Affordable Housing COVID Response (AHCR)

The AHCR program provide emergency housing services in response to COVID-19. AHCR helps individuals and families maintain housing. AHCR will serve clients that are at or below 60% AMI and are at imminent risk of losing their primary residence within 20-days, have a pay-or-vacate notice or a notice to terminate for valid lease tenants. (During the eviction moratorium other documentation from landlord will be required).

Other eligible assistance expenses include but are not necessarily limited to housing related expenses such mortgage or rental arrears, utilities, application fees, and/or deposits.

Eligibility Requirements:

• At or below 60% AMI (Last 30-days of income)
• At risk of losing their primary residence
• Client has been affected by COVID-19

NOTICE: AHCR funding is currently exhausted, please check back in January for availability.

For more information and/or to see if you are eligible please contact AHCR case manager at (360) 438-1100 ext. 1161 or email at JamihleeM@caclmt.org.

Through the Pathways Program, our Care Coordinators work with clients to access support services. Focusing on service navigation, referrals, and education to ease the process of accessing care and support. This program enables a Care Coordinator to work with clients on multiple focuses at the same time, to build confidence and know-how, with a goal of self-sufficiency.

City of Lacey COVID Relief Fund is a partnership between Community Action Council (CAC) and the City of Lacey to support Lacey residents impacted by the COVID19 pandemic. The City has allocated funding to support residents with rental/mortgage assistance, water/sewer assistance, WIFI assistance, and childcare.

Each household is encouraged to contact CAC to determine eligibility. You will be asked about your household income, your household need, and information regarding the vendor to be paid on your household’s behalf.

Eligibility:

• City of Lacey Resident (within the City limits of Lacey)
• Household income approximately 60% of the Area Median Income over the last 30 days
• Impacted by the COVID19 pandemic

You may schedule an appointment by calling our (360) 438-1100 ext. 5020  All appointments are over the phone as the CAC offices are closed to the public at this time.

Coordinated Entry is the process by which people experiencing homelessness are given access to housing and assistance based on their level of need and resources available. The Coordinated Entry system reduces the number of people entering into homelessness by offering prevention and diversion resources, and our Coordinated Entry Specialist matches single individuals to appropriate programs and resources as space becomes available.

Eligibility:

• Single adult or a couple without dependent children experiencing homelessness.
• Veterans experiencing homelessness.

You may schedule an appointment by calling our Coordinated Entry Hotline 1.844.628.7343.

COVID-19 Emergency Fund 

This program assists individuals and families who have experienced a loss in income due to the COVID19 Pandemic.

Eligibility for the program is as follows:

• Household 200% of Federal Poverty Line or 60% Area Median Income (whichever is higher)
• Experienced a loss of income related to the COVID19 Pandemic
• One time assistance payment paid to vendor of need (ie. landlord, utility company, childcare organization, etc.)

COVID19 Emergency Fund Thurston County

Program funds available through a collaboration with the United Way of Thurston County and the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound.

Call 360-438-1100 select option for COVID19 Emergency Fund

COVID19 Emergency Fund Lewis County

Program funds available through a collaboration with the United Way of Lewis County and Community Development Block Grant funds.

Call 360-736-1800 select option for COVID19 Emergency Fund

COVID19 Emergency Fund Mason County

Program funds available through a collaboration with the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound and Community Development Block Grant funds.

Call 360-426-9726 select option for COVID19 Emergency Fund

Our Energy Assistance program believes in providing equitable, confidential, and reliable energy assistance services to low-income families and individuals. Through the federally funded LIHEAP program, we provided energy assistance to over 4,391 households. We distributed over $2 million to help residents cover their gas, electricity, oil, wood, or propane bills.

About the Program

LIHEAP, a federally funded program, assists residents with their gas, electricity, oil, wood, and propane costs

Puget Sound Energy HELP provides assistance with the cost of natural gas and electricity consumption to qualified PSE customers—with an account in their name or in the name of a member of the household

The program begins in the fall and continues until all funds are committed. Due to limited funding, we are unable to serve everyone who is in need of these services, so do not hesitate to call if you believe you may be eligible. See eligibility requirements below.

