For Community-Based Organizations
New! (Updated October 2024)BACKGROUND
This webpage is for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) interested in developing and owning affordable housing with support from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC). The Commission is focusing on building relationships with these CBOs as part of its renewed commitment to equity, transparency, and meaningful engagement. The Commission is beginning this work in the Bond/4% program by building relationships with CBOs who have expressed a desire for support. This webpage serves as a starting point for engagement, fostering connections, and providing resources specifically for CBOs.
This is a page in development—please check back often as we update it with new resources, policies, and opportunities for engagement.
We want to partner with you, support you, and hear from you!
Learn more about us and tell us more about yourself here: Interest Form
RESOURCES FOR CBOS
Housing Development Consortium CBO Affinity Group
In 2023-2024, the CBO Affinity Group met monthly and included housing-development oriented CBOs and other interested parties. This collaborative effort between the WSHFC and the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County(HDC) focuses on capacity building through policy change, knowledge sharing, and cataloging best practices for community-driven development.
October 27th, 2023 (Agenda | Notes)
November 28th, 2023 (Agenda | Notes)
January 26th, 2024 (Agenda | Notes)
March 8th, 2024 (Agenda | Notes)
March 29th, 2024 (Agenda | Notes)
April 26th, 2024 (Agenda | Notes)
May 31st, 2024 (Agenda | Notes)
August 30, 2024 (Agenda | Notes)
Coming Soon:A CBO Affinity Group Summary document will be available soon.
Coming Soon:A Promising Practices document that describes the attributes of successful partnerships that received allocations in the 2021-2024.
Helpful Links
Nonprofit Association of Washington
LISC Housing Equity Accelerator
PROGRAM CONNECTION POINTS
BOND/4% TAX CREDIT PROGRAM
The Bond/4% tax credit program provides financing for affordable apartments using federal tax-exempt bonds and Low Income Housing Tax Credits. In 2021, the Commission introduced new policies and scoring criteria for this competitive program, prioritizing developers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and community-based organizations.
Section 4.5 of the Bond/4% Tax Credit Policy attempts to codify a practice of including, expanding, and giving ownership to BIPOC-led and community-based organizations by allocating points based on the extent of these partnerships. Housing projects that involve and are owned by BIPOC-led and community-based organizations receive extra points in the competition.
We also award extra points when a housing developer includes a CBO in ownership, operations, cashflow, and decision making, as well as the engagement of potential residents. Encouraging these partnerships is intended to increase the development capacity of community-based organizations and improve the experience of residents in buildings financed through the program, especially residents who are BIPOC or from other marginalized communities.
NONPROFIT FACILITIES
The Commission's Nonprofit Facilities Program is a smart way to save money and maximize your capital campaign. Relevant resources for nonprofits are available on the Nonprofit Facilities Webpage.
QUESTIONS
You are invited to start your relationship with WSHFC by reaching out to Keri Williams, Nonprofit and Community Outreach Lead.
Keri (she/her pronouns) can be reached at keri.williams@wshfc.org.