Foster care housing pilot

AN ACT Relating to creating a housing assistance pilot program 1
for youth enrolled in extended foster care; adding a new section to 2
chapter 74.13 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 13.34 RCW; and 3
creating a new section. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that approximately 6
13 percent of young people in extended foster care experienced 7
homelessness in state fiscal year 2024. To obtain housing, many young 8
people who are dependent at age 18 are required to exit extended 9
foster care to access certain federal housing vouchers and thereby 10
lose the support of extended foster care.11
Accordingly, the state is unable to leverage existing resources, 12
including federal benefits, as young people use up their eligibility 13
for time-limited federal programs while they simultaneously decline 14
other programs needed for long-term success. Statutory changes are 15
required to ensure dependent young people in extended foster care are 16
stably housed as they prepare for independence. 17
It is the intent of the legislature to create a housing pilot 18
program which provides a benefit to dependent young people in 19
extended foster care that is equivalent to the benefit provided by 20
the federal foster youth to independence program, such that young 21
S-3680.2
SENATE BILL 5940
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators C. Wilson, Alvarado, Cleveland, Dhingra, Hasegawa,
Nobles, Riccelli, Shewmake, Slatter, Valdez, and Wellman
Prefiled 12/24/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Human Services.
p. 1 SB 5940
people in extended foster care can receive housing assistance while 1
they are dependent and still benefit from the federal program when 2
they turn 21. 3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 74.13 4
RCW to read as follows: 5
(1) The extended foster care housing pilot program is established 6
for a period of two years, effective January 1, 2027, to provide 7
rental assistance and associated housing fees to eligible youth. The 8
extended foster care housing pilot program is intended to prevent and 9
alleviate homelessness among youth enrolled in extended foster care.10
(2) Up to 50 youth are eligible for the extended foster care 11
housing pilot program if they are: 12
(a) Receiving extended foster care services pursuant to RCW 13
13.34.267; and 14
(b)(i) Experiencing homelessness as defined in RCW 13.34.030; or15
(ii) Subject to appropriations, at imminent risk of experiencing 16
homelessness. 17
(3) The department shall conduct a competitive procurement 18
process to identify an entity or entities to contract with for 19
operation of the extended foster care housing pilot program. The 20
contractors must have a demonstrated understanding of the importance 21
of stable housing for youth involved with the child welfare system. 22
If no outside entity or entities are available to operate the pilot 23
program or specific parts of the pilot program, the department may 24
operate the pilot program or the specific parts that are not operated 25
by an outside entity. 26
(4) The extended foster care housing pilot program shall provide 27
rental assistance based on the following criteria:28
(a) Rental assistance is provided to eligible dependent youth for 29
up to 24 months not to extend for any young person beyond age 21;30
(b) The amount of rental assistance must be based on the fair 31
market rent in the eligible youth's location; 32
(c) Eligible youth shall pay no more than 30 percent of their 33
adjusted gross income toward rent, including the extended foster care 34
subsidy; and 35
(d) If the youth's rent and utilities exceed the fair market rent 36
for that location, the youth's contribution may not exceed 40 percent 37
of their monthly adjusted gross income, including the extended foster 38
care subsidy. 39
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(5) The department shall ensure that the 50 eligible youth 1
identified in subsection (2) of this section receive access to rental 2
housing assistance. 3
(6) By June 30, 2029, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the 4
department shall provide a report to the appropriate committees of 5
the legislature that includes the following information:6
(a) The number of youth served by the extended foster care 7
housing pilot program; 8
(b) The number of months each youth received assistance from the 9
pilot program; 10
(c) The total amount of assistance provided to each youth;11
(d) The age of the youth assisted by the pilot program;12
(e) The gender and race or ethnicity of youth assisted by the 13
pilot program; 14
(f) The cost of the rental assistance provided to each youth, by 15
county; 16
(g) The counties represented by the pilot program participants;17
(h) The number of youth on the waitlist for the pilot program, if 18
any; and 19
(i) Any other information the department deems useful for the 20
legislature's consideration. 21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 13.34 22
RCW to read as follows: 23
The department shall conduct a transition planning process with 24
youth enrolled in extended foster care at least three months prior to 25
their 21st birthday. The transition planning process must include, 26
but is not limited to: 27
(1) Assessing the youth's continued housing and financial 28
stability; 29
(2) Supporting the youth to apply to a federally funded housing 30
voucher program, when available, and if applicable;31
(3) Providing referrals to housing assistance; and32
(4) Providing referrals to benefits and services that support the 33
financial stability of the youth including education, employment, 34
physical and behavioral health care, and other available public 35
benefits. 36
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