All-new co-designed grant process reflects tribal expertise and priorities QUINAULT INDIAN RESERVATION, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded $52 million in grant funding to support climate resilience for 28 federally recognized tribes within Washington, as well as four federally recognized tribes with lands within the state. The funding was made possible by Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, and the grant was co-designed with Tribes to ensure funds could…
Grants to 26 community-based organizations seek to engage more perspectives in local process for comprehensive plan updates in nine counties statewide OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce is awarding $2.2 million to 26 community-based organizations to participate in local planning efforts under the state Growth Management Act. Organizations will use this funding to help engage local policy makers and bring marginalized voices and community perspectives on specific…
The Washington State Department of Commerce is seeking your feedback on the draft updates to middle housing model ordinances and the middle housing model ordinance user guide. These two ordinances, and the accompanying user guide, will provide technical assistance and guidance to cities adopting their own middle housing ordinances, regulations, and other official controls. Draft Model Ordinance for cities population 25,000 and over (PDF) Draft Model Ordinance for cities under…
Are you interested in shaping the future of your community? Do you want to add voices to the conversation about how your community looks and functions in the future? Is funding a barrier to your participation? If so, then you might be interested in this new funding opportunity. Recent updates to state law require Commerce to advance participation of vulnerable populations and overburdened communities in comprehensive planning processes. In response,…
Annual awards recognize outstanding work in community planning and development Olympia, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Commerce has opened nominations for the 18th annual Governor’s Smart Communities Awards, a program that recognizes outstanding work by local governments and their partners on long-term community planning and development. Nominations feature the best our state has to offer in collaborative community development and local comprehensive planning. Community leaders look to this…
Additional grant funding is available through March to support regional planning for vulnerable residents at the lowest income levels OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded $240,000 to five community partnerships across the state to support coordination of land use planning and homeless services planning. Each city or county-led partnership will use the funds to coordinate resources and plan for their lowest income housing needs, including residents…
The Washington State Department of Commerce is hosting three public listening sessions this month to help communities provide us with direct feedback on a new grant program intended to foster greater participation in local policy decision-making. We need input from local community-based organizations representing overburdened communities and vulnerable populations to design a pilot grant program that helps with community engagement. Please share this notice with community-based organizations in your network…
Commerce grants help Washington communities take another step toward meeting projected need for 1.1 million new housing units over next 20 years OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced $47 million in funding for infrastructure improvements to support 43 construction projects that will provide more than 3000 units of affordable housing statewide. Washington state is projected to need 1.1 million new units of housing over the…
The Department of Commerce has published final model ordinances and guidance for cities and counties required to include middle housing under HB 1110 (2023). To account for differing middle housing requirements based on population, one model ordinance has been prepared to assist cities 25,000 in population and greater; another for those cities less than 25,000 in population. Final Model Ordinance for cities 25,000 and over (PDF) Final Model Ordinance for…
Commerce has $1 million in funding available for the current 2023-25 biennium to help counties and cities plan together for their lowest income housing needs through their upcoming comprehensive plans, consolidated plans, homelessness plans and other efforts. Grants are available to a county or a city planning department, a homeless housing lead or similar designated department within a local government, or a local non-profit provider of affordable housing or homeless…