(1) The department shall be the principal state department responsible for coordinating federal and state resources and activities in housing, except for programs administered by the Washington state housing finance commission under chapter 43.180 RCW, and for evaluating the operations and accomplishments of other state departments and agencies as they affect housing.

(2) The department shall work with local governments, tribal organizations, local housing authorities, nonprofit community or neighborhood-based organizations, and regional or statewide nonprofit housing assistance organizations, for the purpose of coordinating federal and state resources with local resources for housing.

(3) The department shall be the principal state department responsible for providing shelter and housing services to homeless families with children. The department shall have the principal responsibility to coordinate, plan, and oversee the state's activities for developing a coordinated and comprehensive plan to serve homeless families with children. The plan shall be developed collaboratively with the department of social and health services. The department shall include community organizations involved in the delivery of services to homeless families with children, and experts in the development and ongoing evaluation of the plan. The department shall follow professionally recognized standards and procedures. The plan shall be implemented within amounts appropriated by the legislature for that specific purpose in the operating and capital budgets. The department shall submit the plan to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives no later than September 1, 1999, and shall update the plan and submit it to the appropriate committees of the legislature by January 1st of every odd-numbered year through 2007. The plan shall address at least the following: (a) The need for prevention assistance; (b) the need for emergency shelter; (c) the need for transitional assistance to aid families into permanent housing; (d) the need for linking services with shelter or housing; and (e) the need for ongoing monitoring of the efficiency and effectiveness of the plan's design and implementation.

Findings—Intent—Severability—1999 c 267: See notes following RCW 43.20A.790.