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Home My WebLink About2024 annual report FINAL Prepared by: Joint City of Port Townsend/Jefferson County Housing Fund Board Website: https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1382/Housing-Fund-Board 2024 ANNUAL REPORT 5 YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS JEFFERSON COUNTY 1 2024 ANNUAL REPORT 5 YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS CURRENT CONDITIONS (PP 2-4) An assessment of current drivers of homelessness and corresponding response efforts. PERFORMANCE AGAINST PLAN GOALS (PP 5-8) A look at goals included in the 5 year plan and the status of work against those goals. LOOKING AHEAD (P 9) Approach to responding to housing insecurity and homelessness that addresses both local community and individual needs. APPENDIX A: SYSTEM PERFORMANCE MEASURES (PP 11) APPENDIX B: HOUSING FUND BOARD’S DEMOGRAPHIC-FOCUSED HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT (PP 12-13) FOCUS FOR 2024 In 2024, Jefferson County focused on growing and strengthening the collaborative network working to find solutions to housing instability and homelessness. 2 CURRENT CONDITIONS While Jefferson County has significantly expanded its capacity to shelter people experiencing homelessness in emergency and transitional housing in recent years, the lack of affordable rental housing in Jefferson County continues to drive increasing levels of homelessness and displacement. In response, in 2024, there has been a shift toward prioritizing the development of permanent supportive housing and planning for affordable rental housing development. The data summary below provides a narrative for Tables 1 and 2 (pp. 3 and 4 respectively) which summarize current conditions in terms of housing development goals and service level impacts. Data Summary • In the past five years, Jefferson County has more than doubled the number of emergency and transitional beds from 124 to 275. • 17 permanent supportive housing (PSH) units will open in the 4th quarter of 2024, while an additional 64 are in planning, bringing the total number of PSH units to 144 over the next five years or 58% of the projected 20 year need. • The number of subsidized affordable rental housing units has remained relatively constant since 2019, the first year of the current five-year plan. In 2023, OlyCAP opened 7th Haven, the first multi-family PSH/affordable apartment complex to be built in Jefferson County in over a decade. However, there has been a major loss of non- subsidized rental units in the county in the same time frame. • Two major housing developments that include subsidized affordable housing are in planning: Evans Vista, a mixed income neighborhood in Port Townsend, will add a projected 78 units of subsidized rental housing and Habitat’s permanently affordable project in Port Hadlock will create a community of approximately 50 affordable and 100 workforce (80 to 120% AMI) housing units. • Rental assistance dropped significantly over the past year. The number of Section 8 vouchers dropped by a quarter from 185 to 142 vouchers and OlyCAP’s rental assistance programs served less than a quarter of the individuals in 2023 when ERAP funds were available. • Exits to permanent housing dropped to an 8 year low of 33%, even as the average length of time in homelessness decreased from 483 days in 2022 to 300 days in 2023. 3 Table 1 - Homeless and Affordable Housing Inventory (Sept 2024) Emergency Housing beds SNAPSHOT Existing Homeless (Average 2019 through 2024) 548 Current Number of Homeless (Emergency and Transitional) Housing Beds 275 5 Year Plan # of beds (2019) 116 HAPT Tool count of existing beds 58 HAPT requirement - 20 year Projection (2045) 617 Current 5 Year Growth (2019-2024) 140% Planned increase 2024-2030 48 Planned decrease 2024-2030 -71 Planned increase/decrease 2025-2030 -23 Existing and Planned 252 Existing and Planned Beds (5 years out) as % of HAPT 2045 projection 41% Permanent Supportive Housing units Current Number of Permanent Supportive Housing Units 63 5 Year Plan # of Units (2019) 37 HAPT Count of existing units 16 Current 5 Year Growth (2019-2024) 43% Planned Units 2024-2030 81 HAPT Requirement - 20 year projection (2045) 248 Existing & Planned 144 Existing and Planned Units (5 years out) as % of HAPT 2045 projection 58% Low-Income Affordable (Subsidized) Rental Housing units Current Number of Subsidized Rental Units* 491 Current Number of Section 8 Vouchers 142 Current Units Needed to Eliminate Renter Cost Burden** 1167 SNAPSHOT Existing Homeless (Average 2019 through 2024) 548 Gap between Current and Need 1082 Planned Units 88 *Washington Center for Real Estate Research 2023 ** Department of Commerce HAPT tool 4 Table 2 - 2024 Service Impact and Performance Measures Service 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Individuals Sheltered* 330 385 193 258 294 People Turned Away* 223 313 Not available Not available Not available New Emergency/ Transitional Beds 0 36 12 66 18 New Permanent Shelter Housing (PSH) Units 37 37 37 37 63 63 Section 8 Vouchers 111 187 185 142 Rent Assistance Vouchers** 714 649 578 100 System Entries 69 97 86 162 Not available System Prioritization (% Unsheltered Entries) 74% 56% 67% 47% Not available Exits to Permanent Housing 78% 78% 54% 33% Not available Length of Time in Homelessness (days) 699 373 487 300 Not available Returns to Homelessness 5% 8% 6% 5% Not available *Change in data source. 