Program Updates

Lewis, Mason, and Thurston County are no longer scheduling normal Energy Assistance appointments. Emergency appointments may be available for those without heat of any kind but certain restrictions do apply. Please dial (360) 438-1100 and speak with an Energy Assistance staff member if that is the case.

Thurston County’s next scheduling date will be … TBA.
Lewis and Mason County’s next scheduling date will be … TBA.

Phone lines will open at 7:00am on each county’s respective scheduling-day. To schedule an appointment by phone in Thurston County, please call (360) 438-1100. To schedule an appointment by phone in Lewis County, please call (360) 736-1800. To schedule an appointment in Mason County, please call (360) 426-9726.

See below for the CACLMT office phone numbers:

Thurston County: (360) 438-1100

Mason County: (360) 426-9726

Lewis County: (360) 736-1800

 

If you are without heat of any kind, please call our agency to see if there are available emergency appointments.

Eligibility

Those who are low-income and need assistance paying their energy bill are eligible to receive this service.

To further determine eligibility we look at:

• Household Size
• Income
• Heat Source
• Previous year’s energy usage

See below if your household may be income eligible for heating assistance through the LIHEAP programs or income eligible for assistance through the PSE-HELP program.

Making An Appointment

Our policy is to make appointments over the phone or through our website scheduler. To be fair in applying, we do not accept requests for appointments by email, voicemail, or fax. Due to the high volume of people in need trying to access these services, it is imperative to process all applicants fairly and equally. Please remember appointments are made on a first come, first served basis.

+ Note that our phone lines become extremely busy when we first start scheduling appointments due to the large volume of people calling in. The phone lines are consistently in use during this process.

• Calls are processed in the order they are received to the best of our system’s capabilities.
• Please show patience, as well as persistence, when calling to schedule.
• When you are on HOLD, please do not hang up– as you will lose your spot in line to speak to a representative.
• It is not uncommon to experience HOLD times of 15-20 minutes, sometimes longer.

We strongly encourage people not to give up calling if there is a busy signal; eventually, you can get through.

To schedule an appointment, please call on one of our opening dates and have the following ready:

• Pen and paper
• Electric and/or natural gas account number
• Last 4 digits of the social security number of whomever is scheduling the appointment
• Physical/residential address
• Gross household income for three previous months

What Do I Need to Bring to My Appointment

• Social Security cards for everyone in the home. This includes children who are one to seventeen years old. (Please Note: Infants who are under that age of one do not need Social Security cards)
• Current (Non-Expired) Photo Identification
• Address Verification
• Verification of all sources of income/monies received by every household member for the three previous months from the time of your appointment. For example, if your appointment date is in July, please bring in April, May, and June verification.
• A current heat bill or proof of your heat source. If your heat source is propane, oil, pellets, or firewood and you do not have a vendor who provides you with a bill go to: Forms à Energy à and use the Heat Source Statement for proof of heat source.
• Qualified Alien Documentation to receive Federal services and benefits, if applicable.

We cannot use previously submitted documentation to qualify clients for a benefit, including Social Security cards and drivers licenses. Please bring all required documentation at the time of your appointment.

* Anyone with zero ‘0’ income and who is 18 or older is required to complete paperwork explaining how he/she paid for food, shelter, and heat at the time of appointment

** If you are a student, your Financial Aid award letter is required.

UPDATE: Standard appointments have been exhausted, and we regret the wait list is currently full. Continue to follow our website for updates and to see if new funding has been made available. You may also give us a call at (360) 438-1100 and press “8” for housing and then “7” for ERAP.

The Eviction Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) is intended to prevent evictions by paying past due, current, due and future rent, targeting limited resources to those with the greatest needs while working to distribute the funds equitably.

