King County, local partners award $13.1 million to support homeless housing, services

More than 500 low-income, homeless households will be able to move into stable housing or receive the services they need to maintain their housing because of the coordinated efforts of King County, the city of Seattle, United Way of King County, the Seattle Housing Authority and Building Changes.

King County Executive Dow Constantine Friday announced a combined total of $13.1 million in funding awards to provide homeless housing and supportive services countywide, according to a county media release.

“These funds will put a roof over the heads of chronically homeless individuals and families with long histories of homelessness, and help end the cycle of homelessness for hundreds of households every year,” said Constantine, who serves as co-chair of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County Governing Board.

The funding is in addition to $10.6 million in regional capital funding awards announced last December. The One Night Count conducted earlier Friday, found 2,594 people homeless on the streets or sleeping in cars, illustrates the need to create more housing and pair that housing with supportive services.

The $13.1 million will fund 13 multi-year awards for supportive services, operating support, and rental assistance. The funding will help to create new rental subsidies, provide housing stabilization services to prevent homelessness, and offer critical supports that will help end the cycle of homelessness for hundreds of households annually. More than 77 percent of the funds will be dedicated to chronically homeless individuals and families with intensive service needs and long histories of homelessness.

“We are extremely fortunate to have public and private funding that remains committed to helping the most vulnerable,” said Bill Block, Project Director for the Committee to End Homelessness. “Study after study shows how effective our programs are in helping people stabilize their lives, return to the community, and end their use of expensive emergency interventions. These investments make both humanitarian and economic sense.”

Funding for the combined Request for Proposal for Operating, Rental Assistance and Services comes from eight total funding sources. This is the seventh combined funding effort to coordinate the application and allocation process for operating support, rental assistance and services funding for homeless housing that meet the goals of the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness.

Each year, King County public and private funders collaborate on a joint application and review process, in order to streamline the process for applicant agencies and coordinate award decisions. Agencies serving homeless households can submit one application for services, operating and rental assistance, greatly expediting the time it takes to get these projects up and running.

United Way of King County is an important partner in this effort, contributing funding from their Campaign to End Chronic Homelessness.

“We know that escaping homelessness takes more than housing alone. It also requires the services that can help people establish the mental and physical health, the skills and the sense of hope and self-confidence to make a fresh start,” said United Way of King County CEO Jon Fine. “Thanks to the generous support of donors to our Campaign to End Chronic Homelessness, we are able to commit $1 million to the counseling and health care services that help people regain their footing and move ahead. We’re grateful for the community support that makes this investment possible.”

A complete list of the Fall 2011 funding round awards follows.

Operating support, rental assistance, and supportive services awards: $13.1 million

King County joined with other funders to award $13.1 million in services, operating support, and rental assistance funds in 13 multi-year awards based on the Fall 2011 RFP responses. Fund sources for services, operating support and rental assistance awards include:

·        King County Homeless Housing and Services Fund (HHSF) Document Recording Fees (House Bill 2163,1359 and 2331) and Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG) pass through: $6 M

·        King County Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) Sales Tax: $2 M

·        King County Veterans and Human Services Levy (VHS Levy): $1 M

·        Seattle Office of Housing (OH) Seattle Housing Levy Operating and Maintenance (O&M) Funds: supporting 79 units for 20 years (approximately $300,550 over the first 5 years)

·        Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) Housing Choice Vouchers: $2.5 M (70 Housing Choice Vouchers)

·        United Way of King County (UWKC) Campaign to End Chronic Homelessness: $1 M

·        Building Changes Washington Families Fund (WFF): $307,000

Fall 2011 funding round awards

COUNTYWIDE:

YMCA of Greater Seattle, Family Housing Program – Provides access to 12 new units of service-enriched, permanent housing in the private rental market in King County for young adults, ages 18 to 25. The project will specifically seek to house young adult families living in shelters and transitional housing, who have multiple barriers to housing stability. Award: $80,000 annually for five years for rental assistance and case management services and rental assistance. Contact: Brooke Knight, YMCA of Greater Seattle, 206-749-7551.

Sound Mental Health (SMH), Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) – Maintains Assertive Community Treatment, which includes community outreach and intensive support/ wraparound services for up to 50 participants who are diagnosed with severe mental health disorders, are involved with the criminal justice system, and are high users of the King County Jail. Award: $371,302 for five years for case management services. Contact: Trish Blanchard, SMH, 206-302-2360.

