The Housing Trust Fund program makes funds available for affordable housing projects through a competitive application process. Applications are generally accepted once a year, but timing and frequency can vary depending on the size and nature of appropriations to the program by the Legislature. Visit this page regularly for funding availability and application updates.
Updated training videos for the multifamily and homeownership application process are now available on the Resources & Trainings page.
Applications may be submitted for down payment assistance revolving loan fund (RLF), self-help projects, short-term production loans, and affordability subsidy for long-term or permanent affordable resale restricted programs (such as Community Land Trusts or deed restricted programs), and any other HTF eligible project types.
Please download and carefully review the Notice of Funding Availability (“NOFA”) for specific information regarding funding requirements and priorities, the process for submitting an application, and dates of significance .
If you have questions about any of the information contained in the NOFA, email to houapplication@commerce.wa.gov .
Applications can now be submitted for Multifamily Rental projects seeking capital financing from the Washington State Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and the federal HOME and National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) programs across two separate Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs). Approximately $91.7 million in funding is available across these two notices.
Applications are due to the Department of Commerce by NOON , on September 18, 2024.
Please download and carefully review the NOFAs for specific information regarding funding requirements and priorities, the process for submitting an application, and dates of significance.
Award announcements are anticipated in December of 2024.
Training videos are available to help complete an application for these funds. Please visit the HTF Resources & Trainings webpage to access the videos.
Two virtual workshops (July 11th and August 1st) are scheduled where prospective applicants may receive an overview of the application process and participate in a live Q&A with Commerce staff. Additionally, staff will be available to answer questions during live “office hours” on July 24th, August 7th and 21st, and September 4th. Details for all, including registration for the workshops are available on the HTF Resources & Trainings webpage.
If you have questions regarding this announcement, or the NOFAs, submit them to htfapp@commerce.wa.gov before the technical assistance period ends on September 5th, 2024. Please be certain to indicate in the subject line of your email which funding availability your question is related to.
Three (3) awarded projects will produce 300 units of affordable housing
The Washington State Department of Commerce announced investments in the amount of $12.6 million for Transit Oriented affordable housing to address the need in Washington State.
The projects will receive Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) funding through the TOD Partnership Match program. In partnership with WSDOT and the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, the program emphasized commitments to affordable housing projects in the existing pipeline, and this investment will advance 300 housing units with convenient access to light/commuter rail and/or bus rapid transit.
The awards were in response to applicants to the 2024 TOD Match Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA #MHU-2024-01). Commerce received 9 applications in response to the NOFA, seeking approximately $27.8 million in capital funding. The list of applications received is available here.
The Washington State Department of Commerce has a new way to help people and businesses through the Community Reinvestment Project (CRP). It’s called the Blended Capital Enhancement grant, and it aims to support by-and-for lending agencies, businesses, and organizations reduce wealth disparities within Black, Latine, and tribal communities through asset building.
This program will help fund programs that:
The goal of this grant is to make it easier for Black, Latine, and tribal communities to get financial support from local organizations and businesses in their community.
What does funding look like?
A total of $42 million is available for this grant, with specific allocations reserved for various purposes, including:
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Commerce is looking for applications from lending agencies, businesses, organizations, and tribal governments who are interested in providing financial support, grants, and loans to Black, Latine, and tribal communities across Washington state. Eligible applicants must be led by-and-for Black, Latine, and tribal communities, or partner with an organization that is by-and-for.
Please note that Commerce is not a lending agency. Only organizations, businesses, lending agencies, and tribal governments who provide financial support, grants, and loans are eligible to apply for the Blended Capital Enhancement Grant.
If you are individual or small business looking for funding for your own project, please sign-up for our mailing list to be notified when providers are offering financial services you are eligible for.
Minimum Qualifications
1. You must be one of these types of organizations:
A. Federally recognized tribal government, tribal-led 501(c3), or tribal-led community based organizations; OR
B. Organizations who are led by Black, Latine, and tribal communities in WA; OR
C. Organizations who partner with Black, Latine, and/or tribal-community led organizations AND can provide tangible evidence of their relationship to those communities.
2. You must be licensed to do business in the State of Washington (except for federally recognized tribes)
A. Licensed to do business in the State of Washington, OR
B. Submit a statement of commitment that it will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Contractor
Applications were due July 1, 2024.
Download the RFQ (PDF)
For a list of applications received, click here.
For questions about this grant, email contact manager Cristi Kraus.
This solicitation round is now closed. Applications were due by 3:00 PM on June 1, 2024.
The Department of Commerce accepted proposals for the Community Reinvestment Plan Black, Latine and tribal-led Lending Agency Support program.
