Pierce County’s Human Services Department has a new director to oversee the county’s homeless services, affordable-housing efforts and behavioral health programs.
Gary Gant has experience working as field office director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — an agency the county heavily relies upon to fund various homeless and housing programs.
Recently, The News Tribune sent Gant a set of questions about his role and what he hopes to accomplish. Here are his responses:
Q: What was your previous position with HUD and how does your experience there help you in your new role?
A: Prior to joining Pierce County I served as the Field Office Director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Washington state. During my tenure at HUD, I worked on various initiatives including affordable housing development in urban, rural, and Tribal communities, expanding access to HUD VASH vouchers for our Veterans, and working with municipalities to develop strategies and fund projects that provide shelter and permanent supportive housing for those who are experiencing homelessness.
I fully support a Unified Regional Approach to assist those experiencing homelessness, as homelessness has no borders. My previous experience at HUD has enabled me to look at housing and homelessness through a different lens, as there are many solutions to producing affordable housing and housing the unsheltered. One size does not fit all.
Q: What is Pierce County doing well when it comes to its response to the homelessness crisis and how does it need to improve?
A: Pierce County has an extensive network of dedicated service providers who provide a wide array of services to our homeless population. Our homeless services include emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and various support services, including behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment, healthcare, job training and assistance with obtaining identification and benefits. These services are designed to address immediate needs like shelter and food, while also supporting individuals in finding stable housing and becoming self-reliant.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in your new role with Human Services?
A: In my new leadership role with Pierce County Human Services, I hope to build a robust, effective and efficient department that is responsive to the needs of the residents of the county, keeping at the forefront the priorities of County Executive Ryan Mello.
The Executive priorities that fall within the realm of Human Services include expanding affordable housing and helping individuals transition out of homelessness, increasing access to affordable childcare for working families and opening new behavioral health facilities and services to support mental wellness.
I also want to build a culture within the department of a workplace where diversity is celebrated and encouraged, and where staff are encouraged to provide ideas on service improvements that can benefit those we serve daily.
I also plan on developing satellite sites in rural parts of the county to ensure that Human Services has a global reach and is embedded in the fabric of all our communities. This will be accomplished by partnering with faith-based organizations, libraries and schools in these rural areas of the county.
Q: How can Pierce County be more competitive in earning federal funding to address the housing and homelessness crisis?
A: Pierce County, like other jurisdictions, is looking at ways to diversify its funding sources to address the homelessness crisis. Federal funds alone cannot address homelessness issues. Pierce County uses a dedicated sales tax and other funding sources to address homelessness. The Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act, a 0.1% sales tax, was approved by the Pierce County Council in 2023 to fund affordable housing and related services, including those aimed at preventing and mitigating homelessness. Other funding sources include state and federal grants, document recording fees, and local revenues like the Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts Fund.
Q: What are some areas or strategies the county has overlooked when trying to address the housing crisis?
A: There isn’t a single strategy that will address the housing crisis, as the needs of housing vary from person to person and family to family. We need apartments, “middle housing” such as duplexes and triplexes, single-family homes and condominiums. There is also a trend to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and increased density through upzoning. All these strategies have a goal of increasing housing supply and improving affordability by offering more diverse housing options.
Q: What will it take to achieve the “functional zero” goal of the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness?
It will take money and cooperation among multiple jurisdictions and service providers to achieve functional zero. It will literally take the whole village to make functional zero a reality.