The goals of the program are:

• Prevent evictions
• Target limited resources to people most likely to become homeless after eviction
• Target limited resources to people most likely to suffer severe health consequences as a result of the eviction
• Promote equity in who is served, with a focus on equity for groups of people who historically have not been provided equitable access to rent assistance and those who have disproportionately been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak: Latinx or Hispanic, young adults, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

Eligibility: 

Households must meet two initial screening criteria:

• Current Income (over last 60 days) at or below 80% of Area Median Income
• At least one month of rent not paid or partially unpaid since March 1, 2020

Households must also meet at least one of the following additional criteria (any member of the household):

• 50% or more of current monthly income is needed to pay rent
• Previously homeless within last five years (this includes experiences of couch surfing/double up)
• Eviction history within last seven years
• Housing disrupted due to household member race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or religion
• At risk of severe illness as per the CDC (62 or older, underlying condition)
• Disability of any household member. (Includes a physical, developmental, mental, or emotional impairment, including impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, PTSD, brain injury, HIV/AIDS)

If head of household is 18 – 24 years old, additional criteria can be used to determine eligibility:

• Pregnant or parenting
• Recipient (current or past) from any one of the following: foster care, adoption, mental health, drug or alcohol treatment, court systems

United States citizenship is NOT an eligibility requirement of this program.

Documentation Questions for each Household:

• Number of people in the household
• Income from the last 60 days
• Address
• Rent amount / lease agreement
• Amount of rent owed (past, current, or future)
• Information pertaining to screen criteria (above)
• Landlord or Friend/Family Payment Agreement Form
• Landlord signature on HIE Form
• W9 from landlord or friend/family

Partner Organizations: 

• Community Youth Services
• COFA Alliance Network of WA (CANN-WA)
• more to come soon!

Contact information:
Call: (360) 438-1100  Press 8 for Housing / Press 7 for ERAP
Check us out on Facebook

Resources: 

• Washington State Department of Commerce Guidelines and Documents 
• Thurston Co PHSS Press Release Aug2020
• ERAP Landlord Flyer (Final)
• ERAP Providers Flyer (Final)
• 프로그램 세부 정보
• Detalles del programa
• Chi tiết chương trình

Foundational Community Supports is a program that includes Supportive Housing and Supportive Employment. Targeted Medicaid benefits are used to help eligible clients with complex health needs obtain and maintain housing and employment stability.

The purpose of the Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) program is to prevent the homelessness of and to rehouse unemployable adults and assist them with basic essential needs such as utility payments, personal hygiene products, and transportation. Last year a monthly average of 317 individuals who were either homeless, or at risk of being homeless received assistance.

Housing Stabilization Program assists single adults and families whom are at risk of losing their primary nighttime residence.

Eligibility

Is dependent on imminent risk of homelessness and at or below 30% area median income
Please bring eviction notice and proof of income

To make an appointment, call (360) 438-1100×1161.

The Outreach Coordinator (OC) responds to people with mental and/or substance use disorders, behavioral, housing, financial and other social service needs. The OC makes a considerable amount of public contact and is intended to bridge the gap between law enforcement and/or emergency medical response and the social service needs of people in the Lacey community who are in this population.

Contact information:
Call: (360) 870-4728

Rapid Re-Housing provides short-term rental assistance and services. The goals are to help people obtain housing rapidly, increase self- sufficiency, and stay housed. It is offered without requirements (such as employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety) and the resources and services provided are typically personalized to the needs of the person.

Eligibility:

Client must access Coordinated Entry and complete an intake to be placed on the Master List for Rapid-Re-Housing

• Proof of homelessness
• At or below 30% Area Median Income

To make an appointment please contact the CE Hotline @ 1-844-628-7343.

The goal of our Weatherization Program is to improve the quality of life for our clients by reducing their energy and budget burdens, allowing them to become more self-sufficient. Last year we improved the health and safety of more than 104 homes and provided basic services to an additional 71 homes.