Washington SB 5935: Updating the office of homeless youth program provisions.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to updating the office of homeless youth program 1
provisions; amending RCW 43.185C.280, 43.185C.285, 43.185C.315, 2
43.185C.320, 43.185C.340, 43.330.702, 43.330.710, 43.330.724, 3
43.330.726, and 43.63A.305; reenacting and amending RCW 43.185C.010 4
and 74.15.020; and providing an effective date.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
Sec. 1. RCW 43.185C.010 and 2023 c 277 s 2 and 2023 c 151 s 3 7
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:8
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter 9
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.10
(1) "Administrator" means the individual who has the daily 11
administrative responsibility of a crisis residential center.12
(2) "Child in need of services petition" means a petition filed 13
in juvenile court by a parent, child, or the department of children, 14
youth, and families seeking adjudication of placement of the child.15
(3) "Community action agency" means a nonprofit private or public 16
organization established under the economic opportunity act of 1964.17
(4) "Crisis residential center" means a secure or semi-secure 18
facility established pursuant to chapter 74.13 RCW.19
(5) "Department" means the department of commerce.20
(6) "Director" means the director of the department of commerce.21
S-3610.1
SENATE BILL 5935
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Orwall, Nobles, and C. Wilson
Prefiled 12/23/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Human Services.
p. 1 SB 5935

(7) "Home security fund account" means the state treasury account 1
receiving income from revenue under RCW 36.22.250(2)(c), and all 2
other sources directed to the homeless housing and assistance 3
program.4
(8) "Homeless housing grant program" means the vehicle by which 5
competitive grants are awarded by the department, utilizing moneys 6
from the home security fund account, to local governments for 7
programs directly related to housing homeless individuals and 8
families, addressing the root causes of homelessness, preventing 9
homelessness, collecting data on homeless individuals, and other 10
efforts directly related to housing homeless persons.11
(9) "Homeless housing plan" means the five-year plan developed by 12
the county or other local government to address housing for homeless 13
persons.14
(10) "Homeless housing program" means the program authorized 15
under this chapter as administered by the department at the state 16
level and by the local government or its designated subcontractor at 17
the local level.18
(11) "Homeless housing strategic plan" means the five-year plan 19
developed by the department, in consultation with the interagency 20
council on homelessness, the affordable housing advisory board, and 21
the state advisory council on homelessness.22
(12) "Homeless person" means an individual living outside or in a 23
building not meant for human habitation or which they have no legal 24
right to occupy, in an emergency shelter, or in a temporary housing 25
program which may include a transitional and supportive housing 26
program if habitation time limits exist. This definition includes 27
substance abusers, people with mental illness, and sex offenders who 28
are homeless.29
(13) "HOPE center" means an agency licensed by the secretary of 30
the department of children, youth, and families to provide temporary 31
residential placement and other services to ((street)) unaccompanied 32
homeless youth. ((A street)) An unaccompanied homeless youth may 33
remain in a HOPE center for 90 days while services are arranged and 34
permanent placement is coordinated. No ((street)) unaccompanied 35
homeless youth may stay longer than 90 days unless approved by the 36
department and any additional days approved by the department must be 37
based on the unavailability of a long-term placement option. ((A 38
street)) An unaccompanied homeless youth whose parent wants him or 39
her returned to home may remain in a HOPE center until his or her 40
p. 2 SB 5935

parent arranges return of the youth, not longer. All other ((street)) 1
unaccompanied homeless youth must have court approval under chapter 2
13.34 or 13.32A RCW to remain in a HOPE center up to 90 days.3
(14) "Housing authority" means any of the public corporations 4
created by chapter 35.82 RCW.5
(15) "Housing continuum" means the progression of individuals 6
along a housing-focused continuum with homelessness at one end and 7
homeownership at the other.8
(16) "Interagency council on homelessness" means a committee 9
appointed by the governor and consisting of, at least, policy level 10
representatives of the following entities: (a) The department of 11
commerce; (b) the department of corrections; (c) the department of 12
children, youth, and families; (d) the department of veterans 13
affairs; and (e) the department of health.14
(17) "Local government" means a county government in the state of 15
Washington or a city government,