At its Wednesday, June 26 meeting, the Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) Board of Commissioners voted to award up to 26 project-based vouchers to Pioneer Human Services in support of Pioneer’s St. Helens & Exley Apartments project.
The award, with a contract of up to 10 years, will support up to 26 affordable units in Tacoma for households with an income of 30–50% Area Median Income (AMI). The project will house people who are formerly homeless, have prior drug addiction, criminal convictions, disabilities, or supportive service needs, as well as frontline workers or students.
Onsite services will be provided by Pioneer Human Services.
THA issued a Request for Proposals for up to 150 project-based vouchers in October 2023. Proposals were evaluated based on:
- The extent to which units are occupied by families that are eligible to participate in the PBV program.
- The extent to which services for special populations are provided on site or in the immediate area for occupants of the property.
- The extent to which the project furthers the THA goal of deconcentrating poverty and expanding housing and economic opportunities.
- Overall project viability.
- The percentage of assisted units in the property – the lower the percentage the higher the score.
Additional points were awarded for:
- Projects serving households below 30% AMI.
- Households displaced by governmental action or domestic violence.
- Households who are working more than 20 hours per week or enrolled in school or training programs.
- Specialized housing for homeless programs, chronically mentally ill, persons with AIDS or teen parents.
Pioneer has been providing housing to formerly incarcerated people and people impacted by the criminal legal system since 1963 and currently has 453 affordable housing units across Washington state. THA’s award for the St. Helens & Exley Apartments project aligns with THA’s long term goal to add additional affordable housing units through development or partnerships within the community.
About Tacoma Housing Authority
Established in 1940, Tacoma Housing Authority provides high-quality, stable and sustainable housing and supportive services to people in need. It does this in ways that help them prosper and help our communities develop equitably. THA develops and manages real estate and provides rental housing. In partnership with thousands of private landlords, it helps families pay the rent in the private rental market. It delivers supportive services to help families succeed as “tenants, parents, students, wage earners and builders of assets who can live without assistance.” THA seeks to do its work in ways that help our community be an “attractive place to live, work, attend school, shop and play,” and that help Tacoma be “safe, vibrant, prosperous, attractive and just.”