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Regional Housing Council approves $16,700 emergency grant for Olympia mutual aid supplies
Summary
The Regional Housing Council voted to approve a $16,700 emergency funding request to help pay for supplies for people living outdoors in Olympia, following a Homeless Services Advisory Board recommendation and a staff review of a line-item budget.
The Regional Housing Council on Feb. 26 approved a $16,700 emergency funding request to support Olympia mutual aid partners providing supplies to people living outside in Olympia.
The request, presented by HSAB co-chair Casper, covered purchases including pillows, tents, sleeping bags, heaters and laundry cards for people living in encampments that have recently been closed. "Olm... this is requesting $16,700 for emergency funding requests, specifically for supplies for people experiencing life outside in winter in the jungle," Casper said during the presentation. "They're requesting these funds in order to be able to provide things like pillows, tents, sleeping bags, heaters, even laundry cards."
Kevin (county staff) told the council the $16,700 would be added on to a larger award the provider already receives and was targeted specifically to supplies, not administrative costs. Kevin said the provider's overall award was about $700,000 and that per-participant spending had fallen to about $20; the emergency funds would allow spending to rise to an approximate fourth-quarter average of $40 to $60 per participant per quarter. He also noted the RHC keeps a $200,000 emergency set-aside for the July 1–June 30 program year and that this was the first request against that fund this year.
A motion to approve the request was made and seconded; the council voted in favor with no opposition or abstentions recorded on the meeting audio. The Homeless Services Advisory Board had convened an emergency meeting to review the provider's line-item budget before recommending the request to the RHC, and council members thanked staff and the advisory board for that review.
The council's action directs staff to forward the approval and associated budget details to any required administering agencies for payment. The council did not attach additional conditions to the award during the Feb. 26 vote.
The request and vote took place during the council's regular meeting; the HSAB co-chair and county staff answered clarifying questions before the motion passed.
