Some of the most innovative and inspiring work to end homelessness in Washington State has been made possible through the landmark Housing and Homeless Assistance Act of 2005, which among other things, created the statewide Homeless Grant Assistance Program (HGAP). The HGAP program has provided flexible, three-year grants to counties to create new, innovative programs that address the needs of the local community.

Since 2006, the State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) has awarded 24 HGAP grants to a total of 20 counties, through a competitive application process. Building Changes has been providing technical assistance and the grantees since the initial round of funding, and it has been a rewarding and eye-opening experience for all of us. It gives us the chance to work with dedicated housing and services providers from all over the state, and share lessons learned between programs.

Last year, I facilitated a training workshop in Pasco for HGAP grantees in central and eastern Washington - including representatives from Benton-Franklin, Chelan-Douglas, Spokane, Walla Walla, and Yakima Counties. Greg Provenzano of Columbia Legal Services gave a thorough and interactive presentation on the legal nature of landlord relationships, including the rights and responsibilities of landlords, tenants, and homeless service providers. We also had a panel discussion with Greg, a former director of the Yakima Valley Landlords Association, and a representative from a program serving homeless households in Spokane that rents 48 units from seven private landlords.

The Benton-Franklin Community Action Council (BFCAC) was a great host for the peer site visit, and demonstrated their HGAP program, which provides housing with support services for homeless people returning from Benton and Franklin County jails. BFCAC showed us how they use videoconferencing to conduct interviews and reach potential clients while they are still in the jail. The partnership with corrections officers has been vital to the success of the HGAP program in working with hard-to-serve individuals before they return to the street.

And that is really the point of the HGAP grants: to try new approaches that get to the root of homelessness, and meet the needs of the local community. Innovative programs like the 24 HGAP projects not only provide much-needed services to homeless adults and children, they also let communities test out new strategies and partnerships that change they way they normally serve the homeless.