PORT TOWNSEND — A combined board with a focus on affordable housing and homelessness has extended its deadline for organizations to apply to be on its task force.
Individuals now have until May 13 to apply to provide input on a state-required five-year housing plan, Jefferson County Administrator Philip Morley said.
The two-week extension was granted during the meeting of the joint oversight board on affordable housing and homeless housing on April 24.
Those interested must submit a volunteer application, which can be obtained by calling 360-385-9100 or by clicking “volunteers sought for task force” under latest news on the county’s homepage, www.co.jefferson.wa.us.
The task force will work with the joint committee to draft a five-year plan by October.
The plan must be submitted to the state by Dec. 1, and a new contract for homeless housing services needs to be in place by April 2020, Morley said.
The joint committee consists of County Commissioner David Sullivan, Port Townsend City Council member Michelle Sandoval and Vicki Kirkpatrick, the director of Jefferson County Public Health, among others.
The board was concerned last week it only had nine applicants and hadn’t yet received official interest from several housing groups who want to be part of the stakeholder group.
Sandoval was part of a Jefferson Community Foundation committee that recently awarded Olympic Neighbors a $10,000 grant toward housing.
She said the joint committee still needed to do a bit of outreach.
“All of the [organization] directors did not realize they didn’t need to put an application in,” Sandoval told the joint committee.
Morley said state law changed last year to increase the amount of funds generated through recording fees that can go toward homeless and affordable housing services.
Those feeds originally were set to sunset, but they are now permanent, he said.
Once the task force is set, the joint committee plans to work with a facilitator on a contract to identify priorities in a new five-year housing plan, Morley said.
The current housing contract is with Olympic Community Action Programs, which runs the shelter at the American Legion Hall, the Haines Street cottages and a homeless housing assistance program, Morley said.
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Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