COMMERCE initiated a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from those qualified and interested in participating in Black, Latine and tribal-led Lending Agency Support Program. This programs aims to support existing and emerging Black, Latine and tribal-led lenders who are or are not currently Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI’s), by providing grants for lending capital as well as capital for operations and salaries, at noted in the Community Reinvestment Plan.
The 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity and application materials is available for review. The Department received 17 applications. View the full list of applicants.
For a list of awarded organizations please click here.
This solicitation round is now closed. Applications were due on June 1, 2024.
The Department of Commerce accepted proposals for the Community Reinvestment Plan Homeownership Capital Accelerator program.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) solicited proposals from those qualified and interested in receiving loan capital to assist Black, Latine and tribal communities who were disproportionately harmed by the historic design and enforcement of laws for drug possession, as noted in the Community Reinvestment Plan.
The 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity and application materials are available for review. The Department received 13 applications. Review the full list of applications.
For a list of awarded organizations click here.
The Washington State Department of Commerce is announcing investments in three properties that will protect the affordability of housing in rural communities. The funds will help preserve multifamily rental units in projects that are at risk of losing their affordability due to expiration of use restrictions.
The funding was appropriated by the Legislature in ESSB 5200, Section 1022(5). Applications were solicited under the 2023 Continuing Affordability NOFA #MHU-2023-05, published in October of 2023, which provided specific information regarding eligibility, funding requirements and priorities, the process for applying, and dates of significance. Six applications were received.
The review of applications was prioritized around five criteria: location and scarcity, urgency, readiness to proceed, number of units to be preserved, and projects having secured federal rental assistance.
The total development cost for the awarded projects is approximately $8.1 million. These projects will preserve 70 affordable housing units, 100% of which will retain federal rental assistance as a direct result of these funds.
These projects provide critical housing to some of Washington’s most vulnerable populations. Preservation of existing affordable housing is a critical part of the Multifamily Housing Unit’s vision to make conditions in our state for affordable housing residents the best in the nation, addressing the affordable housing crisis and reducing homelessness in permanent and sustainable ways.
Through the Multifamily Housing Unit (MHU), Commerce administers capital programs to finance the production and preservation of affordable housing in Washington.
The MHU released a 2023 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) soliciting applications from current Housing Trust Fund (HTF) projects in need of major repairs or system replacements. Seventy-two applications were received, totaling more than $56 million.
The applications were evaluated based on their eligibility, and the urgency of physical repairs. Those projects with urgent needs that could lead to health and safety issues for tenants and that could not self-finance were prioritized. The Housing Preservation Program (HPP) is funding thirty-one applications totaling $19.8 million which will preserve 873 affordable housing units.
These projects provide critical housing to some of Washington’s most vulnerable populations. Preservation of existing affordable housing ensures that affordable housing across the state is able to serve communities for generations.
You can always find the latest information about Housing Trust Fund awards and funding availability at the Applying to the Housing Trust Fund webpage.
The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced historic investments to address the urgent need for affordable housing in communities throughout Washington state. Lack of affordable housing and sufficient supportive housing options for vulnerable populations are top contributors to chronic homelessness.
The awards were in response to applicants to the 2023 HTF Multifamily Rental NOFA.
10 projects received $24.3 million set aside to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These projects will create 155 units of accessible housing reserved for low-income people with these disabilities across the state.
Seven projects were funded with $58.6 million set aside for the Apple Health & Homes (AHAH) program, creating 144 units for AHAH participants and 354 total units of permanent supportive housing. AHAH is a multi-agency effort that pairs healthcare services with housing resources for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. The program is based in the concept that lack of housing is a social determinant of health, and individuals with disabling conditions such as medical, behavioral health, and physical impairments may not improve until their housing is stable.
Five projects received the first commitment of Transit-Oriented Development funding through the TOD Partnership Match program. In partnership with WSDOT and the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, the program emphasized commitments to projects in the existing pipeline, and this first investment of $28.8M will advance 1,054 housing units in dense, walkable communities.
11 projects were selected for $56.3 million in investments in rural communities, including in two instances projects are receiving a larger investment that was needed to replace a gap caused by the oversubscription of low income housing tax credit resources. While rural applicants had a higher success rate, the overall investment did not reach the 30% target due to limitations of the funding sources. The Housing Division’s Capacity Building Outreach and Support program has mobilized technical assistance providers to continue spurring viable projects in these communities.
The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced historic investments to address the urgent need for affordable housing in communities throughout Washington state. Lack of affordable housing and sufficient supportive housing options for vulnerable populations are top contributors to chronic homelessness.
