Washington has received $9 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address unsheltered and rural homelessness in the state. On Feb. 1, HUD announced that it would distribute $315 million to counties across the United States. Projects in Yakima, Island, Klickitat, Mason, Skamania, Thurston and Whatcom counties received funding; Clark County did not. HUD said it awarded the grants based on the counties’ overall need, former performance in addressing homelessness, current shelter volume and care needs. Yakima County, which was awarded $1.65 million, will use the funding for its Yakima Neighborhood Health Services’ Neighborhood Inn project. The project converted a motel into 36 low-barrier housing units for people experiencing chronic homelessness. Mason County, which received the largest amount, more than $3 million, will put the money toward eradicating veteran homelessness, and adding more peer counseling, traditional housing and outreach for unhoused youth.

Funds from the grant also will be used over three years for various housing support programs, including temporary rent assistance, emergency housing assistance, and more permanent housing solutions. “Let me be clear — this is not business as usual,” HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Margaret Salazar said in a press release. “Through this funding, the White House, federal agencies, states, counties, and cities are all pulling in the same direction with the shared north star of rehousing our people and creating permanent housing stability, and we are thrilled to have the Washington Department of Commerce as our partner in this work.”

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