Applications for county housing advisory boards close in four days

Thurston County’s Regional Housing Council (RHC) announced that its application deadline for membership in two of its advisory boards would close on Monday, January 23.

According to the RHC in a press release, they are accepting applicants who will fill the vacancies in its Affordable Housing Advisory Board and the Homeless Services Advisory Board, which will “make recommendations to the RHC on priorities, funding and policies related to federal, state and local funds under their respective purviews.”

“Each board shall consist of a broad-based group of residents and community partners who advise the RHC on how best to invest limited affordable-housing money and related social-services dollars,” RHC explained, adding that each board will be made up of eight to 14 members.

The Affordable Housing Advisory Board, the press release said, will focus on spending combined county-wide and Olympia Home Fund, the federal HOME Investment Partnership, HB 1406 and HB 2060, and any other existing or future fund sources controlled by the RHC.

The Homeless Services Advisory Board will make recommendations related to spending on the Consolidated Homeless Grant, Housing and Essential Needs, HB 2163 and HB 1277, and the Human Services Fund, as well as any funding designated for homeless services by the RHC from the Thurston County Home Fund.

Eligibility for the boards is based on the charter, which includes:

• Residing or working in homeless services within Thurston County.
• Being an active member of the Housing Action Team (HAT) or HAT sub-workgroup.
• Affordable housing or homeless-response-specific subject matter expertise.

“Subsequently, in considering applications for appointment to either of the advisory boards, the RHC is committed to centering people with lived experience/expertise with homelessness or who are eligible to live in subsidized housing as well as applicants whose identity group is one that is overrepresented within those seeking services in Thurston County's Homeless Crisis Response System,” RHC said in its press release.

RHC furthered that a person may only become a member of one board at a time, but organizations may have representatives on both boards. Board members have a vote each but cannot vote by proxy.

Board members have a three-year term which may be renewed once.