1. Permanent supportive housing: PSH provides non time-limited, deeply affordable housing with wraparound services that are flexible, tenant-driven and voluntary to assist households in achieving housing stability. PSH is an effective housing solution for people who have complex needs and have experienced long periods of homelessness.
   
2. Culturally specific and responsive services: All SHS programs must be designed to especially meet the needs of Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, Asians, Pacific Islanders, immigrants and refugees. Housing and services must be delivered in a manner that is culturally responsive, low barrier, and ensures equitable access and outcomes. Culturally specific programs and services are prioritized.
   
3. Program standards: All SHS programs must be administered in accordance with the Washington County Supportive Housing Services Program Standards.
   
4. Eligible tenant population: PSH units will serve people with extremely low incomes (<30% AMI) and one or more disabling conditions, and who are experiencing or at imminent risk of experiencing long-term or frequent episodes of literal homelessness. Eligible tenants include single individuals, couples without children, and families with children; the majority are likely to be households of one or two people. Housing owners will coordinate with Community Connect (Washington County’s coordinated entry system) and other SHS referral partners to identify eligible applicants and will be required to use screening criteria and procedures that ensure the units are accessible to the eligible population.
   
5. Eligible units: PSH units must be located within the parts of Washington County that are inside Metro’s jurisdictional boundary. SHS resources can be used to stabilize existing PSH units, convert existing affordable units to PSH at turnover, or create dedicated PSH units in new developments at lease up or during the development process. Units can be located in integrated projects that combine PSH with other housing types or in projects that are 100% PSH. Projects must commit to the creation of at least 10 PSH units to be eligible for SHS funding.
   
6. Eligible applicants: Participation in the initial round of funding opportunities is restricted to the affordable housing owners that qualified to partner with DHS as providers of Supportive Housing Services through the April/May 2021 RFPQ: Bienestar, Catholic Charities, CPAH, and Reach. Other interested organizations will have an opportunity to qualify for participation in subsequent funding rounds through a second RFPQ that will be issued in late 2021.

SHS funds can be used to support a range of project-based PSH program models, and DHS is interested in working with potential partners to explore flexible and innovative strategies to achieve the county’s PSH unit goals. DHS will work collaboratively with each housing owner to develop a customized mix of funding and supports that are tailored to fit each project to ensure long-term stability and success for buildings, units and tenants. Projects with a commitment to create at least 10 PSH units will be eligible to select from a menu of SHS-funded resources that includes:

1. Project-based Regional Long-term Rent Assistance (RLRA): Contracts are available for SHS-funded project-based rent assistance that will buy down rents up to 80% AMI depending on the project. Rent assistance is designed to subsidize the gap between 28.5% of the tenant’s income and the unit’s regulated rent level to make units affordable for tenants with incomes between $0 and 30% AMI. Reimbursement at more than 80% AMI rents may be available for projects that meet specific criteria. Initial contract terms are up to 15 years with the potential for extension if resources are available. (RLRA is designed to make units affordable to tenants with incomes below 30% AMI, not to subsidize other project costs; see the “building operations” and “development financing” sections below for resources that can be used to subsidize operating costs.)
   
2. Housing retention case management: SHS resources are available to provide case management services for each PSH unit to support housing stabilization, lease compliance, and connections with wraparound services. Case management services will be matched to PSH units through designated DHS contracts with service providers that qualified to contract with DHS through the April/May 2021 RFPQ. DHS will fund ongoing services, at a level commensurate with each household’s specific needs, for up to 10 years with the potential for renewal if resources are available. Qualified housing owners that prefer to provide services in-house can receive funding through a designated services contract with DHS.
   
3. Resident services: Projects with at least 30% of units set aside for PSH (and a minimum of 10 PSH units) are eligible for funding to support the resident services needs of the building where the PSH units are located. Resident services are provided on site and include services such as new resident orientation, conflict mediation, information and referral, connections to community resources, community building activities, and other programming tailored to the building’s population. Funding is available for up to 10 years with the potential for renewal if resources are available. The maximum eligible budget is $1,200 per unit per year (based on the total number of units in the building), with the expectation that a portion of that amount will be covered through the building’s financing. Proposed budgets will be analyzed for cost efficiency and effective leveraging of non-SHS resources.
   
