Thurston Regional Housing Council meeting August 26, 2026

The Thurston Regional Housing Council meeting on August 26, 2026, focused primarily on affordable housing funding policies and processes. Key procurement-related discussions included the review and proposed approval of revisions to the Opportunity Fund policy, which caps the fund balance at $3.5 million and limits non-acquisition funding to 40% annually. The council discussed procedural improvements to allow more time for review of emergent funding requests and emphasized the need for clear communication and timely distribution of advisory board recommendations before council votes. The meeting also provided an overview of the upcoming Request for Proposals (RFP) funding cycle for 2027, detailing the timeline for priority setting, application scoring, and contract negotiations, highlighting challenges related to state budget timing and the need for contingency planning. Additionally, the council discussed the tiering of funding priorities to guide allocation decisions and acknowledged ongoing efforts to address funding gaps and system needs. Other topics included communication strategies for homelessness awareness, a pilot policy for temporary RV housing, and plans for future work plan development and legislative agenda setting.