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Pierce County updates six‑year housing plan, expands rental assistance and home‑repair options
Summary
Pierce County Council updated its six‑year housing and related services plan to broaden eligible uses — including rental assistance and home‑repair programs — and to revise advisory‑board approval requirements.
Pierce County’s council on Sept. 9 adopted updates to the six‑year advisory and expenditure plan for the Housing & Related Services Fund (a 0.1% sales and use tax authorized by state law).
Policy analyst Mary Connolly summarized the plan background and the proposed changes: the ordinance that created the fund requires that at least 60% of revenues be used for affordable housing development, operations and maintenance of affordable housing or behavioral health facilities; the current update adjusts allocations for 2026–27, clarifies eligible uses, and revises decision‑making requirements for advisory boards.
Key changes enacted in council amendment No. 3 and the adopted resolution include:
- Reallocating program funds so 20% is available for housing‑related services (including permanent supportive housing services and rental assistance); - Adding rental assistance to the list of eligible uses for permanent supportive housing services (no longer conditioned on the unavailability of federal funds); - Adding home‑repair or rehabilitation programs (labor and materials eligible for owner‑occupied homes under 60% AMI); - Allowing public housing authorities to be eligible recipients of housing‑related services funding in addition to nonprofits; - Removing the requirement that the Pierce County Community Development Corporation Board and the Greater Pierce County Continuum of Care board must approve the county’s funding recommendations (staff will still coordinate with those boards); - Tightening evaluation committee membership rules to require at least one person with recent lived experience navigating the Pierce County homeless system, not representing a government entity.
Connolly noted that the fund’s 2026 capital allocation for affordable housing development is roughly $8.9 million, with about $5.3 million available for certain capital projects in 2026 and an existing $6.5 million of 2024 funds available for permanent supportive housing services. The resolution also allows up to $100,000 across 2026–27 to support repurposing Pierce County’s crisis residential center to a temporary medical respite facility (up to $50,000 for start‑up costs in 2026 and up to $50,000 annually in 2027 for operating support); unused funds would revert to permanent supportive housing services.
Councilmember Ayala moved Amendment No. 3; the amendment was adopted (voice vote with a recorded nay), and the council adopted the omnibus resolution as amended on a 5–0 roll call. No public speakers addressed this item during the council session.
What happens next: The Human Services Department will coordinate implementation and develop funding recommendations consistent with the amended plan; reporting requirements and an equity note accompany the resolution.
