Stairs lead to the second floor of the Lewis County Courthouse.
More than $84 million in grants will flow into Washington state from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), $161,727 of which will go directly to Lewis County. The funding is part of HUD’s “Continuum of Care” program, which supports community-based programs “on the front lines of serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness.”
In total, the program will fund 196 programs that provide rental assistance and transitional housing.
In a press release this week, Washington State Commerce Director Lisa Brown said the state’s “incredible network of organizations” utilizes funds like these to address a growing level of homelessness.
“We had a homeless crisis before COVID, and today, sadly, we’re seeing even more people in need, some for the first time in their lives,” she said. “This HUD funding is vitally important to strengthen communities in our battle to end homlessness.”
There are an estimated 23,000 Washingtonians experiencing homelessness, according to the state’s point-in-time count, nearly half of which are unsheltered.