2022 through 2024 are HMIS data while previous years’ counts came from individual agencies. Decrease in number of individuals sheltered from 2021 to 2022 likely reflects Golden/HMIS undercount and duplication of individuals in separate agencies’ counts in 2020 and 2021. Number of people turned away not available from HMIS data. ** Rent Assistance vouchers includes ERAP vouchers. The ERAP program was discontinued at the end of June 2023. *** Includes rental assistance vouchers from July 2023 through November 2024. Sources: HFB Housing Stock Inventory; DOC County Report Card; DOC Golden Reports 5 PERFORMANCE AGAINST PLAN GOALS A focus on collaborative action between housing service providers, local government boards, state government agencies, community organizations, builders, home-seekers, advocates, volunteers and donors characterized system development this year. “More than ever before, organizations that work on various housing or housing-related projects are talking to each other, focusing on our impact, and thinking strategically about the needs across the entire county.” Heather Dudley-Nolette, Former Executive Director of Bayside Housing and services, County Commissioner Elect Table 3 below summarizes top level actions with respect to the 5 year Plan Goals. The following section, 2024 Major Accomplishments and 2025 Priorities, provides a more detailed account of supportive actions. Table 3 - Top-level look at performance and supportive actions PLAN GOAL STATUS OWNER NOTES (see p. 6) 1. Quickly identify and engage people experiencing homelessness. Needs attention Coordinated Entry Advisory Board (CEAB), Service Providers HFB initiated demographics-focused housing needs assessment engaging 22 service organizations. 2, Prioritization of homeless housing for people with the highest needs. Some success CEAB, Service Providers The CEAB established a vulnerability assessment that addresses multiple layers of vulnerability. 3. Operate an effective and efficient homeless crisis response system. Needs attention All Shelter Coalition established to coordinate service provision to unsheltered individuals. 4. A projection of the number of households & individuals left unsheltered. Major progress in 2024 and continued focus in 2025 HFB Three major housing needs assessments were conducted from different perspectives. 6 5. Address Racial, Ethnic and Gender Disparities among People Experiencing Homelessness Needs attention CEAB, All Hugging Tree established a six unit affordable rental housing complex serving low-income BIPOC community members. 6. Supportive Efforts Aimed at Ending Homelessness Sustained progress All 2024 Major Accomplishments GOAL 1: QUICKLY IDENTIFY AND ENGAGE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS • Developed and strengthened supporting relationships with on-the-ground social service providers such as LEAD and REAL (Discovery Behavioral Health) Teams. • OWL 360 has increased youth (18 to 24 years old) access to services through an innovative program that offers a supportive environment for young people to meet each other, access resources, and gain social and employment opportunities. Their streamlined intake process connects youth and young adults to housing and resources within 72 hours of initial contact. • The Winter Welcoming Center is a no-entry-barrier day center and a major safe space to offer service for the unsheltered. In 2024, they provided emergency shelter beds during a severe weather event of 9 days in partnership with the Department of Emergency Management. GOAL 2: PRIORITIZATION OF HOMELESS HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH THE HIGHEST NEEDS • In 2024, the CEAB established a common vulnerability assessment for prioritizing assistance that addresses multiple layers of vulnerability. • The CEAB is also developing a common count-wide process and staffing to ensure individuals with the highest need are prioritized. • Bayside Housing Services remodeled EH housing units to accommodate families at Bayside Towers. GOAL 3: OPERATE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT HOMELESS CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM. • In July, OlyCAP increased operations hours of the housing resources office from 9-1 Monday through Thursday to 9 - 3pm Monday through Thursday; increased the CHG RRH services from July 1 - December by 29%; and more than doubled the CHG prevention services from the entire previous year. 7 • The Housing Fund Board established a Shelter Coalition to coordinate the operation of Jefferson County’s congregate emergency shelter at the American Legion. The coalition provides an important space for collaboration among service providers offering services to unsheltered individuals. • Bayside Housing Services will open its first permanent supportive housing in November 2024. In addition, Bayside received an $8.7M grant award from the State for a 23+ unit PSH/affordable housing project which they anticipate will open for tenancy in 2026. • The County Commissioners approved the Housing Fund Board’s recommendation to award approximately $165,000 for 5386 Homeless Housing and Assistance (operating) funds; $840,000 for 1590 Affordable and Supportive Housing development funds; and first year operating funds; and $560,000 for 1590 Affordable and Supportive Housing operating funds. GOAL 4: A PROJECTION OF THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS & INDIVIDUALS LEFT UNSHELTERED. • In January, the Housing Fund Board conducted a Homeless System Performance Measures Planning workshop with the support of the Washington Department of Commerce's Data and Performance Unit, Housing Division. • The City of Port Townsend completed its housing