(1) During each calendar year in which moneys from the home security fund account are available for use by the department for the homeless housing grant program, the department shall announce to all Washington counties, participating cities, and through major media throughout the state, a grant application period of at least ninety days’ duration. This announcement will be made as often as the director deems appropriate for proper utilization of resources. The department shall then promptly grant as many applications as will utilize available funds, less appropriate administrative costs of the department as described in RCW 36.22.250(4)(a).

(2) The department will develop, with advice and input from the affordable housing advisory board established in RCW 43.185B.020, criteria to evaluate grant applications.

(3) The department may approve applications only if they are consistent with the local and state homeless housing program strategic plans. The department may give preference to applications based on some or all of the following criteria:

(a) The total homeless population in the applicant local government service area, as reported by the most recent annual Washington homeless census;

(b) Current local expenditures to provide housing for the homeless and to address the underlying causes of homelessness as described in RCW 43.185C.005;

(c) Local government and private contributions pledged to the program in the form of matching funds, property, infrastructure improvements, and other contributions; and the degree of leveraging of other funds from local government or private sources for the program for which funds are being requested, to include recipient contributions to total project costs, including allied contributions from other sources such as professional, craft and trade services, and lender interest rate subsidies;

(d) Construction projects or rehabilitation that will serve homeless individuals or families for a period of at least twenty-five years;

(e) Projects which demonstrate serving homeless populations with the greatest needs, including projects that serve special needs populations;

(f) The degree to which the applicant project represents a collaboration between local governments, nonprofit community-based organizations, local and state agencies, and the private sector, especially through its integration with the coordinated and comprehensive plan for homeless families with children required under RCW 43.63A.650;

(g) The cooperation of the local government in the annual Washington homeless census project;

(h) The commitment of the local government and any subcontracting local governments, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit entities to employ a diverse workforce;

(i) The extent, if any, that the local homeless population is disproportionate to the revenues collected under this chapter and RCW 36.22.250; and

(j) Other elements shown by the applicant to be directly related to the goal and the department’s state strategic plan.