programs and refocusing resources back to the primary goal of addressing unsheltered
homelessness. Although the pandemic has waned, it has left behind troubling disruptions throughout society,
exacerbating housing affordability and behavioral health problems that have contributed to an all-time high in
homelessness in Washington.3
In broad terms, employment has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Continuing the trend over the last decade,
strong employment and income growth bid up housing prices, exacerbated by housing unit construction not
keeping pace with population growth. A considerable increase in remote work put further pressure on the cost
of housing, as people wanted more space to work at home.
Before the pandemic, the affordable housing and emergency housing systems were oversubscribed, with only
one in four eligible people receiving rent assistance4 and thousands of people living outside — who would
readily come indoors if existing programs had room.
One-time temporary COVID-19-related programs partially offset the well-documented link between higher rents
and increased homeless. State and local governments have made unprecedented investments in housing
acquisition, and a significant increase in ongoing funding for affordable housing and homelessness provides
critical funding to sustainably operating these capital investments.
Beyond funding, Gov. Inslee and the Legislature enacted structural reforms to how supportive housing is
managed and financed, creating the Office of Apple Health and Homes (AHAH) through the passage of
Chapter 216, Laws of 2022 (ESHB 1866). AHAH is a foundation of a coordinated system that, at scale, could
bring the most vulnerable living unsheltered inside. Chapter 216, Laws of 2022, also expanded shelter capacity
throughout the state, funding an array of community-designed responses to bring people inside, including
leased hotel rooms and tiny shelters. During the last two years, state and local homeless programs enacted
overdue changes to address longstanding racial inequity in who is served and outcomes, including system-
wide racial equity performance measures to see how reforms work in practice.
And with the legislatively required release of projected housing needs for each county, communities now have
specific goals to work toward through land use reforms, infrastructure investment increases, and additional
funding.
This real progress is threatened by a post-pandemic surge in housing prices, leaving an even larger structural
mismatch between the cost of housing and the incomes of people left behind by Washington’s vibrant
2 The Lancet, "Estimating excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic analysis of COVID-19-related mortality, 2020-
21," (March 10, 2022), https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02796-3/fulltext
3 Washington State Department of Commerce, "2022 PIT Summary," (Last updated: Aug. 29, 2022),
https://deptofcommerce.app.box.com/s/ek9pu2w07oz8d77gq6c1rlpxuwcw0515/file/992821877661
4 Congressional Budget Office, Reduce Funding for the Housing Choice Voucher Program or Eliminate the Program, (December 13, 2018),
https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/2018/54781
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 5
economy.5 This material mismatch is compounded by the nationwide increase in behavioral health problems,
which have put an even larger pool of people at-risk of becoming homeless.6
At this post-pandemic inflection point, we are challenged to expand Washington’s success in building a vibrant
economy and growing prosperity to include abundant affordable housing and a system that does not leave
people living outside.
Youth and young adult homelessness
In Washington, at least 13,000 young people, ages 12 through 24, are on the street or in unsafe or unstable
housing situations.7 These young people are without a parent or guardian. They are often referred to as
“unaccompanied” homeless.
Young people can experience homelessness for various reasons, including family dysfunction or conflict,
rejection due to sexual orientation or gender identity, or economic instability that leads to separation from
family. Chapin Hall interviews show that young people link the beginning of their homelessness to earlier
disruptions of family and home, including family homelessness and entrance into foster care.8 In short, young
people become homeless when their home is unsafe, not supportive or does not exist.
Some young people are at greater risk of homelessness
Youth of color experience homelessness at much higher rates than the rest of the youth population.
Black youth in Washington make up 24% of the homeless youth population but represent only 6% of the
total youth population.9
Up to 40% of youth experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ, while only 3% to 5% of the United
States population identifies as LGBTQ.10
About 1 in 4 youth who exit foster care and 1 in 3 youth who exit the juvenile or adult justice systems
experience homelessness. Each year, nearly 1,200 youth and young adults who exit behavioral health
inpatient treatment experience homelessness (23% of those exiting).11
Youth who have not earned a high school diploma or GED have a 346% higher risk of homelessness than
those who have.12
5 Census Bureau, American Community Survey, DP04 – Selected Housing Characteristics, 2019 to 2021,
https://data.census.gov/table?q=DP04
6 Kaiser Family Foundation, The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use, (March 20, 2023),
https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/
7 Washington State Department of Commerce, "Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Programs 2016 Report," (2016),
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/hau-ohy-report-2016-update.pdf
8 Chapin Hall, "Missed Opportunities in Youth Pathways Through Homelessness," (2019), https://www.chapinhall.org/wp-
content/uploads/ChapinHall_VoYC_Youth-Pathways-FINAL.pdf
9 Washington State Department of Commerce, "Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Programs 2016 Report"
10 Ray, N., “Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth: An epidemic of homelessness,” (2006), http://www.thetaskforce.org/lgbt-
youth-an-epidemic-of-homelessness/
11 Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, “Housing Status of Youth Exiting Foster Care, Behavioral Health and
Criminal Justice Systems,” (2017), https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/rda/research-reports/housing-status-youth-exiting-foster-care-
behavioral-health-and-criminal-justice-systems
12 Chapin Hall, "Voices of Youth Count," (2018), http://voicesofyouthcount.org/
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 6
Adolescence is a unique period that demands a tailored approach
Experiencing homelessness during adolescence can have a profound and enduring impact on a person’s life.
Youths aged 12 through 24 are in a critical developmental window during which significant changes happen
physically, emotionally, psychologically and socially. The adolescent brain is plastic, so to speak, meaning that
it is malleable and highly sensitive to its environment. During times of heightened sensitivity, especially during
early childhood and adolescence, the brain is more vulnerable to damage from physical harms, such as drugs
and environmental toxins, or psychological ones, such as trauma and stress.13 However, the brain is also more
responsive to positive influences during this time, making interventions more impactful on young people's
success and stability into adulthood.
