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Board reviews $3.6M in ERP allocations and $15.3M in homelessness contracts for 2026-27
Summary
Public Health requested board approval for Encampment Resolution Program allocations including roughly $3.6M for three projects and presented 49 homeless-services contracts totaling $15,290,037 for FY 2026—6/30/2027; funding draws from state Commerce grants, consolidated homeless grant streams, HB 5386 and local HOME funds.
Public Health Director Jen Fryhite presented recommended allocations from a Washington State Department of Commerce award and related Encampment Resolution Program (ERP) funds that the Regional Housing Council recommended to the board.
Fryhite said the regional two-year Commerce contract is valued at $7,600,000 and that the local one-year allocation for Thurston County and Olympia is $5,576,007. For year one, staff recommended ERP funding for three projects: Interfaith Works (Sandy's Flats) for approximately $530,000, Lehigh for Maple Court for about $3,000,000, and Lehigh for Lotus Court for $77,522, for a total of approximately $3,601,502. Fryhite said the Regional Housing Council also recommended ERP funding to the City of Olympia for operations at the France Anderson Tiny Home Village and related outreach and administration.
Fryhite also presented homeless-services contracts and contract amendments with 17 nonprofit organizations covering 49 contracts at a total of $15,290,037 for program year July 2026—6/30/2027. She said prior two-year awards were approved on July 15, 2025 for $14,696,319 and that continued second-year funding will depend on funding availability and satisfactory performance.
Commissioners thanked staff for the presentations and asked about public presentation format for the business meeting; staff said they will use the same format for public review on June 16. Funding sources named in the presentation include the Consolidated Homeless Grant, Housing and Essential Needs, eviction prevention and rent assistance funds, the Emergency Housing Fund, HB 5386 local document recording fees and local HOME funds. Fryhite noted that a balance of $290,815 remained unallocated and that the Regional Housing Council would return recommendations for that amount.
The board did not take final action at the work session; staff will bring the contracts and ERP allocations to the June 16 business meeting for public review and formal action.
