King County joins local housing authorities in dedicating $6.1 million to create new multi-year homeless housing and supportive services

More than 200 low-income, homeless individuals and their families will be able to move into stable housing where they can receive the services they need to maintain that housing, thanks to an innovative partnership between the Seattle Housing Authority, the King County Housing Authority, and King County.

Through a joint funding effort announced today, King County will combine $3.3 million in local Homeless Housing and Services Fund dollars with $2.8 million in Section 8 housing subsidies from the Seattle Housing Authority and King County Housing Authority. The funding will go to support eight new projects aimed at ending the cycle of homelessness for people living throughout the county. Of the 215 new supportive housing opportunities created, more than 65 percent will be dedicated to chronically homeless individuals and families with intensive service needs and long histories of homelessness.

"With this innovative partnership we are not just creating housing, we are creating homes for very vulnerable individuals and families across our region," said King County Executive Ron Sims, co-chair of the Governing Board of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County (CEHKC). "King County is grateful to our state legislators for passage of House Bill 2163, which created this new homeless housing and services fund source and most especially to the creativity and leadership of the Seattle Housing Authority and the King County Housing Authority for providing the housing vouchers that make this exciting collaboration possible. These 215 units of housing with services bring us one step closer to our goal of ending homelessness in King County."

This is the first allocation from the King County Homeless Housing and Services Fund, created when the State Legislature passed the Homeless Housing and Assistance Act of 2005 (ESSHB 2163) establishing an additional $10 document recording fee dedicated to funding homeless initiatives. In 2006, King County will allocate Homeless Housing and Services Fund dollars through two funding rounds. Awards for the second round will be announced later this year. All of the projects funded align with the goals of the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County, and complement its strategies.

By contributing Section 8 vouchers to this effort, the housing authorities have greatly increased the effectiveness of the services fund dollars. Through this combined funding effort, stable service funding is matched with affordable housing subsidies for up to five years. This allows agencies to provide ongoing supportive services and counseling to very-low income households, based on their individual needs and for the time period necessary to assure success.

"Providing housing with supportive services is the key to creating stability for homeless households," said Bill Block, Project Director for the Committee to End Homelessness in King County (CEHKC). "Pairing housing subsidies with supportive service funding is a means of leveraging our funding to its greatest advantage – not only in increasing the effectiveness of our resources but also creating housing projects that have the best chance of helping homeless individuals and families achieve long-term self sufficiency "

2006 King County Homeless Housing and Services (2163) Fund & Section 8 Voucher Awards

Archdiocesan Housing Authority – Creates 15 permanent supportive housing units for chronically homeless women within a 221-unit building in downtown Seattle. Award: $112,500 for five years in 2163 funding.

Asian Counseling and Referral Service – Creates 30 new units of housing with housing stabilization and support services for homeless persons countywide. Award: $135,041 for five years in 2163 funding and 30 Section 8 vouchers (10 King County and 20 Seattle Housing Authority vouchers).

Community House Mental Health – Creates 15 units of permanent housing with support services for homeless people in Seattle. Award: $25,000 in 2163 funding for five years and 15 Seattle Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers.

Evergreen Treatment Services – Creates 20 units of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people in the downtown Seattle area. Award: $48,220 for five years in 2163 funding and 20 Seattle Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers.

Family Services of King County – Creates 10 permanent supportive housing units for homeless families with multiple barriers, including mental health and chemical dependency, in South King County. Award: $75,000 for five years in 2163 and ten King County Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers.

Hopelink – Creates 10 units of affordable permanent housing with support services for families in East King County. Award: $48,800 for five years in 2163 funding.

Plymouth Housing Group – Provides 95 units of permanent supportive housing for long-term homeless people in downtown Seattle. Award: $194,300 for five years in 2163 funding.

YWCA of Seattle-King County-Snohomish County – Provides housing stabilization and on-going support services to 20 homeless households in King County (outside of Seattle and Renton) who are utilizing King County Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers. Award: $ 71,500 for two years in 2163 funding.

For more information on the King County Homeless Housing and Services Fund call Katy Miller, at 206-205-0648. For more information on the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness, call Bill Block, Project Director at 206-205-5506.