needs inventory and analysis of existing and projected housing needs by income level and is working on a land capacity analysis. A key finding is that it is current low-income residents that are being displaced. • The Housing Solutions Network, a community-based housing advocacy organization, conducted a county-wide survey to determine the urgency of housing needs and how the lack of workforce housing impacts the local economy. With 957 individual responses and 39 responses from employers representing 2,085 employees, the results painted a comprehensive picture of the need for affordable housing development at all income levels. • The Housing Fund Board’s Data and Needs Assessment Committee is developing a data model that will provide reliable projections of housing needs by demographic. • OlyCAP integrated an array of community partners into the planning process in preparation for the 2025 PIT count. GOAL 5: ADDRESS RACIAL, ETHNIC AND GENDER DISPARITIES AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS • OWL360 actively recruits diverse staff and provides culturally sensitive training, ensuring equitable access to housing and services for marginalized populations. • Hugging Tree Legacy converted a single family residence to a 6 unit co-living rental facility serving low-income BIPOC community members. 8 GOAL 6: SUPPORTIVE EFFORTS AIMED AT ENDING HOMELESSNESS • The City of Port Townsend amended its zoning code to create a new section establishing performance standards for emergency housing and shelter facilities that expanded where such facilities can be located. • Since 2020, Community Build has engaged hundreds of volunteers in addressing the lack of affordable housing. In 2023, Community Build began developing a program to provide affordable tiny houses with volunteer labor for extremely low and very low income individuals (<50% AMI). In 2024, they delivered 2 tiny homes at a cost of around $38,000 per house. Also, they applied for Licensing and Industry certification of their tiny home manufacturing facility. • In 2024, OWL 360 signed a global lease providing for an additional 4 transition housing units, the first in South Jefferson County. • Bayside Housing and Services was awarded $8.7 million for Vince’s Village, a mixed PSH affordable rental housing complex of 40 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units. They also acquired two additional properties (one on 9th Street and one on San Juan Ave., both in Port Townsend) for future affordable rental housing projects. • In July 2024, OlyCAP developed a Landlord Liaison role to provide support to landlords in the form of direct assistance to resolve payment concerns. Landlords can initiate prevention assistance for a tenant late on rent and other education and support access damage mitigation funds. • In 2023-2024, Dove House purchased additional property and worked with the City of Port Townsend to rezone the property, which allowed Dove House to offer a 2 bedroom house and a studio for additional transitional housing for domestic violence survivors. • The city and county are collaborating on an urban growth area expansion encompassing Caswell-Brown which will allow for higher density by connecting to the Port Townsend sanitary sewer 2024 Major Challenges and 2025 Priorities • The emergency shelter due to replace the congregate shelter located at the American Legion Hall is going through a redesign to accommodate a funding gap. The newly scoped facility should maintain continuity with the closing of the congregate shelter at the American Legion Hall in July, 2025. • The City of Port Townsend is servicing an unsanctioned encampment on public lands. There are no clear pathways to move people in the encampment to shelter and to permanent housing. 9 • In Jefferson County, there is no clear entity responsible for developing rental housing other than the market and the rental market is failing with the loss of 738 rental units over the te- year period from 2012 to 2022. • Although all major housing providers have fully implemented HMIS, Commerce’s County Report Card and the Golden Report indicate incomplete and unreliable data reporting. 10 LOOKING FORWARD In 2025, Jefferson County will conduct a year-long planning process to develop its five-year local housing plan for adoption by Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend in December 2025. The plan will focus on developing a response to housing insecurity and homelessness that addresses both local community and individual needs. It will provide goals, strategies, activities, performance measures and timelines towards eliminating homelessness within the entire county for the timeframe of 2025-2030. The planning process will follow the 2025-2030 Local Housing Plan Guidance. In April of 2024, the Housing Fund Board began a series of conversational meetings focusing on the needs of different populations experiencing homelessness and housing instability. These collaborative discussions will inform the development of the next Five-Year Plan (2025 to 2030) for Homelessness and Affordable Housing due December 2025. To date, we have held five discussions involving 22 organizations. An additional eight conversations will be held in the first half of 2025. Appendix B provides a synopsis of emerging themes along with the full schedule of conversations and the list of organizations represented to date. In 2025, the Housing Fund Board expects to engage several By and For organizations. As part of financial tracking required by the Local Housing Plan Guidance, the Housing Fund Board will implement a financial tracking and accountability system in 2025. Members of the Housing Fund Board will also engage in the city’s and county’s comprehensive planning processes. 