The conditions under which young people enter into homelessness require a holistic response rather than one
focused on housing alone. That is because young people experiencing homelessness typically lack work
experience, have not completed their education, and do not have experience living independently, so they have
not developed life skills such as budgeting, housekeeping and job searching. Due to their age, they are also at
greater risk of victimization.14 Commerce's Office of Homeless Youth addresses youth homelessness through
five key components to prepare young people for a bright future:
1) Stable housing
2) Permanent connections
3) Family reconciliation
4) Education and employment
5) Social and emotional well-being
Washington can lead the way
State government, advocates and service providers working together will ensure that all young people have a
safe and stable home and the support they need to thrive. Establishing the Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) in
2015 solidified the state’s commitment via a laser-like approach to this issue. There is a strong movement of
leaders, funders and young people working together to end youth and young adult homelessness. Bold
initiatives currently underway include the following.
Anchor Community Initiative: The Anchor Community Initiative is an innovative program led by A Way
Home Washington. It aims to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness through an intensive
support program with tailored coaching and technical assistance, Centralized Diversion Funding to
address immediate barriers and resolve a young person’s housing crisis, and a By-Name List that
identifies each unaccompanied young person its system engages with. This list is used to connect young
people to available resources. Current Anchor Communities15 include Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, Pierce,
13 Steinberg, Laurence, “Age of Opportunity, Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence,” (2014), Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
14 National Network for Youth, “What Works to End Youth Homelessness?”, (2015), https://www.nn4youth.org/wp-
content/uploads/2015-What-Works-to-End-Youth-Homlessness.pdf
15 Anchor Communities commit to a model to address youth and young adult homelessness, which includes ongoing community and
stakeholder engagement, a pledge to end disproportional impacts, setting measurable goals, and funding important staff positions,
among others. For a full description: https://awayhomewa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/AWHWA-FAQs.pdf
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 7
Skagit, Spokane, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Yakima Counties.16 The Office of Homeless Youth
is currently partnering in this effort, providing $8 million in grants to these communities to support
interventions that drive reductions in youth and young adult homelessness.
The Homeless Student Stability Program moved from the Housing Assistance Unit to the Office of
Homeless Youth: The Homeless Student Stability Program (HSSP) is now managed by the Office of
Homeless Youth (OHY) as of state fiscal year 2022. Grants are administered by both the Office of
Superintendent Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Department of Commerce. The program's primary goal
is to address the housing and academic needs of youth and young adults in Washington. HSSP projects
address system gaps in housing for families and students who are housing unstable17 or experiencing
homelessness. Commerce's OHY is providing $865,000 to HSSP efforts in Yakima, Pierce, King,
Whatcom and Clark counties to support innovative strategies between housing and education providers
and promote stable housing to families in Washington.
Improving Stability for Youth Exiting Systems of Care Report: Together, OHY and the Department of
Children, Youth and Families developed a plan for youth exiting systems of care, such as foster care and
juvenile justice, to move into safe and stable housing. This work responds to the Legislature’s directive in
Chapter 157, Laws of 2018 (SSB 6560).
Preliminary Strategic Plan: Prevention of Youth Homelessness: OHY worked with two community-based
organizations, Communities of Color Coalition and Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative, to
establish a steering committee to develop a strategic plan to prevent youth and young adult
homelessness. The plan was published in September 2021. The steering committee had young people
with lived experience of housing instability and caretakers of young people who had experienced
homelessness and/or systems involvement. Committee members identified key recommendations to
address the root causes of youth homelessness and housing instability in Washington. Read more on the
Youth Homelessness Prevention webpage.
Progress toward recommendations in the OHY 2016 report: Significant progress was made on
recommendations proposed in the Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Programs 2016
Report, including expanded access to the Extended Foster Care Program, increased funding for housing
and shelter, and policies to support the academic success of students experiencing homelessness.
However, while progress was made, much work remains. Washington must remain steadfast in its
commitment to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness.
16 A Way Home Washington, The Anchor Communities Initiative is A Way Home Washington’s flagship program,
https://awayhomewa.org/anchor-community-initiative/
17 "Housing unstable" includes households that have trouble paying rent, overcrowded households, moving frequently, or spending the
majority of household income on housing. Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Housing Instability,
https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/housing-
instability#:~:text=Housing%20instability%20encompasses%20a%20number,of%20household%20income%20on%20housing.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 8
Challenges to reducing homelessness
The systemic problems driving the increase in homelessness pre-pandemic remain and appear to be growing:
A vibrant economy leads to growing incomes for most and related income-driven housing cost increases,
leaving some people at the margins unable to afford housing costs with low and slow-growing incomes.
An undersupply of market rate and subsidized housing makes it difficult for people at all income levels to
find a place to live, forcing those at the margins out of their communities or into unsheltered
homelessness.
There are several proven approaches to attaining the state strategic plan vision of “No person left living
outside.” In 2020, the governor proposed,18 and the Legislature partially funded,19 an expansion of dignified and
accessible shelter opportunities throughout the state. This shelter expansion funded more than 1,000 new
beds for temporary housing in the 22 counties that applied for grants from Commerce and additional
permanent supportive housing beds. Additional permanent funding enacted by the Legislature in 2020 for rent
assistance to prevent evictions and subsidized housing and services brings Washington closer to having the
capacity to implement an at-scale solution.
Additional federal pandemic response funding helped support shelter space through hotel and motel vouchers
and other non-congregant shelter spaces to provide temporary places and curtail the spread of COVID-19.
However, these funds are temporary and will no longer be available at the end of 2023.
