Permanent Supportive Housing Services

Pierce County (hereafter known as “the County”) has made available, in accordance with the approved Housing and Related Services Sales Tax Six-Year Expenditure and Implementation Plan , funds to provide Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) services in the County. The goal of the RFP is to utilize this funding to provide on-going housing related services for PSH tenants. Applicants proposing to serve PSH tenants with substance use disorder or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorder and programs serving individuals living with chronic diseases including, but not limited to, HIV, AIDS, or diabetes will be prioritized for funding.

In 2020, the Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 1590, which amended the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 82.14.530, allowing for local governments to levy, through legislative authority, a one-tenth of one percent sales tax for housing and related services. One of the required uses proscribed by the RCW is for the operation, delivery, or evaluation of mental and behavioral health treatment programs and services or housing-related services.

On March 21, 2023, the Pierce County Council (the Council) passed Ordinance 2022-81s (the Ordinance), also known as the Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act, taking effect on April 7, 2023. The Ordinance levies an additional sales and use tax of one tenth of one percent for Housing and Related Services as authorized by RCW 82.14.530, further referred to as "1590" in reference to the legislative bill to create the tax.

On March 6th, 2024, Resolution No. R2024-136 adopted the Six-Year Advisory Expenditure and Implementation Plan for the Housing and Related Services Fund. This Plan will advance the goals of the Ordinance, the County’s Housing Action Strategy , the County’s Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness , the County’s Behavioral Health Improvement Plan , and the Continuum of Care goals . The Department has developed this funding opportunity to align with these goals. Funding must adhere to the requirement that housing related services will account for 20% of the tax revenue and 80% of the revenue will be for capital projects.