Housing Trust Fund

***The 2021 Trust Fund is now available.***

The Fall 2021 Trust Fund Round is now open.  Please review the following guidelines for information about available funding, funding priorities, and application requirements:

Application forms are available for download below. Please consult the above guidelines for detailed instructions, and note that in 2021 applicants must also obtain and submit a LIHTC scoring form from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission:

 

All interested applicants should contact ARCH to schedule a pre-application meeting. Applications are due September 13 by noon.

Please contact Klaas Nijhuis at ARCH to set up a pre-application meeting, or with any further questions about the Trust Fund, (425) 861-3677.   

 

The ARCH Housing Trust Fund (HTF) was created by ARCH member cities in 1993 as a way to directly assist the development and preservation of affordable housing in East King County. The trust fund is capitalized by both local general funds and locally controlled, federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The trust fund process allows ARCH members to jointly administer their housing funds, and assist the best available housing opportunities that meet the housing needs of the community.

Purpose

The purpose of the Housing Trust Fund is to create and preserve housing for low and moderate Income individuals and families in East King County. Low Income is defined as less than 50% of the King County median income, and moderate income is defined as less than 80% of the King County median income. Emphasis is placed on providing housing affordable to Low Income households. However, funding can be provided for moderate Income households, especially for homeownership opportunities.

Housing Goals

In order to provide housing which serves a broad spectrum of Low and Moderate Income housing needs, the ARCH member cities have set the following long term goal for use of their housing resources:

Families (inc. single households)

56%

Homeless/Transitional

13%

Elderly

19%

Special Needs Populations*

12%

 
*Housing that provides supportive services for daily living needs, e.g. Group home for persons with developmental disability, foster parent home.

These percentages are long range goals. In any given year, one or more categories may be over or under their percentage goal.  See the Housing Trust Fund Guidelines for any preferences in the current funding round.

Accomplishments

Through 2020, member cities have made over $80 million available to fund over 5,000 units of housing located in East King County.  These funds have been made available as both grants and low interest contingent loans as well as land donations and fee waivers.  Other funding for this housing comes from a myriad of other public (King County, State of Washington, Federal) and private sources.

List of ARCH Funded Projects

 

 

 

"ARCH has proven to be an invaluable resource to its member cities and local housing developers in structuring partnerships that work, and funding the gap for projects in need. "

- DASH