Washington has the fewest housing units per household of any state.20 This undersupply has contributed to
dramatic home price growth. From 2000 to 2020, the median home price in Washington increased 157%; from
2019 to 2020, median home prices rose 13.7% in just one year.21 The issue of housing affordability is not
limited to urban areas. Many rural areas have attracted remote workers as employers have shifted to allowing
more work from home. The largest home price growth has occurred in rural areas, such as Chelan, Okanogan,
and Pacific counties.22 BIPOC households, in particular, have found homeownership out of reach. According to
an analysis of census American Community Survey (ACS) data, the BIPOC homeownership rate in Washington
is 49%, slightly higher than the national BIPOC homeownership rate but 19 percentage points below that of
non-Hispanic white households in Washington (with a homeownership rate of 68%, as of 2019).23
There is also a mismatch of incomes versus units affordable to people's incomes at the margins. According to
a National Low Income Housing Coalition study, Washington has the country's sixth most expensive rental
18 Office of Financial Management, "Proposed 2020 Supplemental Budget & Policy Highlights,"
https://ofm.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/budget/statebudget/highlights/budget20/Proposed-2020-Supplemental-Budget-and-
Policy-Highlights__Full__Final.pdf
19 Washington State Legislature, "OPERATING BUDGET--SUPPLEMENTAL," http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/budget/lbns/2020Omni6168-
S.SL.pdf
20 EconNorthwest, "Redefining Economic Success in Washington State: 3 KEYS TO QUALITY GROWTH," (Feb. 2022),
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d70140860791400013fe3ce/t/6217b31c7e41665a132480fe/1645720372018/Redefining+Ec
onomic+Success+in+WA_3+Keys+to+Quality+Growth_FEB+2022_FullReport_email.pdf
21 Office of Financial Management, Median home price, (Last updated Aug. 12, 2022), https://ofm.wa.gov/washington-data-
research/statewide-data/washington-trends/economic-trends/median-home-price
22 Puget Sound Business Journal, "Home prices up all over, but especially in 'Zoom towns' like Chelan," (Dec. 8, 2020),
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2020/12/08/home-prices-up-throughout-washington-state.html
23 Homeownership Disparities Work Group, "Improving Homeownership Rates for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in
Washington," (Sept. 2022), https://deptofcommerce.app.box.com/s/zqs8xhdhskn4mvma9tp3a42xmc19slch
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 9
housing.24 The average statewide housing wage for a two-bedroom rental is $31.33 an hour and $19.64 an
hour for non-metropolitan areas.24 Meanwhile, 37% of renter households are below 50% AMI and 22% are
below 30% AMI.25
The state and local governments do not have an at-scale answer to the question sometimes voiced by people
living outside: “Where do you want me to go?” A meaningful answer to this question can be built on different
values, politics and priorities. But at this point, communities do not have agreed-upon and transparent answers
to that question and the systematic at-scale response necessary to bring everyone inside to a dignified place
to live.
Current gaps in the youth and young adult system limit prevention
and pathways out of homelessness
Geographic gaps
Youth and young adults experience homelessness in every region of our state. Despite what many people
assume, rates of youth homelessness are similar in rural and urban areas.26 Yet, while youth are experiencing
homelessness in all Washington communities, resources to help them are not always available.
Lack of prevention services
Families experiencing conflict or disruption lack the support needed to build resilience and resolve challenges.
More robust crisis intervention, family counseling and reconciliation, and access to behavioral health services
are needed to prevent young people from having even a single experience of homelessness.
Public systems are a pipeline to homelessness
Young people transitioning from public systems of care, such as foster care, inpatient behavioral health
treatment and the justice system, are leaving without the proper preparation and support to ensure their safety
and stability.
Lack of longer-term housing supports for minors
Youth under age 18 who are unable to return home safely lack stable housing options. Shelters are limited to
short-term stays. Host homes provide an option for longer-term support, but only a handful of these programs
exist in the state.
24 National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing, https://nlihc.org/oor
25 Ibid.
26 Chapin Hall, Voices of Youth Count, (2018), http://voicesofyouthcount.org/
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 10
Homeless system performance
Homeless system performance goals and targets
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, temporary changes and requirements suspensions were made
regarding grantee performance requirements through June 2023.
Prioritization requirements, established in 2016, required grantees to prioritize unsheltered homeless
households and households fleeing violence for services and projects.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Commerce recommended that communities continue prioritizing
people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and people fleeing violence because they cannot safely self-
isolate or shelter in place. These factors must be considered as part of the local prioritization process.
In July 2017, Commerce introduced housing outcome performance improvement requirements to the
Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG). The housing outcome performance improvement requirements were
updated and refined in 2019. Before the contract period, Commerce provides grantees with a menu of
performance measures specific to intervention types. For each intervention type funded by CHG, grantees
adopted the required performance measure. Using local data, they chose short-term improvement goals.
From July 2022 to June 2023, Commerce will review and update the existing homeless system performance
requirements, including prioritization requirements and housing outcome requirements. New homeless system
performance requirements will integrate the concepts introduced in ESHB 1277 into state homeless contracts
starting in July 2023.
ESHB 1277 performance requirements implementation
Passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2021, the new rental assistance and homeless system
performance measures in Chapter 214, Laws of 2021 (ESHB 1277) provide an additional revenue source for
eviction prevention and housing stability services. Additionally, this act requires Commerce to award a portion
of the funds to eligible grantees in a manner that distributes 15% of the funding as a performance-based
allocation following the agency's performance metrics.
Commerce has been working to fulfill the new performance requirements by consulting with stakeholders to
create performance metrics and to inform the design of measures and benchmarks to promote equitable
program access and outcomes.
Commerce was required to consult with the following stakeholder groups to create the performance metrics
described above, as well as create additional equity benchmarks and measures:
People at risk of homelessness due to unpaid rent
Representative of a community(s) of color
Homeless service provider
Landlord representative
A representative of a local government that administers homelessness assistance
A statewide association representing a city
A statewide association representing a county
A representative of homeless youth and young adults
Affordable housing advocates
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 11
A steering committee of the stakeholders listed above was formed to provide recommendations to satisfy this
requirement and create a cross-sectional group of stakeholders to advise Commerce.
County governments and the steering committee developed an initial performance framework and metrics for
the project-based vouchers and related services portion of the ESHB 1277 funding: The County Action Menu.
The County Action Menu requires county governments to take actions to prevent and reduce homelessness.
Beginning July 1, 2023, this requirement will apply to the funds described in section 1(1)(c) of Chapter 214,
Laws of 2021 (ESHB 1277).
The strategies identified to prevent and reduce homelessness:
Increase housing capacity/inventory
Improve financial and supportive services/increase housing placements
Address racial disparities
Counties will select two action items per strategy at contract negotiation for a total of six actions. At mid-
contract and near contract end, Commerce will evaluate if counties achieved their selected actions. The county
is awarded the performance-based allocation if most actions are achieved.
This County Action Menu was developed specifically to acknowledge and address the wide variety of actions
needed to make gains in each strategy. There must be available actions appropriate to both rural communities
and large urban centers.
