Housing Resources

From Pierce County's Housing Assistance and Programs Website
Housing Assistance and Programs

Pierce County’s Human Services offers a variety of services, programs, and resources to assist residents with their housing needs. They include a variety of grant and loan programs to assist renters, homebuyers, homeowners and affordable housing developers.

If you are experiencing homelessness, call 2-1-1 for on-demand help.

If you are homeless or fleeing domestic violence or human trafficking, see Pierce County’s Homeless Programs for information.

Housing Options for Renters

Low-Income Rental Housing

Looking for affordable housing in Pierce County? Human Services has collected resources to assist low-income families to find an apartment that fits their budget and needs. The majority of these apartments are rent-restricted and require income verification. You must apply for housing at either the agency or property. You do not apply through Pierce County Human Services.

Resources
  • Call 2-1-1: South Sound 2-1-1 is a telephone service available from 9 AM to 4 PM weekdays. Housing resources include waitlists for affordable housing and permanent housing resources.
  • Aptfinder.org is a non-profit website formed to connect low income households throughout Washington State. Listings are voluntarily advertised by owners and managers of rental apartments for low-income households whose annual income is below 80% of area median income. Click here to see Aptfinder’s Pierce County listings  .
  • Associated Ministries’ Adult Home Sharing Program  matches Home Providers who have a spare bedroom, with an individual in need of affordable housing, using screening tools that ensure safe and lasting matches. In some cases, an exchange of services such as meal prep, driving, or home maintenance, can be arranged with the Home Provider to offset lower rent, though Home Seekers must earn enough income to pay rent each month. The Adult Home Share program increases affordable housing, reduces isolationism, and promotes aging in place.

Rental Assistance

The Pierce County Rental Assistance Program has stopped accepting applications. 

A new program will be launched in 2023, with new criteria and applications.

Resources

Energy Assistance

Program Structure

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) pays heating bills directly to utility companies for eligible applicants. Payments are based on eligible household’s fuel usage for the past 12 months and income.

Eligibility

Pierce County’s Low-Income residents outside of the City of Tacoma are eligible. See the Pierce County Energy assistance webpage for eligible income levels, which are updated annually.  If you are in City of Tacoma, click here to find out more about the City of Tacoma program.

Next Steps

Visit Pierce County’s Energy Assistance webpage to apply

Fair Housing Resources

Federal law prohibits discrimination in the provision of housing or access to housing based on membership in certain protected classes of persons or personal status: race, color, national origin or ethnicity, sex, religion, familial status, mental and physical disability and use of a service animal or guide dog by a disabled person. These classes and statuses are ‘protected’ by federal law. Washington State law codifies the federal protections and adds protection to creed and marital status. Pierce County also legally protects residents based on age.

Resources

Housing Options for Homeowners

Mortgage Assistance and Foreclosure Resources

Program Structure

Mortgage assistance is given to current homeowners at risk of foreclosure due to COVID-19 related loss in employment or reduced wages. Eligible homeowners will receive foreclosure prevention counseling and up to 4 months of mortgage assistance ($6,000 cap) paid directly to the loan servicer, bank or mortgage company.

Eligibility
  • Owners must own homes in the City of Tacoma or the Pierce County Consortium (see consortium members below).
  • Homeowners must have experienced loss of employment or reduction in wages due to COVID-19 
  • and have an income at or below 80 percent Area Median Income for Pierce County. 

Pierce County Consortium Members:

City of DuPont                         City of Buckley                       Unincorporated Pierce County

City of University Place           Town of Carbonado                City of Fife

Town of Eatonville                   City of Edgewood                   City of Milton

City of Fircrest                         City of Gig Harbor                  City of Roy

City of Orting                           City of Puyallup                      City of Sumner

Town of Ruston                        Town of South Prairie            Town of Steilacoom

Town of Wilkeson

Homeowners that are outside the City of Tacoma or the Pierce County Consortium in need of support should contact the Washington State Foreclosure Prevention hotline at 1-877-894-4663.

Next Steps

Apply to the portal below. If you are an eligible homeowner in the City of Tacoma, apply to the City of Tacoma.

All others should be directed to the Pierce County Consortium.

Home Repair and Rehabilitation Program

Program Structure

Pierce County Human Services provides two programs to assist households with health and safety repairs of their home.

  1. The Home Repair Program provides grants for no-cost emergency health and safety repairs.
  2. The Home Rehabilitation Loan Program, offered through a partnership with the Pierce County Community Development Corporation, provides 20-year low-interest loans for rehabilitation.
Eligibility
  • Applicants must reside in Pierce County, outside the cities of Tacoma or Lakewood. If you are a Tacoma or Lakewood homeowner, please visit their webpages for information on repair.
  • Applicants must be low income (Below 80% Area Median Income). If you are unsure about your income level, visit the websites below to find income limits based on family size.
  • Participants must own their home
  • Unit must be occupied by the owner for at least 1 year at the time of application
  • [Home Rehab only] Owner must meet the Pierce County Community Development Corporation’s Loan Policy
Next Steps

Energy Assistance

Program Structure

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) pays heating bills directly to utility companies for eligible applicants. Payments are based on eligible household’s fuel usage for the past 12 months and income.

Eligibility

Pierce County’s Low-Income residents outside of the City of Tacoma are eligible. See the Pierce County Energy assistance webpage for eligible income levels, which are updated annually.  If you are in City of Tacoma, click here to find out more about the City of Tacoma program.

Next Steps

Visit Pierce County’s Energy Assistance webpage to apply

Weatherization Assistance Program

Program Structure

The Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to reduce their energy costs by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring their health and safety. The Home Weatherization program functions as a grant to owner-occupiers and owners of rental units serving low-income families.

The County provides the following Weatherization measures:

  • Home assessment
  • Insulation (floor, attic, duct, and walls)
  • Air sealing
  • Heat loss reduction
  • Test all gas appliances
  • Furnace repairs
  • Carbon Monoxide detectors
  • Improve indoor air quality
  • Energy conservation measures

Have you or someone in your family got Asthma, COPD or other respiratory issues? Weatherization has partnered with the Pierce County Health Department to assist households in a joint project called Weatherization Plus Health.

Eligibility

Pierce County Human Services provides weatherization services to qualifying low-income residents outside the city of Tacoma.

During the pandemic, we’ve seen a variety of households become eligible for services, so all interested parties are encouraged to apply.

Next Steps

Interested applicants should visit the Pierce County Weatherization Assistance Webpage to find more information and apply.