The Housing Division does not provide direct housing support or services to individuals or families.  The Division administers funding to local providers within the state of Washington, who in turn provide services to individuals and families.  See Quick Links for a statewide map with Transitional Housing, Operating and Rent (THOR) program provider contact information.  For additional provider referrals, call 211 statewide.

Program Description
The THOR program provides homeless families with children with up to two years of rental assistance, transitional facility operating subsidies, and case management to help them transition to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. The program is funded through the State General Fund.

The key to client success in the THOR program is the Housing Stability Plan. Participants must collaborate with case managers to identify long and short-term goals and strategies that will address and alleviate any barriers to reaching self-sufficiency. The case manager is responsible for connecting families to a wide variety of services, tracking the family’s progress, and modifying the Plan as goals are reached or problems arise. THOR contractors may use up to 40% of their funding to pay for the costs of case management.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible clients are homeless families with children under the age of 18 or pregnant women, with incomes at or below 50 percent of the median household income for their county. THOR clients must be willing to create and actively participate in a Housing Stability Plan for achieving permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Typical goals include:

• Getting a GED or college degree.
• Regaining custody of children.
• Learning job-hunting and interviewing skills.
• Obtaining child care.
• Improving parenting skills.
• Reestablishing a good credit rating.
• Getting into treatment programs.
• Getting a job.

Service Delivery
Program services are delivered through housing authorities, community action agencies, and units of local government that collaborate with other local service providers to provide a wide variety of services. Click here for a map of service providers in Washington state.

Funding
The Department of Commerce awards THOR funds to local agencies according to a modified version of HUD's allocation formula for funding homeless shelters. Approximately $2.2 million has been awarded each year for rent assistance, operating subsidies for transitional housing facilities, case management, and administrative costs. Currently there are 29 local agencies covering 31 counties that operate the THOR program.

Helpful Links:
Program Manual

Contact
Cheryl Bayle (360) 725-2997 Program Manager