Process requirements
Nationally and in Washington, people of color and other historically marginalized communities27 are
dramatically over-represented in homeless and unstably housed populations. This disproportionality is due to
structural oppression. The decision-making processes of homeless service systems must work to stop
perpetuating disparities, inequity and oppression.
Counties must use an equity-based decision-making framework28 when selecting actions to achieve each
strategy. In addition, counties must include historically marginalized communities in decision making relating
to this performance requirement.
Communicating performance
Commerce analyzes homeless system performance quarterly and annually to assess the degree to which
systems are making progress on their benchmarks. Performance outcomes are communicated through data
visualizations, which provide information on critical homeless system performance measures and other
contextual information about a community’s homeless crisis response system.
27 Communities that should be considered to be historically marginalized and disproportionately impacted by homelessness in the
United States include: Black and African Americans; people who identify as Latinx, Native, or Pacific Islander; individuals with
disabilities; people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ); incarcerated and formerly incarcerated
individuals; and undocumented individuals and mixed-immigration-status families and communities. Source: National Innovation
Service, Equity Based Decision Making Framework, https://dandelion-flute-fa5x.squarespace.com/equity-based-decision-making-
framework/
28 Ibid.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 12
The County Report Card provides annual performance outcome results for Washington as a whole and for
each county. Data from all homeless housing projects that participate in HMIS are included in this report. The
County Report Card was updated in September 2022 for state fiscal year 2021.
Performance monitoring
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Commerce suspended performance monitoring for the contract period
through June 2023. However, communities monitored their progress using the CHG Performance Tracker,
which was updated quarterly throughout the contract period.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 13
State plan accomplishments
Homeless Strategic Plan vision, mission and guiding principles
In 2005, the Washington Legislature passed the Homeless Housing and Assistance Act (RCW 43.185C). The
act outlined bold policies to address homelessness and directs Commerce to “prepare and publish a five-year
homeless housing strategic plan which must outline statewide goals and performance measures.”
Figure 1: Homelessness Strategic Plan Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles
OUR VISION
No person left living outside.
OUR MISSION
Support homeless crisis response systems that efficiently reduce the number of people living outside and,
when scaled appropriately, can house all unsheltered people.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
All people deserve a safe place to live.
Urgent and bold action is the appropriate response to people living outside.
Interventions must be data-driven and evidence-based.
Commerce completed the 2019-2024 Washington Homeless Housing Crisis Strategic Plan in 2019. To learn
more, visit the State Strategic Plan, Annual Reports and Audits webpage.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 14
2019-2024 Strategic Plan objectives
Objective 1: Identify and engage people experiencing homelessness
Quickly identify and engage people experiencing homelessness through outreach and coordination
with systems that assist homeless subpopulations.
Connection to the goal: People living unsheltered cannot be housed if they are not identified, and progress toward the
goal of ending homelessness cannot be accurately assessed without knowing the universe of people experiencing
homelessness.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
Office of Family and Due to the pandemic, staffing resources
Adult Homelessness were diverted to administering the
Provide effective problem- and Office of temporary eviction rent assistance
solving strategies and Homeless Youth programs. Staff provided technical
2019-
technical assistance on how to grantees access assistance primarily focused on
2021,
identify and engage people technical assistance. administering new federally funded eviction
ongoing
living in places not meant for Coordinated Entry prevention programming. Technical
human habitation. Systems comply with assistance on how to identify and engage
Coordinated Entry people living in places not meant for human
System requirements habitation has resumed.
Provide technical assistance
New Coordinated Entry guidance (developed
to ensure coordinated entry
Coordinated Entry with input from the Washington State
process accessibility, safety
Systems access Coalition Against Domestic Violence) on
and confidentiality for 2019-
technical assistance helping households fleeing violence was
households whose members 2021,
and comply with released in October 2021. All communities
are fleeing violence (including ongoing
Coordinated Entry are required to work with their local victim
domestic violence, dating
requirements. service providers to ensure a safe and
violence, and sexual assault,
confidential process.
stalking or trafficking).
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 15
Objective 2: Prioritize the greatest need
Prioritize housing for people who have the greatest need for immediate access to assistance.
Connection to the goal: When people who have the greatest needs are left outside, they are more likely to experience
trauma or injury, making it more difficult to ultimately bring them inside.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
Office of Family and
Provide training In October 2021, new Coordinated Entry guidelines were
Adult Homelessness
and technical released, and OFAH and OHY grantees are receiving training
(OFAH) and Office of 2019-
assistance on the and technical assistance. Every county in the Balance of
Homeless Youth 2021,
Washington State State met individually with the Coordinated Entry
(OHY) grantees ongoing
Coordinated Entry Performance Specialist to assess technical assistance
access technical
Guidelines. needs and made plans for implementation by July 2022.
assistance.
Assess the Assess 60% of
Fourteen counties in the Balance of State Continuum of Care
coordinated entry counties in 2019 and
were assessed for compliance in 2019. All were provided
process 40% in 2020.
reports identifying deficiencies in their Coordinated Entry
performance and
2019- processes and offered technical assistance. The
compliance with Develop a plan to
2021 assessment found common issues, and the Coordinated
requirements and ensure compliance
Entry Performance Specialist was able to use this
provide technical with federal
information to provide technical assistance to all
assistance on Coordinated Entry
communities in Washington.
any deficiencies. Requirements.
Explore New county performance measures in RCW 43.185C.060
performance Establish require the agency to develop performance measures and
improvement performance award 15% based on compliance with performance metrics.
requirements and improvement
benchmarks for requirements and New rental assistance performance measures in RCW
successful benchmarks for 2024 43.185C.185 require the agency to develop performance
housing successful housing measures and benchmarks that promote both equitable
placements or placements or program access and equitable program outcomes.
housing retention housing retention of
of prioritized prioritized people The new requirements required a lengthy stakeholder
people. process and will be implemented in July 2023.
Annually monitor
the unsheltered
prioritization
80% of counties
performance Performance monitoring was postponed due to the
move into 2019,
improvement pandemic and new legislation directing the development of
compliance after any ongoing
requirements and new measures in RCW 43.185C.185 and 43.185c.060.
corrective action.
provide technical
assistance on
any deficiencies.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 16
Objective 3: Bring everyone inside
Work toward people living unsheltered having immediate access to temporary housing.
