The Washington State Quality Award (WSQA) application process is a system that was created to evaluate the use of housing dollars. However, the structure on which the system was built was meant for big business and not small government housing units that act, for the most part, as grant pass-through and compliance entities. The Legislature has introduced SB 6229 and HB 2438 that eliminate the WSQA program and WSAC is in strong support of these bills.
Why do we like SB 6229/HB2438?
- Counties would no longer have to spend valuable time on tedious WSQA program applications only to receive feedback with very little value.
- Counties spend significant amounts of time applying to the WSQA program in order to receive feedback and recognition for significant performance efforts. However, the actual feedback that counties have received has not been as helpful as expected.
- Counties will be able to focus their efforts on their ultimate goal – to reduce homelessness – rather than being diverted by a timely application process.
- Counties will no longer be expending funds, up to $10,000 per county, to complete the WSQA applications.
Who will continue to monitor county performance?
Counties are already accountable to the Department of Commerce which does an excellent job monitoring county performance requirements. In fact, a great wealth of information can be found on Commerce’s performance web page.
