Share & Care House offers rental grants & transitional housing

Share & Care House brings innovative rental assistance programs to the communities of Seattle, Tacoma and Puyallup in Washington, plus the city of Tigard in Oregon. This nonprofit organization uses several effective tools against the ravages of homelessness.

Independent Families

One of the most active programs operated by Share & Care House is the Independent Families program. The program targets families with small children who will likely become homeless unless they are provided with the extra assistance to cover rent and utility costs.

The program itself does not pay 100% of rent and utility bills. What it does do is help with a portion so that families can get back on a firm financial foothold.

Many families who go through a financial crisis find that it is often difficult to rent again. Perhaps they owe arrears to a previous landlord. Maybe their credit is poor. They may be between jobs or struggling to get enough hours at work. Whatever the case, they are often turned down by new landlords when they apply to lease a rental property.

A case manager with Independent Families will actually participate in negotiating a rental agreement on behalf of these families. They provide the necessary assurances to landlords who agree to relax some of the eligibility requirements. This way, a family who might ordinarily be turned down may still gain access to a new place to live with the help of their case manager. Aid can be provided to cover some of the payment so that the rent remains affordable. After one year, families are expected to be able to cover the full cost on their own.

Independence House of Puyallup

One duplex in Puyallup has been dedicated for the emergency use by one family every three months. This two bedroom unit is provided to a family who is engaged in intensive case management to regain independence.

Single Occupancy Supportive Housing

Pierce County residents who have experienced chronic homelessness may gain access to one of several independent living units. These renovated housing units in Puyallup are available to homeless individuals who earn less than half of the area median income levels.

Lifeline-Rental & Utility Assistance

Direct utility and rent assistance is available to residents within the service area of Share & Care House. Applicants must be referred by Access Point for Housing (AP4H) in conjunction with Pierce County Department of Social and Health Services. MCS referrals are also welcome.

To gain rental assistance and/or utility aid, potential clients should first contact AP4H at 253-682-3401 to obtain a referral to Share & Care House. Any eviction notices, delinquency letters or utility disconnect warnings should be mentioned to the representative.

Contact Information

All aid requests should go through AP4H. Clients should call 253-682-3401 for an initial screening appointment.

Local offices are provided by Share & Care House for further inquiries or for existing clients:

  • Puyallup, WA. Call 253-841-8886.
  • Seattle, WA. Call 206-764-4849.
  • Tacoma, WA. Call 253-564-4194.
  • Tigard, OR. Call 503-684-8882.