Connection to the goal: Living outside is a barrier to resolving the issues that contribute to people becoming homeless.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
Estimates include:
Publish estimates of Rents increase at the
the unmet temporary same rate as inflation New requirements in RCW 36.70A070(2),
housing and services Rents annually decrease 35A.21.430 and 34.21.683 provide additional
need and the costs of 2% below the rate of 2020 targets that local governments are required
meeting the state’s inflation to use as part of the Growth Management
vision that no person is Rents annually increase Act.
left living outside. by 2% above the rate of
inflation
Assess 80% of counties in
2019 and 20% in 2020.
Monitor low-barrier
Due to the pandemic, monitoring was
requirements and Counties receive technical
2019- postponed in 2020 and 2021. It resumed in
provide technical assistance plans that, if
2021 2022. New targets will be established in a
assistance on any implemented, would bring
monitoring plan in 2023.
deficiencies. them into compliance with
state low-barrier
requirements.
40% of counties expand low-
Due to the pandemic, efforts to expand low-
barrier programs and facilities
Support state-funded barrier requirements to additional state-
access by 2022.
projects to expand low- 2022- funded projects were postponed. The agency
barrier requirements to 2024 is working with stakeholders and grantees to
60% of counties expand low-
reduce barriers determine a new timeframe, with the goal of
barrier program and facility
having a plan in mid-2023.
access by 2024.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 17
Objective 4: House everyone permanently
Work toward people experiencing homelessness having permanent housing options.
Connection to the goal: People living in temporary housing are considered homeless, so moving people into
permanent and stable housing options is central to the goal of ending homelessness.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
Estimates include:
Publish estimates of
Rents increase at the
the unmet
same rate as inflation
permanent housing New requirements in RCW 36.70A070(2),
Rents annually
and services need 35A.21.430 and 34.21.683 provide additional
decrease 2% below the 2020
and the costs of targets that local governments are required to use
rate of inflation
meeting the state’s as part of the Growth Management Act.
Rents annually
vision that no person
increase by 2% above
is left living outside.
the rate of inflation
Apply annually for Applications were submitted on time for annual
federal Continuum Applications include new renewals and new projects in the Balance of State
of Care funds for the and existing projects. Continuum of Care competition in 2021 and 2022;
2019,
Balance of State the 2020 application was suspended by the federal
ongoing
projects and comply Submit applications and Department of Housing and Urban Development
with reporting reports on time. (HUD) in response to the pandemic.
requirements.
Applications were submitted for renewals and new
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project
projects in 2022.
Application submitted for new projects in the
Actively seek new Balance of State Continuum of Care supplemental
federal fund to address unsheltered and rural homelessness in
opportunities for 2022.
Award applications. Ongoing
Balance of State
counties to expand All reporting deadlines to HUD were met in 2020,
housing inventory. 2021 and 2022 for Point in Time Count data and
Housing Inventory Count for Balance of State
Continuum of Care projects.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 18
Objective 5: Prevent youth homelessness
Prevent youth and young adults from experiencing homelessness.
Connection to the goal: Preventing youth and young adults from becoming homeless directly contributes to the goal of
ending homelessness.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
In 2020, OHY and DCYF submitted a state plan to the
Legislature that outlined recommendations in three
priority areas: Effective Transitions From Care,
Community Connections, and Housing. OHY has
collaborated with DCYF and the Health Care Authority
through the interagency work group authorized in Chapter
157, Laws of 2018 (SSB 6560) to support the
development of new transition planning processes for
young people in child welfare, juvenile rehabilitation and
inpatient behavioral health treatment. OHY has also
worked to pilot a Transitional Living Pilot for youth ages
16 and 17 and, through Chapter 154, Laws of 2022 (SB
Submit a state plan to
5566), expanded funding and eligibility for the
the Legislature by
Independent Youth Housing Program for former foster
Dec. 31, 2019.
youth and young adults in Extended Foster Care.
Ensure that youth Develop data-tracking
who exit public mechanisms to
In 2020, OHY contracted with DSHS’s Research and Data
systems of care measure the number
Analysis division to produce a dashboard that measures
exit into safe and of youth and young
the number of youth and young adults experiencing
stable housing, per adults experiencing
homelessness or housing instability within three and 12
Chapter 82, Laws homelessness or
months of exit from a public system. OHY continues to
of 2018 (SSB housing instability
work with RDA to refine the dashboard and anticipates a
6560). Public within 12 months of 2018,
semiannual update release schedule.
systems of care exit from a public ongoing
include foster system. Implement
In 2022, OHY worked with state agency partners to
care, juvenile and evaluate system-
implement four components of Chapter 137, Laws of
justice, behavioral of-care/innovation
2022 (SHB 1905), representing a $4,434,00 state
health and the grants to test
investment towards the goal of ending exits to
Office of innovative
homelessness from public systems of care. The four
Homeless Youth approaches to
components are:
programs. prevent youth from
1. A new Rapid Response Team of OHY, DCYF, HCA,
exiting systems of
and DSHS representatives to respond to complex
care into
cases involving a youth exiting a publicly funded
homelessness
system of care
2. A new flexible funding program to expand
homelessness diversion supports for individual youth
exiting systems of care
3. Funding for six counties to implement the Housing
Stability for Youth in Courts (HSYNC) model to
prevent exits to homelessness from county juvenile
detention facilities
4. Expand the System of Care grant program to fund
community-based services that prevent youth from
exiting a publicly funded system of care into
homelessness
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 19
Prevent youth and young adults from experiencing homelessness.
In 2020, the Washington State Legislature asked the
Office of Homeless Youth to draft a strategic plan to
prevent youth homelessness with financial support from
the Raikes Foundation.
