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HHS updates: state recapture trims homeless grant; county discusses veterans relief options
Summary
Cowlitz County Health & Human Services reported a state amendment reducing a two‑year consolidated homeless grant from $11.7 million to about $9.8 million and outlined possible uses for roughly $1 million in veterans relief funds, including reserving veteran‑specific housing units or subsidizing service‑animal costs.
Gina James, director of Health & Human Services, briefed the Board of Commissioners on several funding items affecting housing and veterans services.
On a consolidated homeless grant that runs July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, James said the state informed the county it would recapture some FY26 funds that the county does not expect to spend and would issue FY27 funds; the net effect is an approximate $1.8 million reduction from the original $11.7 million award to a new contract total of about $9.8 million. James said roughly half of the grant was already allocated to services, several projects (including a Kelso School District effort) are under state review, and staff will return to the board if the state approves reallocating funds to additional projects.
"It ends up being a decrease of about 1,800,000 in the contract, so the new contract total would be about 9,800,000," James said.
James also discussed veterans relief funding. She said the fund balance is around $1,000,000 and outlined two potential uses: reserving veteran‑specific units in a new housing project (the Goldfinch development) or funding upfront costs for service animals through existing miscellaneous assistance categories, while medical care for the animals could be supported as veteran medical expenses.
James said last fiscal year the department distributed roughly $180,000 in assistance through veterans programs and that the advisory veterans board provides input but does not directly expend the funds. On a separate point, staff alerted the board that a small stream of program income (just over $10,000) returned to the county from previous community development block‑grant projects and is below the state threshold that would require reinvestment into the current grant; the board may direct alternative uses for that amount.
Commissioners asked staff to return with contract language or agenda items when projects or the proposed HHS expenditures are ready for board action.