11 APPENDIX A: SYSTEM PERFORMANCE MEASURES 2015-2023 86%83% 100%100% 78%78% 54% 33% 8%2%10%5%5%8%6%5% 36%29% 47% 73%74% 56% 67% 47% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 JC Homeless System Performance 2015 -2023 Exits to Permanent Housing, Returns to Homelessness, System Prioritization Exits to Permanent Housing Returns to Homelessness System Prioritization 80 159 177 85 69 97 86 162 245 534 366 617 699 373 487 300 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 JC Homeless System Performance 2015-2023Total Project Entries and Length of Time Homeless Total Project Entries Length of Time Homeless 12 APPENDIX B: HOUSING FUND BOARD’S DEMOGRAPHIC- FOCUSED HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT To design effective programs and policies to address homelessness, we need to understand who is experiencing it, how they became homeless, what their experiences are, and what is preventing them from exiting homelessness. In April of 2024, the Housing Fund Board began a series of conversational meetings focusing on the needs of different populations experiencing homelessness and housing instability. These collaborative discussions will inform the development of the next Five-Year Plan (2025 to 2030) for Homelessness and Affordable Housing due December 2025. To date, we have held five discussions involving 22 organizations. An additional eight conversations will be held in the first half of 2025. This appendix provides a synopsis of emerging themes along with the full schedule of conversations and the list of represented organizations for 2024. In 2025, the Housing Fund Board expects to engage several By and For organizations. Emerging Themes and Key Takeaways ALIGN RESOURCES WITH PEOPLE’S DISTINCTIVE NEEDS • Current emphasis on planning for Emergency (EH) and Affordable Housing (AH) small units (studios and one-bedrooms) indicates a continuing shortage of family-sized units. At the same time, there has been a marked increase in families experiencing homelessness. • While the lack of affordable housing is the primary structural barrier, [domestic violence and sexual assault] survivors’ lack of resources – references, financial history, and savings to pay upfront costs of new housing – present formidable additional barriers to securing housing in private market. Eligibility requirements for low-income subsidized housing (less than $18-19/hour) is also a barrier. • Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project (YHDP) provides 18-25 yr olds with one- time sums for (housing loss) prevention or relocation. Its flexibility (responsiveness to needs) is effective but funding is in jeopardy. • There are no senior housing service programs. Jefferson County has highest share of population age 65 and older of any county in the state (and second highest in country) while the percentage of cost burdened senior households is increasing (both renter and owner hhs). Since there are no places to downsize, there is a shortage of family-size homes coming on market which, in turn, impacts REET funding. IMPROVE SYSTEM CAPABILITIES THROUGH COORDINATED RESPONSE • Meeting families’ intersecting needs requires depth of resources and coordinated service provision across different service delivery systems. The YMCA’s Family and Youth’s Resource Navigator Program has provided essential service in this capacity. • Housing, health and social service providers will work together to foster an emergent network for pooling basic needs resources (e.g. showers, heat, light, laundry tokens) for unsheltered individuals. 13 SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING INSTABILITY REGAIN A SENSE OF BELONGING, AGENCY, AUTONOMY, AND RESPONSIBILITY • A major cause of homelessness is the experience of repeated trauma – discrimination and exposure to violence. Once homeless, there is an increase in trauma exposure. There is a need to coordinate related trainings across service agencies. • Increasing access to services for families experiencing homelessness and housing instability involves confidentiality and destigmatization. Housing Needs Assessment Schedule 4/12/24 Seniors and Youth 6/14/24 Low-Income Workforce 8/09/24 Domestic Violence, SA, Trafficking and Sex Workers 10/11/24 Children, Families, and Women 12/13/24 People Facing Chronic Homelessness, Substance Use Disorders and Behavioral Heath Challenges Jan 31, Feb 3 Lived Experience times two (in tandem with PIT Count week) 2/14/25 PGM/BiPOC and Undocumented 3/14/25 Renting and Underhoused 4/11/25 LGBTQ+ 6/13/25 Veterans, Foster Children, and other distinct populations not covered above Unscheduled: South County and West County along with Community Conversations Organizations Represented to Date Housing Service Providers: Bayside Housing; Dove House; OlyCAP; OWL 360; Peninsula Housing Authority; Habitat for Humanity East Jefferson County; Olympic Housing Trust Community Housing Organizations: Housing Solutions Network; Community Build Homeless Service/Advocacy Organizations: Help Now Fund; Reach Out!; Whale Heart Productions; Winter Welcoming Center Social Service Providers and Educational Organizations: Jefferson County Public Health Dept.; Recovery Café; Aging and Long-Term Support Administration, DSHS; OlyCAP Youth Services; REAL Team, Discovery Behavioral Health; Port Townsend High School; Chimacum High School; Youth & Family Resource Service Navigator Program, YMCA