The 2023 homeownership funding round received 48 applications seeking $94.4 Million in total requested funds to create 943 affordable homeownership units. This is an increase of 41% in total funds requested from the 2022 funding round.
The Homeownership Unit awards capital funding to eligible agencies that assist households with low incomes to realize the dream of homeownership through various models such as down payment assistance, self-help new construction, and community land trusts throughout Washington.
Applications were in response to the 2023 Notice of Funding Availability.
$10.27 million awarded to 4 projects to create 216 new units
The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded $10.27 million to 4 affordable housing projects that will generate 216 units from the 2023 HOME & National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) funding round.
View the list of awards here.
2023 HOME & NHTF funding was made available for applicants interested in creating multifamily/rental housing with capital financing from the federal HOME & NHTF programs.
Commerce received 11 applications for the 2023 HOME & NHTF funding round, for a total request of $24.3 million.
View the list of applications here.
The 2023 HOME & NHTF NOFA (#MHU-2023-01) identified specific funding requirements and priorities, the process for applying, and dates of significance for applicants.
If you have questions about this funding round, please submit them to htfapp@commerce.wa.gov.
Grants bolster efforts to confront homelessness in 10 counties across Washington state
The Washington Department of Commerce announced approximately $50.6 million in grants to 13 affordable housing projects throughout the state. This second round of funding through the state’s 2022 Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program will create 214 affordable units and 70 beds of housing for people in Washington who are currently homeless or at high risk of homelessness across ten counties.
View the list (Box .pdf) or a map (webpage) of investments from the 2021-23 budget for rapid acquisition.
“Over the past two years, the Legislature made historic investments in housing that are helping move many more people indoors and keep them housed with dignity and safety,” said Commerce Acting Director Kendrick Stewart. “We have far more work to do, but this latest round of investments will quickly bring more housing options online and maintain them for the future.”
The RCHA program provides funding to acquire real property for rapid conversion into enhanced emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, permanent housing, youth housing or shelter for people with extremely low incomes and people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in Washington state. The program helps organizations acquire properties capable of swiftly housing people with minimal updates. The projects must have evidence of local support and must maintain the housing units and beds for the intended use for 40 years.
Local governments, housing authorities, non-profits, tribal governments and other groups from regions with significant remaining funding were eligible to apply.
All projects will enter a 90-day due diligence period before contracting for the funds. Commerce grants are performance-based, providing funds on a reimbursement basis for eligible uses under the contract terms.
The 2022 Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition Phase II Notice of Funding Availability (Box .pdf) identified specific funding requirements and priorities, the process for applying, and significant dates.
Olympia, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce announced new funding awards totaling $83.5 million that will work to provide affordable housing opportunities in communities across the state.
The new Office of Apple Health & Homes and Commerce’s Multifamily Housing Unit awarded $43.7 million to create 484 multifamily housing units. Commerce is reserving 113 units for permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness and health/behavioral health challenges. Performance-based contracts require that the new housing units created with this funding remain in service for the intended purpose for at least 40 years. Over 10 percent of these funds are going to an organization dedicated to serving marginalized populations.
“These capital investments will help fund the most important step in healthy recovery for individuals across the state who need it most and improve healthcare outcomes for Medicaid recipients,” said Corina Grigoras, Assistant Director for Commerce’s Housing Division.
In addition, $39.8 million remaining from the Rapid Capital Housing Program will fund projects on the Hosuiung Trust Fund’s wait list from prior funding rounds to keep the state’s affordable housing pipeline strong for years. Construction will be able to move forward on 291 new affordable housing units thanks to the awards announced today. Previously unallocated rapid capital funds will be applied to projects in state regions that had not previously accessed these funds.
Projects in small communities from Walla Walla and Mattawa in Eastern Washington to Raymond and Lopez Island in Western Washington will now be able to proceed. With these awards, Commerce fully funds all the projects that received partial funding last year.
“Commerce used extensive public input from stakeholders, other public funders and legislatively authorized flexibility to fund the waitlist and move projects toward the finish line,” Grigoras said. “We distributed funding to ensure that every region of the state receives needed resources to tackle our state’s affordable housing crisis.”
Respondents to this survey informed Commerce about their interest and readiness to apply for funding to support affordable housing development in the 2023-25 biennium. Responses to these surveys are informative for policy-makers as they develop the 2023-25 capital budget, and are not required to be eligible for funding.
If your project is located in a CDBG non-entitlement jurisdiction and needs funding for off-site* infrastructure work or related community facilities, please visit the CDBG Specialty Grants page for information regarding the CDBG program, the required partnership with the local government, and other requirements.
*The Housing Trust Fund cannot pay for off-site infrastructure costs.