After drafting a preliminary plan outlining existing
prevention efforts and identifying root causes, OHY
worked with two grassroots, BIPOC-led organizations to
establish a steering committee of lived experts to identify
Submit
Develop policy and recommendations in the report "Shifting Services and
recommendations to
funding solutions Systems to Prevent Youth Housing Instability."
the Legislature
that provide
through the Families
families and youth The final strategic plan outlines recommendations under
and Youth in Crisis 2018,
in crisis with the four main pillars of prevention:
report (2018 ongoing
supports they 1. Support and invest in whole family well being
supplemental
need to become or 2. Eliminate trauma and racism in systems that serve
operating budget,
stay healthy and youth and families
section 127,
resilient. 3. Shift power to BIPOC communities
subsection 24).
4. Universal support for fundamental human rights
In 2022, OHY was directed to establish an interagency
work group to oversee the implementation of the
strategic plan for youth homelessness prevention. OHY
received funding from the Legislature to re-establish the
steering committee of lived experts to continue to inform
the implementation of the recommendations outlined in
the plan.
In 2020, OHY updated the Street Outreach Services grant
Make diversion an guidelines to include diversion as an allowable expense
Update the 2019-21
allowable activity and activity.
Street Outreach
through the Office
Services program
of Homeless Beginning July 1, 2020, the OHY issued grants to operate
guidelines to include
Youth’s Street a “Centralized Diversion Fund” to provide diversion
diversion as an
Outreach Services services and flexible funding to youth and young adults in
allowable cost. 90% of
grant. Provide the Anchor Communities (Spokane, Walla Walla, Pierce,
Street Outreach
technical and Yakima counties).
Services grantees
assistance to 2019,
receive technical
grantees on ongoing In 2022, the Legislature passed Chapter 137, Laws of
assistance. Data
effective diversion 2022 (HB 1905), which included a new flexible fund
reflects that youth
strategies. program for young people exiting public systems of care
and young adults
Measure to ensure they obtain stable housing.
served through
effectiveness and
diversion avoid
implement A Way Home Washington provides technical assistance
entering the homeless
continuous quality and delivers a comprehensive curriculum to train
crisis response
improvement community partners on diversion best practice
system.
processes. approaches and how to utilize flexible funding to meet
the needs of young people to avoid homelessness.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 20
Objective 6: Make certain that youth experiencing homelessness receive appropriate
services
Make certain that youth experiencing homelessness are offered age and developmentally
appropriate access to services that support permanent connections, education and employment,
and well-being.
Connection to the goal: Services can help youth build resiliency that prevents homelessness and promotes stability
through increased income, connections to supportive social networks and general well-being.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
Through the Office of
Homeless Youth, lead
the Interagency
Workgroup on Youth
Homelessness to
In 2020, proposed performance measures were
engage state
introduced after feedback sessions from lived experts
agencies in 2019-21 program
and stakeholders.
addressing the contracts include
education, performance
In 2022, the draft performance measures were updated
employment, and measures and data-
to focus on best practices and youth-led programming.
well-being needs of reporting
Feedback sessions occurred with the Office of
youth and young requirements. The
Homeless Youth (OHY), lived experts, and grantees.
adults experiencing Interagency 2019,
homelessness. Workgroup on Youth ongoing
Live dashboards were published on the Department of
Implement the Office Homelessness
Commerce Performance webpage for OHY staff, OHY
of Homeless Youth develops cross-
grantees and the community in January 2023. These
program performance sector strategies to
dashboards reflect the current state of each grantee’s
measures that address youth and
performance and will guide future monitoring.
evaluate outcomes young adult
related to stable homelessness.
The final performance measures were implemented into
housing, education,
guidelines in January 2023.
employment,
permanent
connections, and
social and emotional
well-being.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 21
Objective 7: Address inequities in services and outcomes
Address inequities in services and outcomes among people experiencing homelessness
Connection to the goal: Systems that cannot effectively engage all people cannot end homelessness.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
Conduct data analysis to
understand the scope of
inequities as it relates to Analysis of race and ethnicity in the homeless
race, ethnicity, disabilities, Conduct research services system was conducted in 2019, which
2022
people who identify as and publish a report. resulted in the publication of a public dashboard on
LGBTQ+ and other racial equity.
marginalized
communities.
Work with stakeholders to
Hold feedback
develop equity measures
sessions with
and benchmarks that are New county and equity-based performance
stakeholders to
added to the state and 2022- measures in RCW 43.185c.060 and 43.185c.185
identify measures
county report cards and 2023 require stakeholder feedback. New terms will be
and benchmarks
included in contracts for added to contracts beginning in July 2023.
after publishing the
state homeless housing
report.
funds.
Procure trainer on
protected classes for
Trainer under 2020,
Commerce homeless Ongoing
contract. ongoing
housing staff and
grantees.
Identify subject
matter experts and New pandemic eviction rent assistance programs
Use an equity tool to
peer state agency included equity performance measures. That work
review and evaluate
consultants to has carried over to other crisis response grants.
homeless program
advise on the equity The Homelessness Assistance Unit Racial Equity
guidelines and policies. 2020
tool. Develop Team is receiving racial equity training and
Use the tool to ensure the
policies to use the consultation. We are working with the Commerce
equitable distribution of
tool to ensure Housing Division and the whole agency to develop
resources.
equitable resource policies to ensure equitable resource distribution.
distribution.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 22
Objective 8: Maintain an effective, efficient and transparent homeless crisis response
system
Connection to the goal: Improved efficiency increases the number of people who can be housed
with limited resources, and a system that transparently demonstrates its efficiency is more likely
to receive the resources necessary to end homelessness.
Commerce action Measure of success Timeline Update
Publish Washington’s
The project was placed on hold due
homeless system Publish performance results 2019,
to inconsistencies in data collection
performance as compared to annually. ongoing
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
other states.
System performance reporting was
suspended for 2020 due to a shift of
Publish state, county and staff focus toward COVID-19 relief
project-level homeless Publish annual and quarterly 2019, response. The Washington State
system performance performance outcomes. ongoing Homeless System Performance
outcomes. County Report Card was updated for
2021 and is on track to be updated
for 2022.
Due to the pandemic, the Department
did not submit an annual state report
in 2020. The 2021 annual state report
was submitted late.
Complete annual state and Submit accurate reports on
Ongoing All federally required reports were
federal reporting. time.
submitted on time, including the
Action Plan, Consolidated Annual
Performance and Evaluation Report,
Housing Inventory Count, and Point in
Time Count data.