SEATTLE:

Compass Housing Alliance, Nyer Urness House – Provision of services and operating support for 79 units of newly constructed permanent supportive housing in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The project will house veterans, chronically homeless persons, people with significant drug and alcohol addictions or chronic medical conditions, persons exiting the Medical Respite Program, and people who are high users of emergency shelter and sobering services. Award: $306,607 annually for five years for case management services and building operations. Contact: M.J. Kiser, Compass Housing, 206-357-3124.

Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), Aurora Supportive Housing – Provision of services and operating support for 87 units of newly constructed permanent supportive housing in North Seattle. The project will house veterans; chronically homeless persons; people with serious mental illness, including those with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse; people exiting institutions; and people who are the highest users of crisis intervention services. Award: $114,405 annually for five years for case management and building operations, with 37 SHA Housing Choice Vouchers. Contact: Daniel Malone, DESC, 206-515-1525.

Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), Jackson Senior Apartments – Operating support for 60 newly constructed units of permanent supportive housing in Central Seattle. The project will house veterans; chronically homeless persons; persons with serious mental illness, including those with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse; persons exiting institutions; and people who are high users of emergency shelter, inpatient facilities or emergency medical services. Award: 33 SHA Housing Choice Vouchers. Contact: Karen Anderson-Bittenbender, LIHI, 206-383-2983.

Sound Mental Health, Jackson Senior Apartments – Service support for 60 newly constructed units of permanent supportive housing in Central Seattle. The project will house veterans; chronically homeless persons; persons with serious mental illness, including those with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse; persons exiting institutions; and persons who are high users of emergency shelter, inpatient facilities or emergency medical services. Award: $200,000 for five years for case management. Contact: Trish Blanchard, SMH, 206-302-2360.

EAST KING COUNTY:

Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns, Congregations for the Homeless Permanent Supportive Housing – Maintains ten units and makes available nine new units of permanent supportive housing in the private rental market for long-term homeless adults in East King County, including five units set aside for veterans. Award: $311,312 annually for four years for rental assistance and case management services. Contact: Steve Roberts, Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns, 206-295-7803.

Friends of Youth, Permanent Supportive Housing – Maintains case management services for ten units of permanent housing in East King County for young adults and their families, ages 18 to 25. The project will seek to house young adult families living in shelters and transitional housing who have multiple barriers to housing stability. Award: $12,870 annually for three years for case management services. Contact: Terry Pottmeyer, Friends of Youth, 425-869-6940.

Imagine Housing, Rose Crest Apartments – Provision of services for 10 units of permanent housing in East King County (Issaquah) for homeless families living in shelters and transitional housing who have multiple barriers to housing stability. Award: $21,493 annually for five years for case management services. Contact: Ann Levine, Imagine Housing, 425-576-5190.

SEATTLE/SOUTH KING COUNTY:

Neighborhood House, Working for Housing Stability – Makes available 15 new units of permanent housing in the private rental market for homeless households living in shelters and transitional housing, who have multiple barriers to housing stability. Units will be located in Seattle and South King County. Award: $241,947 annually for five years for rental assistance and case management services. Contact: Nathan Buck, Neighborhood House, 206-461-8430.

SOUTH KING COUNTY:

Sound Mental Health, South King County Housing First – Provides outreach, engagement, and support services to chronically homeless adults in South King County and works to rapidly house them in permanent supportive housing. Services enable clients to live in the community with minimal dependence on acute care resources and minimal involvement with public safety and criminal justice staff and programs. Award: $132,000 annually for five years for case management services. Contact: Trish Blanchard, SMH, 206-302-2360.

Sound Mental Health, Project Homestead – Provides access to 15 units of permanent housing for homeless families in South King County, including family members who may be chronically homeless, living with serious mental illness or a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse, or high users of publicly funded crisis intervention services. Award: $111,400 annually for five years for case management services. Contact: Trish Blanchard, SMH, 206-302-2360.

Valley Cities Counseling and Consultation (VCCC), Pathways First – Provides access to 14 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless families in South King County, including family members who may be living with serious mental illness, including a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse, or who have multiple barriers to housing stability. Award: $300,121 annually for five years for case management services and rental assistance. Contact: Dan McDougall-Treacy, VCCC, 206-462-4855.