The Washington Department of Commerce is soliciting applications/proposals from those qualified and interested in supplemental grant funding to cover ongoing operating, maintenance or services (PSH-OMS only) expenses. Please review RCW 36.22.250 (5.b.i) and (5.b.ii) for details.
The purpose of this grant is to provide cost reimbursement funding for operating and maintenance for Housing trust Fund properties, and/or operating, maintenance and supportive service costs of permanent supportive housing projects, during State Fiscal Year 2025. Eligible housing units will or should have received funding from the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) or other public capital funding sources (PSH-OMS).
Projects must be occupied by extremely low-income households with incomes at or below thirty percent (30%) of the area median income and require a supplement to rental income to cover ongoing property operating, maintenance, and/or services expenses (PSH-OMS).
Commerce proposes issuing a NOFO up to $12 million ($1 million for HTF-O&M and $11 million for PSH-OMS) to be assessed after receiving qualifying applications. We continue to watch account balances and recording fee revenue, administrative expenses and unexpended SFY24 contracts. Proposals will be evaluated to determine the supplement needed between their revenue and expenses. Projects that do not demonstrate a gap or need for a supplement for HTF-O&M or PSH-OMS will be considered as ineligible.
Eligibility
This opportunity is an open, competitive process. The following matrix summarizes the eligibility for HTF-O&M and PSH-OMS eligibility. Applications that do not clearly meet or exceed all minimum qualifications listed below are considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated. Tribal Entities, By and For organizations, HTF funded projects and PSH projects are encouraged to apply.
| HTF-O&M and PSH-OMS Eligibility Matrix
(Organizations are not eligible to receive both HTF-O&M and PSH-OMS within one project) |
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| Program | Units are occupied by individuals who meet 30% AMI* | HTF funded | Other public capital funding | PSH per RCW 36.70A.030 and PSH-OMS/HTF O&M program requirements | Must demonstrate a need for a supplement for eligible Operations and Maintenance costs | Must demonstrate a need for a supplement for eligible Service costs |
| O&M | Y | Y | N | Not Required but eligible | Y | N |
| OMS | Y | Y | Y | Required | Y | Y |
Commerce is committed to continuity and sustainability for operations and maintenance (O&M) for projects awarded HTF-O&M and O&M, and Service funds for PSH-OMS projects. HTF-O&M and PSH-OMS contracts may be renewed each biennium and awards are conditional on funding availability, as funding streams for HTF O&M fluctuate based on recording fee revenues and biennial legislative appropriations.