Commerce awards $240,000 to five regional partnerships planning for low-income housing needs

Commerce awards $240,000 to five regional partnerships planning for low-income housing needs

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…

Commerce awards additional $685,000 to jurisdictions planning for more middle housing options

Commerce awards additional $685,000 to jurisdictions planning for more middle housing options

The second round of middle housing grants supports communities creating a greater variety of housing types to respond to housing needs at all income levels  OLYMPIA, WA – The Department of Commerce today announced an additional $685,000 in grants for 14 jurisdictions to support the adoption of local comprehensive plan policies and zoning codes to allow more middle housing in residential neighborhoods. These awards follow the first funding round that provided…

$47 million infrastructure investment helps pave the way for more than 3,000 new affordable housing units

$47 million infrastructure investment helps pave the way for more than 3,000 new affordable housing units

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…

Commerce publishes model ordinances to support the development of middle housing

Commerce publishes model ordinances to support the development of middle housing

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…

Coordinating Low-income Housing Planning Grant

Coordinating Low-income Housing Planning Grant

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…

Commerce awards nearly $3 million to help cities plan for increasing middle housing options

Commerce awards nearly $3 million to help cities plan for increasing middle housing options

Grants will support adoption of local actions that aim to accommodate projected housing needs at all income levels through different types of units, providing more affordable housing options OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Department of Commerce today announced nearly $3 million for 54 cities across 16 Washington counties to support the adoption of local comprehensive plan policies and zoning codes to allow more middle housing in residential neighborhoods. Increasing the availability…