The Consolidated Homeless
Grant contracts include the
Performance monitoring and
homeless system
Require progress toward technical assistance were suspended
performance improvement
homeless system 2019, in 2020 and 2021, and new legislation
requirements for rapid
performance targets as a ongoing requiring new performance measures
rehousing, emergency
condition of state funding. in 2022 will be implemented in mid-
shelter, transitional housing
2023.
and permanent supportive
housing.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 23
Connection to the goal: Improved efficiency increases the number of people who can be housed
with limited resources, and a system that transparently demonstrates its efficiency is more likely
to receive the resources necessary to end homelessness.
The percentage of exits to
Provide technical assistance permanent housing reaches
and training on homeless the level of the top-
system performance performing 20% of homeless
improvement strategies. systems nationwide. Reduce
Develop performance returns to homelessness 2019- 2024
improvement plans for after exits to permanent
grantees who are not housing to less than 10%.
meeting performance Reduce the average length of
improvement benchmarks. time homeless to fewer than
90 days.
Improve homeless system
performance measures Meet with the Washington
through consultation with State Interagency Council on
Contract with performance
national experts and peer Homelessness quarterly. Ongoing
consultant postponed.
agencies on the Washington Maintain a contract with a
State Interagency Council on performance consultant.
Homelessness.
Schedule listening tours and
Engage people who have meet with advocacy groups The Office of Family and Adult
experienced homelessness to gather feedback on the Homelessness and the Office of
to provide meaningful Office of Family and Adult Ongoing Homeless Youth meet with
opportunities for input and Homelessness and Office of stakeholders and groups of people
expert advice. Homeless Youth program with lived experience.
policies.
Provide feedback on federal
Pursue federal and state homeless housing policy
policy changes necessary to changes and advocate for
achieve the state’s vision program improvements. Ongoing Ongoing
that no person is left living Develop budget requests
outside. that increase funding for
homeless housing programs.
Provide training on homeless
service provision core
competencies, including
Office of Family and Adult
trauma-informed care,
Homelessness and Office of
mental health first aid, racial 2019- 2022,
Homeless Youth grantees Ongoing
equity, LGBTQ+ competency, ongoing
comply with the training
and other training identified
requirements.
by the Office of Homeless
Youth and Office of Family
and Adult Homelessness.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 24
Planning, reporting, auditing and procuring
State Strategic Plan and local homeless plans
Commerce produced an updated 2019-2024 State Homeless Housing Strategic Plan in 2019 and will publish
periodic updates through 2024. Commerce will make updates to this plan in 2023.
Commerce released Local Homeless Plan guidance in December 2018 and secured a technical assistance
provider for local governments. Local county plans and annual reports are available on the Commerce website.
State and Federal reporting
At a minimum, Commerce completes seven annual reports required in RCW 43.185C and 11 reports to the
federal government on homeless housing expenditures and program data. More information about these HAU
reports is on our website.
Audits
More information on state audits and examinations of Commerce’s management of the homeless funding and
programming is on the State Strategic Plan section of the Commerce website.
Procurement
Federal COVID-19 relief funds
The first Treasury Rent Assistance Program (T-RAP 1.0) began in March 2021 and ran through September
2022. Approximately 38,000 households were served, and $345,000,000 was awarded under this program. The
second iteration of the T-RAP program (T-RAP 2.0) began in winter 2021. It is ongoing until June 2023.
Approximately 25,000 households have been served, and $270,000,000 has been awarded under this program.
The Eviction Rent Assistance Program (ERAP 2.0) began in fall 2021 and runs until June 2023. Approximately
35,000 households have been served, and $365,000,000 has been awarded. While T-RAP 2.0 and ERAP 2.0
contracts both end in June 2023, half of the grantees across the state will be fully expended across all three
programs by January 2023 and will close their temporary rent assistance programs. More information on T-
RAP is available online.
HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance and Emergency Solutions Grant
Annually, Commerce completes an action plan to secure federal HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
(TBRA) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) homeless housing funding. The annual action plan and five-year
Consolidated Plan for ESG and HOME TBRA funding are available online.
Balance of State Continuum of Care
Commerce applies for HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funding on behalf of the Balance of State (BoS)
CoC, which is comprised of 34 counties in Washington (the large counties, including King, Pierce, Snohomish,
Clark and Spokane, each manages their own CoC program). In the federal fiscal year 2022 competition, HUD
awarded the BoS CoC $13,321,164 of annually renewable funding for:
43 renewal projects that provide permanent housing solutions to families and single adults experiencing
homelessness
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 25
17 new Youth Homeless Demonstration Program projects for youth and young adults experiencing
homelessness
Four other new permanent housing projects, including an innovative three-county rental assistance project
for survivors of domestic violence
New projects started in mid-to-late 2022.
More information on the CoC funding is located on the CoC webpage.
Table 2: Federal grant funds
FFY 2022
Temporary
FFY 2022 Federal
HOME Non-YHDP BoS Youth Eviction Rent
FFY 2022 Tenant- New non- BoS CoC Homeless Assistance
Emergency Based Rental YHDP BoS Funds for Demonstration (T-RAP 2.0
Solutions Assistance CoC Project Existing Program and ERAP
Grant (ESG) (TBRA) Funds Programs (YHDP) 2.0)
$2,857,396 $2,528,911 $1,391,864 $9,512,017 $2,417,283 $734,296,778
Interagency Council on Homelessness
The Interagency Council on Homelessness met quarterly through state fiscal year 2022 to maintain cross-
agency communication and coordinate activities addressing homelessness. Additional details on the Council's
work are on the Commerce Homeless Councils webpage.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 26
Organizational outline
In June 2022, the Department of Commerce reorganized its Community Services and Housing Division into two
distinct divisions: the Community Services Division and the Housing Division. The Housing Division is
composed of several units and offices in response to legislative requirements and responsibilities.
Table 3: Offices within the Housing Division
Housing Division
Office of Apple Health
Data and Office of
Multifamily Homelessness Homeownership and Homes and
Performance Homeless
Housing Unit Assistance Unit Unit Permanent Supportive
Unit Youth
Housing
The units and offices responsible for the information within this report are the Homelessness Assistance Unit,
Data and Performance Unit, and Office of Homeless Youth.
