Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) offered at Blue Mountain Action Council
Housing and Essential Needs Grant Funds Grant funds can only be used to support HEN eligible clients that qualify as homeless or at-risk of homelessness. Allowable financial assistance for housing may include monthly rent, overdue rent, security deposit, and service animal deposits. Utilities assistance is limited to electricity, natural gas, sewer, water, garbage, and utility deposits. Essential Needs assistance includes help with obtaining personal health and hygiene items (such as toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper), cleaning supplies (such as laundry and dish soap), and bus passes. Assistance cannot be provided through gift cards, vouchers, or certificates. All HEN clients are eligible to receive essential needs assistance.
Categories
Physical Address
8 East Cherry Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Hours
M-Th, 8:30am-4pm
Application process
Call DSHS to apply for HEN or for more specific eligibility information. Call BFCAC for general questions about HEN or to access HEN services once enrolled.
Fee
None.
Eligibility
Assistance is limited only to clients that have been determined by DSHS to be eligible for HEN. Blue Mountain Action Council will verify that the client is eligible and assess the client's risk of homelessness to determine if they meet criteria for financial assistance, but financial assistance is not guaranteed; however, all clients are eligible for essential needs assistance. Housing and Essential Needs Grant Funds Criteria: Homeless - those who are living outdoors, in buildings not meant for human habitation or buildings they have no legal right to occupy, emergency shelters, temporary housing, or fleeing domestic violence. Substantial Risk - pay or vacate/eviction notice, utility shut-off notice, late payment notice, or certification of potential eviction. Additional Factors - living in overcrowded housing, residence has been condemned, sudden and significant increase in utility cost, physical disabilities, chronic health issues, past institutional care, history of mental health or substance abuse issues, credit problems that preclude obtaining housing, pending foreclosure of rental property, discharged within the last 180 days from a facility (prison, mental health institution, or hospitals), or homelessness within the past 12 months. All client’s options will be assessed, such as supportive options or networks; including friends/family, church, social service agencies, or other potential housing options.
Service area
Walla Walla, WA Columbia, WA Garfield, WA
Agency info
Blue Mountain Action Council
The Blue Mountain Action Council provides financial and material assistance, information and referral, job training, weatherization, housing assistance, adult literacy and pro-bono legal assistance for low-income residents.