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August 2024 Government Affairs Report

City of Olympia

City of Olympia

This month was still light with council meetings and content relevant to us since we are in summer mode.

  1. TCRA signed on as a supportive party to ask the Black Homes Initiative Group to bring their efforts into Thurston County.   Among other things this is one of the groups that helped bring the Block Homes Covenant downpayment program into fruition. ‘
  2. City is beginning a planning process to implement new state requirements for ‘Middle’ housing.  If you want to be added to the email list to receive draft code amendments and public engagement opportunities, etc
    1. email:  middle@ci.olympia.wa.us and ask to become a ‘Party of Record”’
    2. More info:  Middle Housing (olympiawa.gov)

 

Ways to get involved & Stay informed:

Thurston County

Thurston County

Thurston County Board of County Commissioners

Interlocal Agreement for HOME Investment Partnerships Program (Approved)

  • Thurston County, as the "Urban County", representing all cities and towns except Olympia and Lacey, who are their own Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement communities, is required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to enter into an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the City of Olympia and the City of Lacey to form a HOME Consortium in order to receive federal HOME Investment Partnerships Act funding.
  • The federal HOME program is administered by HUD and allows for funds to be spent on eligible affordable housing projects that benefit households who make less than 80% of area median income. Thurston County does not directly construct affordable housing but works in partnership with local nonprofit developers to fund a wide range of activities throughout the county.

2025-2027 Interlocal Cooperation Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding for Community Development Block Grant Urban County Entitlement Funds

  • The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is administered by (HUD) with the stated purpose of awarding grants to eligible communities to provide decent housing and a suitable living environment and to expand economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income people.
  • The ILA establishes a new agreement with the Town of Bucoda and the Cities of Rainier, Yelm, Tenino and Tumwater.
    (Informational) Franz Anderson Permanent Supportive Housing Funding Plan
  • The Board plans to move $3.5 million in ARPA/State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the Franz Anderson Permanent Supportive Housing Project to other affordable housing projects to ensure the SLFRF funds meet expenditure deadlines. The $3.5 million committed to the Franz Anderson project will be funded with local affordable housing fund sources.
    •  4 Projects Proposed:
      • Home First
      • Homes First
      •  Housing Authority
      • Vital Housing

 

City of Lacey

Resolution No. 1155/ 2025-2027 HOME Interlocal Agreement (Approved)

  • Federal program administered by HUD
  • Thurston County is a HOME Entitlement Community and Oversees the program
  • Jurisdictions alone cannot receive HOME funding
  • Current ILA is 2022-2024 and funds can be spent anywhere in Thurston County but must be used to benefit households that make less than 80% of the area median income.
  • New ILA assures HOME projects can continue being funded in Lacey.
    • Eligible activities include:
      • Building, buying and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent.
      • Building homes for low-income households to purchase.
      • Down payment assistance to low-income households when purchasing a home.
      • Tenant-based rental assistance to low-income households (Thurston County does not currently use HOME funds for this purpose)

Impacts of State Legislation Actions SB 5290 and HB 1293

  • SB 5290 amends the Local Project Review Act, Chapter 36.70B RCW, the intent of which is to increase timeliness and predictability of local project review, and HB 1293 speaks to the consolidation of land use applications, namely requirements related to design review applications.
    • Of the two noted legislative actions, SB 5290 makes significant changes to RCW 36.70B Section 7 (Growth Management Act local project reviews), and includes updated permit review timelines, clarifications regarding the determination of completeness process, a new exemption from site plan review for certain interior projects that contain no exterior alterations, updated annual reporting requirements related to permit issuance, and provisions requiring partial permit fee refunds for failure to timely process permit applications.

City of Tumwater

  • (Informational Only) Black Home Initiative Pledge
    • The Black Home Initiative is a new regional effort that seeks to target the racial inequities at the core of the housing ecosystem to increase homeownership among Black households
    • Goal: 1,500 new low- and moderate-income Black households by 2027
    • Over 100 entities have signed partner pledges to participate in the network
    • 7-point plan: marketing and outreach, pre/post-purchase counseling, purchase supports and tools, credit and lending, housing production, policies and practices and sustaining existing homeowners
    • Help develop the Covenant Homeownership Program
  • Small local group of stakeholders have met regularly since April
    • Participants include:
    • Financial institutions (WSECU and Olympia Federal Savings)
    • Real estate industry representative (Thurston County REALTORS Association)
    • Nonprofit organizations (Habitat for Humanity, Thurston Housing Land Trust, Thurston Asset Building Coalition, Northwest Cooperative Development Center)
    • Jurisdictions (Thurston County, Cities of Olympia, Tumwater, Lacey, and Yelm)
  • The City of Tumwater’s Virtual Open House for the Climate Element portion of their 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update is now open through October 1, 2025.
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