Homelessness Assistance Unit
Office of Family and Adult Homelessness
The Office of Family and Adult Homelessness (OFAH) in the Homelessness Assistance Unit administers state
and federal fund sources granted to local governments and nonprofits.
Table 4: Fund sources of Office of Family and Adult Homelessness-managed grants
Grant Fund source
Consolidated Homeless Grant/System Demonstration Grant Housing surcharge/document recording fee
Housing and Essential Needs General Fund-State
Diversion Program Grant General Fund-State
Shelter Program Grant Home Security Fund
HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Federal
Emergency Solutions Grant Federal
Temporary COVID Relief Funding
(Emergency Solutions Grant-CV, Eviction Rent Assistance Program 1.0 Federal
and 2.0, Treasury Rent Assistance Program 1.0 and 2.0)
More information is available on the OFAH webpage.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 27
Balance of State Continuum of Care and Reporting Office
The Balance of State Continuum of Care and Reporting Office in the Homelessness Assistance Unit works with
34 counties in the Balance of Washington State Continuum of Care to submit a consolidated application for
funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is also responsible for coordinating the
annual Point-in-Time Count.
More information is available on the CoC webpage.
Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Programs
The Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) Prevention and Protection Programs administers state fund sources
granted to local governments and nonprofits. These include:
Table 5: Fund sources of Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection
managed grants
Grant Fund source
Crisis Residential Centers Housing surcharge/Document recording fee
HOPE Centers Housing surcharge/Document recording fee
Independent Youth Housing Program Housing surcharge/Document recording fee
Street Outreach Services General Fund-State/Housing surcharge/Document recording fee
Young Adult Shelter General Fund-State
Youth Adult Housing Program Housing surcharge/Document recording fee
Transitional Living Program General Fund-State
Ancillary Therapeutic Services General Fund-State
System of Care Grants General Fund-State/Housing Document recording fee
Homeless Student Stability Program Housing surcharge/Document recording fee
Centralized Diversion Fund General Fund-State
Anchor Community Initiative General Fund-State
Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Federal
More information is available on the OHY webpage.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 28
Data and Performance Unit
Homeless System Performance Team
The Homeless System Performance Team produces the Homeless System Performance Reports and County
Report Cards, Dashboards on homeless interventions, and more. This team also leads compliance efforts with
the low-barrier and coordinated entry requirements for Consolidated Homeless Grant grantees.
Learn more about how this office provides information on the Homeless System Performance webpage.
Homeless Management Information System Administration Team
This team administers the state’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). It provides front-end
solutions for the Balance of State and King County Continuums and data integration technology to bring the
other continuum data into the statewide database. HMIS is the data source for most information used in
Commerce's performance reports. Homeless housing service providers use HMIS to collect and manage data
gathered while providing housing assistance to people experiencing homelessness.
More information is on the HMIS webpage.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 29
Homeless housing project expenditure and data report
RCW 43.185C.045 requires that each county in Washington report all expenditures by funding sources (federal,
state and local) for homeless housing projects in their community. Commerce combines expenditures data
with Homeless Management Information System data to create a more comprehensive report that reports
expenditures and links them to outcomes. In state fiscal year 2022, 2,872 projects spent almost $1.25 billion
assisting 238,000 households who were homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness. The table below
summarizes the number of beds and cost per intervention.
Table 6: Homeless housing project expenditures for state fiscal year 2022
Cost per day per Cost per successful
Service type Beds Total expenditures household exit per household
Rapid Rehousing NA $75,213,443.23 $48.03 $23,339.77
Emergency Shelter 11,929 $141,547,413.40 $65.70 $28,976.79
Transitional Housing 2,857 $35,591,280.79 $65.98 $38,873.70
Homeless Prevention NA $106,535,342.60 $57.27 $11,837.28
Permanent Supportive 11,565 $109,019,498.60 $38.47 $187,333.90
Housing
Other Permanent Housing 2,214 $12,253,314.58 $37.95 $165,030.71
Street Outreach NA $15,611,592.98 $4.79 $10,007.43
Services Only NA $11,789,824.95 $9.13 $7,538.25
Eviction Rent Assistance NA $673,746,888.92 $377.62 $8,238.32
Coordinated Entry NA $9,631,685 $1.63 $1,393.67
Day Shelter NA $11,586,490.87 $12.07 $44,392.69
Safe Haven 45 $663,852.84 $33.55 $24,587.14
Permanent Housing With
2193 $15,800,237.46 $36.71 $133,658.15
Services
Other, Unknown, NA 1,569 $24,439,436.01 $22.65 $34,627.14
The state fiscal year 2022 homeless housing project expenditure and data report are on the State Strategic
Plan, Annual Reports and Audits webpage. More information on how the Performance Office uses the
expenditure and data is on the Homeless System Performance webpage.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 30
State-funded homeless housing reports
Several RCWs require Commerce to report on expenditures, performance and outcomes of state funds for the
following:
Consolidated Homeless Grant: RCW 434.285C.045
Housing and Essential Needs: RCW 43.185C.220
Homeless Student Stability Program: RCW 43.185C.340
Independent Youth Housing Program: RCW 43.63A.311
Commerce reports include the grant recipient and service area, expenditures, interventions and the number of
households assisted. They may also include additional specific information required in each RCW.
The state fiscal year 2022 state-funded homeless housing reports are on the State Strategic Plan, Annual
Reports and Audits website.
HOMELESSNESS IN WASHINGTON (2022) 31
Point in Time Count
RCW 43.185C.045 requires that Commerce report on the annual homeless point-in-time census conducted
under RCW 43.185C.030. Each county is required to conduct an annual one-day survey of people who are
without permanent housing. Due to planning considerations around COVID-19, HUD and Commerce allowed
Continuums of Care the flexibility to pick its own date for the 2022 Point in Time Count. This allowed
communities to find a date that made sense based on local COVID-19 transmission rates and staff availability.
Pierce County conducted its count on January 27. Snohomish County conducted its count on February 21. The
Balance of the State, Clark County, and Spokane County conducted their counts on February 24. King County
conducted its count on March 1.
Count results by county are located on the Annual Point in Time Count webpage.
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