4. Building operations: Funding is available to cover costs of building operations that are specific to buildings with PSH residents. Examples of eligible costs include 24-hour front desk, hiring security or maintenance staff with specialized training, housekeeping support to assist tenants with lease compliance, and enhanced property management. Projects with at least 30% of units set aside for PSH (and a minimum of 10 PSH units) are eligible to apply for funding to cover specific building operation costs for up to 10 years with the potential for renewal if resources are available. Proposals will be reviewed on a project-by-project basis, with funding prioritized for projects where the budget is cost effective and well aligned with the building’s size and resident composition.
   
5. Development financing: SHS funding is available to support financing of new or rehabbed
   projects that would create a significant number of new project-based PSH units. Development financing is available in the form of (a) gap financing for operating subsidies or (b) rent assistance contingency funding intended to support investor confidence by covering costs for rent assistance beyond the SHS sunset date of December 2030 if SHS is not renewed. Rent assistance contingency funding must be set aside and used for that purpose only.
   
6. Technical assistance: For housing owners without extensive PSH experience, funding is available for training, technical assistance and capacity building to support planning and development of a well-designed and implemented PSH program. One-time TA grants of up to $25,000 are available per project.

In addition to these funding options, all projects with SHS-funded project-based PSH units will have access to a risk mitigation fund that will cover (a) costs related to physical damage to units or common areas beyond normal wear and tear that exceeds the security deposit, (b) legal costs related to serious violations of the lease or state law, and (c) uncollected rent, up to certain limits. Projects will also receive ongoing support from a designated DHS contract manager.

1. Timeline: This initial round of project-based PSH funding will be available on a rolling basis beginning in November 2021 for allocation to affordable housing owners that qualified to partner with DHS as providers of Supportive Housing Services through the April/May 2021 RFPQ. Additional funding will be released through subsequent funding rounds beginning in 2022 for organizations that qualify to partner with DHS through the RFPQ that will be issued in late 2021.
   
2. Proposals: Eligible owners are invited to submit a brief proposal for each proposed project-based
   PSH project. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis. See proposal guidelines below.
   
3. Evaluation criteria: All funded projects must meet the program guidelines described above. Funding will be prioritized for eligible projects that (a) maximize the number of PSH units created in proportion to the SHS resources requested, (b) most effectively meet the needs of the eligible tenant population, and (c) contribute to the achievement of the county’s SHS outcome goals.
   
4. Allocation process: DHS will review and respond to applications within no more than 120 days of receipt. If an application meets the evaluation criteria, DHS will enter into funding negotiations with the applicant organization with the goal of reaching mutual agreement on the level and types of resources that will be allocated in exchange for specific PSH unit commitments. If PSH units will be added incrementally at turnover, the negotiations will also include a plan for scaling SHS funding over time.

Applicants should submit a brief proposal, not to exceed two pages, for each proposed PSH project. There is no limit to the number of proposals each applicant can submit. Proposals must include the following:

1. Project partners: Housing owner, case management/supportive services provider (if a specific partnership with a qualified provider has already been established), and other relevant partners.
   
2. Building: Total number of units, building location, resident population, unit mix, amenities, proximity to transit and other community resources.
   
3. PSH units: Number of existing PSH units (if applicable), proposed PSH units that would be supported through this funding opportunity, unit sizes, percentage of building that would be PSH, and projected timeline for achieving that percentage.
   
4. Equity: Strategies for ensuring PSH is low barrier, ensures equitable access and outcomes, and is delivered in a manner that is culturally responsive and/or culturally specific.
   
5. Timeline: Current project status and projected lease-up date for PSH units.
   
6. Funding request: Type(s) of resources requested from the menu of funding options.
   
7. Budget (not included in the two-page limit): For proposals for resident services, building operations, development financing or technical assistance: a budget for each resource request that shows the total budget for that item, the DHS resource request, the portion of the costs that will be covered through other resources, and the sources and amounts of the other funding sources. Additional supporting documentation, including building proformas, operating budgets, operating plans and property management plans, may be requested during the allocation process.

Submission Instructions

Proposals should be saved as a Word or PDF document and uploaded to ProcureNow. This is a rolling funding opportunity that will be made available through ProcureNow in a monthly cycle. Applications are due by the third Friday of each month at which point the Request for Interest will close in ProcureNow and then re-open the following Monday for the next cycle.