Special Programs

BHA partners with other agencies offering rental assistance to individuals and or families experiencing homelessness. The VA, Kitsap Community Resources, and Mason County Behavioral Health Services provide case management services to help families rebuild their lives and create a stable living environment. BHA receives referrals directly from the agencies and can provide rental assistance up to 24 months.

Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Vouchers
The VASH program is a joint program between the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The goal of the VASH program is to move homeless veterans into supported housing. The primary component of the program is VA Case Management services. It provides linkage to medical care, mental health, and substance abuse services. Case management also provides other services needed to enhance a veteran’s ability to remain stable, housed, and integrated into the community.

The Bremerton Housing Authority been selected by HUD to work in partnership with American Lake VA to provide housing assistance in the form of a VASH Housing Choice Voucher (VASH HCV). These VASH Vouchers make it possible for veterans to afford privately owned rental housing in the community of the veteran’s choice provided it is located within a reasonable distance from BHA.

Referrals for VASH vouchers come from the VA at American Lake to BHA.

Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA)
HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) permits Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) to create flexible programs that provide assistance to individual households to help them afford the housing costs of market-rate units. These programs are known as “tenant-based rental assistance,” or TBRA. HOME TBRA programs differ from other types of HOME rental housing activities in three key ways:

TBRA programs help individual households, rather than subsidizing particular rental projects.

TBRA assistance moves with the tenant—if the household no longer wishes to rent a particular unit, the household may take its TBRA and move to another rental property.

The level of TBRA subsidy varies—the level of subsidy is based upon the income of the household, the particular unit the household selects, and the PJ’s rent standard (rather than being tied to the PJ’s high and low HOME rents).

There are many different types of TBRA programs, but the most common type provides payments to make up the difference between the amount a household can afford to pay for housing and the local rent standards. Other TBRA programs help tenant pay for costs associated with their housing, such as security and utility deposits.

Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
BHA, as recipient of Supportive Housing Program (SHP) Grant from the United State Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in partnership with Kitsap County Recourses (KCR) offers rental assistance to families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of being homeless. Each year 25 families are supported by these funds and are given the opportunity to access case management services designed to promote self-sufficiency.

KCR provides a full range of supportive services to homeless families. Each family is given a personal assessment and a program plan addressing the barriers keeping the family from a stable living environment. The continuum of housing is linked to appropriate social services designed to promote self-sufficiency by gradually increasing levels of responsibility and independence based on personal progress in meeting self-sufficiency goals.

BHA will provide Tenant Based Rental Assistance to families who are referred to BHA by KCR and certified to be homeless (verification of homelessness must meet the HUD final rule governing the CoCC program rule: Literally homeless; Imminent risk of homelessness; Homeless under the Federal Statutes; Fleeing/attempting to flee a DV situation).

Project Based Vouchers (PBV)
The Project Based Voucher (PBV) program attaches the rental assistance voucher to private (including BHA-owned) housing units. Under the PBV program, BHA enters into a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract with the property owner for specified units and for a specified term.

PBV units are leased to eligible low-income tenants from BHA’S PBV Waiting List or in some cases referred by the property owner.

PBV rental assistance is contractually tied to the unit, as opposed to the tenant. If after one year a family who moves from the project-based unit may be eligible to receive HCV (tenant-based) assistance, if they are in good standings with BHA and if a HCV is available.

Eligibility:
Must meet Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program eligibility requirements.

Property owners interested in BHA’s PBV program may submit a proposal for the program only in response to an officially advertised Request For Proposals.

For More Information:
For general information from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) about the Project Based Voucher program.

Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV)
The EHV (Emergency Housing Voucher) program was created as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. Through EHV, HUD is providing 70,000 vouchers nationwide to help families and individuals who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness, fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence or dating violence, victims of sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, or lastly were recently homeless or have a high risk of housing instability.

To be eligible to receive an EHV, the family or individual must be referred through participating CoC (Continuum of Care) partnering agency.

BHA News

Events in March 2024

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
February 26, 2024(1 event)


5:30 PM: BHA Board Meeting


February 26, 2024

February 27, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 29, 2024
March 1, 2024
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March 12, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 14, 2024
March 15, 2024(1 event)


10:00 AM: CMS Virtual Annual Board Meeting


March 15, 2024

March 16, 2024
March 17, 2024
March 18, 2024
March 19, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 21, 2024
March 22, 2024
March 23, 2024
March 24, 2024
March 25, 2024(1 event)


5:30 PM: BHA Board Meeting


March 25, 2024

March 26, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 28, 2024
March 29, 2024
March 30, 2024
March 31, 2024