EXECUTIVE ORDER  94-11

ESTABLISHING A STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS
AND SUPERSEDING EXECUTIVE ORDER 91-01

WHEREAS, an increasing and unacceptable number of Washington citizens are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless; and

WHEREAS, the factors that contribute to homelessness are many and complex, including a lack of affordable housing, a shortage of family wage jobs, the presence of domestic violence, a shortage of special needs housing with support services, the problems of alcoholism, substance abuse, and mental illness and the growing number of troubled youth; and

WHEREAS, private businesses, charitable organizations, cities, counties, the federal government, the state of Washington and private citizens are investing resources to assist people who are homeless and to prevent homelessness, recognizing that homelessness is a multifaceted problem requiring coordination of resources and efforts from the private sector and from all levels of government;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike Lowry, Governor of the state of Washington, by virtue of the authority vested in me, do hereby re-establish a State Advisory Council on Homelessness as follows:

I . The Council shall consist of not more than 20 members, appointed by the Governor, who represent private businesses, nonprofit organizations that provide services to homeless people, public housing authorities, cities, counties, the federal government, youth and at least one person who is, or has been, homeless.

Membership will also include the directors or designees of the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development; the Department of Social and Health Services; the Employment Security Department; the Department of Health; the Department of General Administration; the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Department of Corrections; the Office of Financial Management; the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges; and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. State agency directors shall name designees who have the authority to make policy or to implement changes. A member of the Governor's Executive Policy Staff shall also serve on the Council. The members of the Council who do not represent state agencies shall be appointed for four-year terms. The terms of six initial appointees shall be for two years, and the terms of six shall be for three years.

2. The Governor shall appoint the chair of the Council. A vice chair shall be selected by the Council from among the members. Members shall serve without compensation except for reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development policies. Staffing to the Council shall be provided by the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development with assistance from member state agencies.

3. Each state agency shall cooperate with the Council and furnish it with such information as necessary to meet the responsibilities spelled out below.

4. The Council shall meet at least quarterly in a location agreed upon by the members and the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.

5. The Council shall carry out the following responsibilities:

a. Make annual policy recommendations to the Governor and to the Affordable Housing Advisory Board on ways to enhance the state's ability to respond to the needs of people who are homeless, who are at risk of becoming homeless, or who have been homeless. As part of the recommendation process, the Council will review the status of actions recommended in the 1990 report of the Governor's Task Force on Homelessness.

b. Increase the awareness of homelessness issues at state and local government agencies and local organizations that provide services to people who are homeless, and promote training for employees to better serve people who are homeless, who are at risk of becoming homeless, or who have been homeless.

c. Provide the opportunity for an integrated state agency approach regarding the issue of homelessness, and promote interagency cooperation in distributing public information to educate the general public about the needs of people who are homeless, and provide homeless people and service providers with current information about available resources.

d. Promote the public will to end homelessness.

6. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately, and shall supersede Executive Order 91-01, which is hereby rescinded.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal of the State of
Washington to be affixed at Olympia this
14th day of December A.D., Nineteen hundred and ninety-four.

Mike Lowry
Governor of Washington

BY THE GOVERNOR:



Assistant Secretary of State

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