Young people help guide over $40 million in grants to serve homeless youth

Young people help guide over $40 million in grants to serve homeless youth

Office of Homeless Youth sought input from those with lived experience to evaluate competitive proposals for funding from service providers across Washington state OLYMPIA, WA — Nearly 60 young people with lived experience of homelessness from across Washington state gathered recently in SeaTac over three days to help evaluate hundreds of applications for funding through the Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) at the Washington Department of Commerce. The more than $40…

Spokane’s Camp Hope permanently closing as final individuals transition into new housing options

Spokane’s Camp Hope permanently closing as final individuals transition into new housing options

State’s largest homeless encampment now transitions to site restoration SPOKANE – The state’s largest homeless encampment is closing today as state agencies and community partners have moved the last individual living at the encampment into housing. This is the culmination of 18 months of work by three state agencies – and several dedicated outreach group partners – under the state’s Right of Way Safety Initiative. An estimated 600 people were…

Commerce invests nearly $650,000 toward building new statewide Apple Health and Homes network to address chronic homelessness

Commerce invests nearly $650,000 toward building new statewide Apple Health and Homes network to address chronic homelessness

Funding to 27 organizations will build capacity in communities throughout Washington state for groundbreaking program that links health care and housing. OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce recently announced the inaugural round of Apple Health and Homes (AHAH) funding to 27 organizations across the state with projects intended to serve individuals experiencing homelessness who also have health conditions. Over 70 percent of people who are chronically homeless…

Commerce awards $50.6 million to rapidly acquire 13 properties for shelters, affordable housing

Commerce awards $50.6 million to rapidly acquire 13 properties for shelters, affordable housing

Grants bolster efforts to confront homelessness in 10 counties across Washington state OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington Department of Commerce announced approximately $50.6 million in grants to 13 affordable housing projects throughout the state. This second round of funding through the state’s 2022 Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program will create 214 affordable units and 70 beds of housing for people in Washington who are currently homeless or at high risk…

Housing projects for people experiencing homelessness in Washington will share $9-million federal grant

Housing projects for people experiencing homelessness in Washington will share $9-million federal grant

Rural communities are focus of investments in nine new projects statewide OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce was awarded a $9 million grant last week from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that will provide new housing for people experiencing homelessness in Island, Klickitat, Mason, Skamania, Thurston, Whatcom and Yakima counties. Funds will be used over the next three years for a variety of…

Commerce makes final Right of Way Safety Initiative funding awards to city and nonprofit proposals in latest step toward closing Camp Hope

Commerce makes final Right of Way Safety Initiative funding awards to city and nonprofit proposals in latest step toward closing Camp Hope

New investments bring total to 376 beds for temporary and permanent housing now funded in Spokane. OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce will fund multiple proposals from the final portion of state’s Right of Way Safety Initiative funding available for work to close the homeless encampment on Washington State Department of Transportation property in Spokane, known as Camp Hope. These newest investments of more than $4 million…

Commerce receives over $5.2 million to help end youth homelessness in Washington

Commerce receives over $5.2 million to help end youth homelessness in Washington

US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding will support innovative housing programs serving youth in rural communities throughout Washington state OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Commerce today reported that work by its Office of Homeless Youth will benefit from a new $5.29 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program will support a wide range…

Commerce awards nearly $21 million to operate and maintain permanent housing with services for vulnerable people statewide

Commerce awards nearly $21 million to operate and maintain permanent housing with services for vulnerable people statewide

State grants to 81 organizations will fund over 3,100 units of permanent supportive housing for people with disabling physical and behavioral health conditions OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced $20.8 million in new grants to 81 nonprofit organizations providing the state’s most vulnerable people with permanent housing units and services. Funding will be used for operations and maintenance of 3,135 permanent housing units statewide, along…

Commerce awards $39 million to address homelessness by rapidly adding 307 new shelter and supportive housing units

Commerce awards $39 million to address homelessness by rapidly adding 307 new shelter and supportive housing units

Five projects receive first phase of grants from state Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced $39.1 million in grants to five projects that will help address the state’s homeless crisis by acquiring 307 housing units that will quickly be available to serve people with extremely low incomes or who are experiencing homelessness. Grant recipients are: City of Vancouver Housing Authority…

Historic budget accelerates investments in helping businesses, families and local governments rebound and grow

Historic budget accelerates investments in helping businesses, families and local governments rebound and grow

As you are likely aware by now, the 2021-23 state biennial budget makes historic investments in Washington’s recovery and growth trajectory coming out of the pandemic. At Commerce, we are preparing for significant work ahead as we implement a $2.7 billion operating budget and $2.4 billion in capital funding. Our team is growing – we’re recruiting exceptional team members, so I invite you to check out and share positions currently…