HUD Grants $84M To Help WA Residents Struggling With Homelessness

WASHINGTON — The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development will be renewing $84.4 million in grants to Washington state to support the state's ongoing efforts to end homelessness.

The funds will be distributed through the HUD’s “Continuum of Care” program and the state Department of Commerce says they'll help an estimated 17,800 Washingtonians by continuing program services like:

• Transitional housing rental assistance
• Outreach and other supportive services
• Supportive housing for people with disabilities.

“Our state has an incredible network of organizations working every day in partnerships with local governments and housing programs to make the most of every available dollar to help the growing number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness,” said Washington State Commerce Director Lisa Brown.

According to the Department of Commerce's latest point-in-time count, there are roughly 23,000 people across the state experiencing homelessness. Of those, 11,000 are without shelter.

“We had a homeless crisis before COVID, and today, sadly, we’re seeing even more people in need, some for the first time in their lives," said Brown. "This HUD funding is vitally important to strengthen communities in our battle to end homelessness."

The Department of Commerce also wants to make sure money is put towards effective, proven solutions. To that end, they've created a report card studying which programs have had the best housing outcomes.

The card has not yet been updated to include data from 2020, but in 2019 about 43% of people who visited a shelter, safe haven, transitional housing, or rapid re-housing ultimately escaped homelessness, leaving to enter a permanent residence. But that percentage swings wildly depending on the program: residents who underwent rapid re-housing had an 80% chance of finding a permanent home. Similarly, transitional housing had a 67% success rate getting people out of homelessness.

As a result, the DOC says rapid rehousing is one service they'll be prioritizing with this grant funding.

"This HUD funding provides a critical safety net for families, survivors of violence, veterans, youth and all people who find themselves without housing," said Trish Gregory, executive director for the Family Support Center of South Sound. "Local communities simply do not have sufficient resources to effectively address homelessness on their own. These funds ensure that families have access to the support they need to get and sustain a safe and healthy home long term."