Transitional Housing

When homelessness first impressed itself on the national consciousness in the early 1980s, there was no such thing as transitional housing for homeless people. Even emergency shelters were few and far between, being run mostly by missions in run-down areas of big cities and accommodating mostly single men. The first expansion of homeless assistance took the form of more emergency shelter capacity. Only after several years of experience with people using emergency shelters did it become obvious that for some people emergency shelter would not be enough to help them leave homelessness for good. This recognition led to application of transitional and permanent supportive housing concepts to the field of homelessness.

Most transitional housing programs for homeless people specialize in serving households with serious enough barriers to getting or keeping housing that a period of stabilization, learning, and planning appear needed if they are to leave homelessness and stay housed. These households may already have some history of leaving homelessness for housing but not being able to maintain the housing, or they may have characteristics that are known to lower the probability of being able to maintain housing without supports.

Blue Mountain Action Council is a service provider for the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Transition Housing Operating and Rent Program (THOR) which provides homeless families with children with up to two years of rental assistance, transitional facility operating subsidies, and case management to help them transition to permanent housing and self-sufficiency.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible clients are homeless families with children under the age of 18 or pregnant women, with incomes at or below 50 percent of the median household income for their county. THOR clients must be willing to create and actively participate in a Housing Stability Plan for achieving permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Typical goals include:

  • Getting a GED or college degree.
  • Regaining custody of children.
  • Learning job-hunting and interviewing skills.
  • Obtaining child care.
  • Improving parenting skills.
  • Reestablishing a good credit rating.
  • Getting into treatment programs.
  • Getting a job.

For additional information, please contact Debbie Hume via email or call her at 529-4980.

Department of Commerce website