Substitute House Bill 1724 as Recommended by Housing, Human Services & Veterans ¶

Section 1 ¶

The legislature recognizes permanent supportive housing as an evidence-based practice to ending the cycle of chronic homelessness and creating affordable housing for people living with behavioral health conditions, other disabling conditions, and extremely low incomes. The legislature finds that as greater investment has been allocated for permanent supportive housing capital, operations, maintenance, and services in order to meet the need in communities across the state, greater coordination of state and local resources is required to ensure these resources are being leveraged effectively so that the maximum number of high quality permanent supportive housing units are created each year. Therefore, the legislature intends to create a permanent supportive housing advisory committee to provide advice, recommendations, and stakeholder engagement of resource coordination to bring high quality permanent supportive housing to scale as efficiently as possible and to add a permanent supportive housing representative to the affordable housing advisory board.

Section 2 ¶

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 43.330. Here is the modified chapter for context.

An advisory committee on permanent supportive housing is established with members as provided in this section.
1. One representative of the aging and long-term support administration at the department of social and health services;
2. One representative of the health care authority;
3. One representative of the developmental disabilities administration;
4. One representative from a city that invests resources in permanent supportive housing;
5. One representative from a city with the largest number of chronically homeless households;
6. One representative from a county that invests resources in permanent supportive housing;
7. One representative from a county with the largest number of chronically homeless households;
8. One representative of public housing authorities as created under chapter 35.82 RCW;
9. One permanent supportive housing service provider;
10. One permanent supportive housing developer;
11. One permanent supportive housing building operator;
12. One permanent supportive housing resident;
13. One permanent supportive housing researcher;
14. One permanent supportive housing advocate;
15. One representative from the behavioral health sector;
16. One representative of the health care sector; and
17. One representative of each of the following permanent supportive housing populations:
  1. Single adults;
  2. Older adults over age 55;
  3. Families with children;
  4. The American Indian and Alaska Native community;
18. Communities of color;
1. The LGBTQIA+ community;
2. The intellectual and developmental disability community;
3. The mental health disability community;
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 ix. The substance use disorder community; and
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1. The physical disability community.
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1. The members of the advisory committee shall be appointed by the director. Members must reflect the geographic, racial, and ethnic diversity of the state of Washington and be inclusive of historically marginalized communities.
2. The members of the advisory committee must be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
The advisory committee shall:
1. Select a chair from among its membership;
2. Meet quarterly;
3. Provide guidance and recommendations on the administration of permanent supportive housing resources managed by the department, including recommendations to ensure alignment of capital, services, and operating investments and fidelity with the provision of permanent supportive housing as defined in RCW 36.70A.030; and
4. Until December 31, 2027, report its recommendations to enhance the coordination and availability of permanent supportive housing to the appropriate committees of the legislature and the governor by December 1st of each year.
The director and the director of the office of supportive housing shall regularly consult with the advisory committee. The department shall convene the advisory committee for its initial meeting no later than November 1, 2022. The advisory committee shall be staffed by the department.

Section 3 ¶

This section modifies existing section 43.185B.020. Here is the modified chapter for context.

The department shall establish the affordable housing advisory board to consist of 23 members.
1. The following 20 members shall be appointed by the governor:
  1. Two representatives of the residential construction industry;
  2. Two representatives of the home mortgage lending profession;
  3. One representative of the real estate sales profession;
  4. One representative of the apartment management and operation industry;
2. One representative of the for-profit housing development industry;
1. One representative of for-profit rental housing owners;
2. One representative of the nonprofit housing development industry;
3. One representative of homeless shelter operators;
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 ix. One representative of lower-income persons;
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1. One representative of special needs populations;
1. One representative of public housing authorities as created under chapter 35.82 RCW;
2. Two representatives of the Washington association of counties, one representative shall be from a county that is located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains;
3. Two representatives of the association of Washington cities, one representative shall be from a city that is located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains;
4. One representative to serve as chair of the affordable housing advisory board;
5. One representative of organizations that operate site-based permanent supportive housing and deliver onsite supportive housing services; and
6. One representative at large.
1. The following three members shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members:
  1. The director or the director's designee;
  2. The executive director of the Washington state housing finance commission or the executive director's designee; and
  3. The secretary of social and health services or the secretary's designee.
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1. The members of the affordable housing advisory board appointed by the governor shall be appointed for four-year terms, except that the chair shall be appointed to serve a two-year term. The terms of five of the initial appointees shall be for two years from the date of appointment and the terms of six of the initial appointees shall be for three years from the date of appointment. The governor shall designate the appointees who will serve the two-year and three-year terms. The members of the advisory board shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
2. The governor, when making appointments to the affordable housing advisory board, shall make appointments that reflect the cultural diversity of the state of Washington.
The affordable housing advisory board shall serve as the department's principal advisory body on housing and housing-related issues, and replaces the department's existing boards and task forces on housing and housing-related issues.
The affordable housing advisory board shall meet regularly and may appoint technical advisory committees, which may include members of the affordable housing advisory board, as needed to address specific issues and concerns.
The department, in conjunction with the Washington state housing finance commission and the department of social and health services, shall supply such information and assistance as are deemed necessary for the advisory board to carry out its duties under this section.
The department shall provide administrative and clerical assistance to the affordable housing advisory board.

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