Friday, October 2, 2026
The Thurston Regional Housing Council (RHC) approved two funding requests to support vulnerable community members.
The RHC unanimously approved $16,700 for emergency supplies through the Homeless Services Advisory Board.
Casper Cramblette, co-chair of the advisory board, requested the amount specifically for supplies for people experiencing life outside in one area of the homeless encampment known as "The Jungle."
"A lot of encampments have been closed, and so many people are condensing into The Jungle and experiencing a high level of needs," Cramblette reported to the RHC at its meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26, meeting.
"OlyMAP (Olympia Mutual Aid Partners) is requesting these funds in order to be able to provide things like pillows, tents, sleeping bags, even laundry."
OlyMAP's Safer Spaces Outreach and Advocacy Program (SSOAP) provides harm-reduction services to unsheltered individuals in Thurston County, with a focus on fire safety and addressing hazardous or illegal burning in camp communities, such as The Jungle, Percival Creek and Decatur Woods.
Due to rapid population growth and limited funding, the program will be forced to reduce participant support by up to 80% by June 2024, significantly limiting access to essential lifesaving supplies, such as shelter and warming materials.
SSOAP sought emergency funding from the Homeless Services Emergency Fund (HSE) to maintain critical harm reduction services for growing unsheltered populations.
In the same meeting, the council approved $125,000 from the LOTT Affordable Housing Support Program's regionally shared pool of funding for the Low Income Housing Institute's (LIHI) Franz Anderson Permanent Supporting Housing project.
Jacinda Steltjes, Affordable Housing Project manager, presented the request to the council.
In 2023, the LOTT Clean Water Alliance launched an Affordable Housing Support Program, offering a 50% rebate on LOTT connection fees for affordable housing projects.
Steltjes said that after a successful pilot year, the program is now a regular offering. For the 2025-2026 biennium, LOTT has allocated $500,000 to support affordable housing development.
This funding is distributed as $125,000 to each of the participating jurisdictions — Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater — with an additional $125,000 in a shared regional pool.
Steltjes asked the RHC to draw the full $125,000 from the shared pool, which will be combined with approximately $60,000 from Olympia.
That would provide a total of $185,000 in LOTT connection fee credits from the Franz Anderson permanent supportive housing project to help reduce development costs and support affordable housing initiatives.
The RHC unanimously approved both funding requests.
4 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
Suziel
Does any government funded entity in Thurston County choose to serve homeless people in areas other than Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater? Yelm, Rainier, Tenino and parts of Rochester are in Thurston County also. Believe it or not or whether anyone takes the responsibility to count those people or not, they do exist. When will they be recognized? In the year 2030? 2040? 2050? In the meantime, many die.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Report this
RedskinPatriot
I see this a different way… why should a state invoke its citizens to pay for something they didn’t vote for?
I don’t want a Sanctuary! I don’t want Homeless in our state - if the policies change they will leave!
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
REDSKINPATRIOT.
IF policies Change people like You won't be allowed to Live in Thurston County, your NOT Welcome in MOST AREAS.
Thursday, March 6, 2025 Report this
MrCommonSense
I hate to say this, but Olympia has not been responsive enough to the homeless crisis and therefore has a disproportionate share of the homeless "living" in the City. Because of the LOTT contribution, all the taxpayers will again be footing the bill with increased LOTT fees for "non-homeless" construction. Simply driving up costs for everyone else.
These problems aren't easy to solve. We need more creative solutions than simply waiving a few fees.
BTW, not sure how the math works 3 X $125,000 + $125,000 is $600,000. Just wondering?
Friday, March 7, 2025 Report this