About PCHA

Our Mission Statement 

Pierce County Housing Authority provides safe, decent, affordable housing and economic opportunity, free from discrimination.

Pierce County Housing Authority History 

The Pierce County Housing Authority is a public body, corporate and politic, created by Pierce County in 1978 pursuant to State statute to provide affordable housing for low-income families in Pierce County.

The governing body of the Housing Authority is the Board of Commissioners, which is comprised of five members appointed for rotating, five-year terms by the Pierce County Executive.

The Commissioners elect from among themselves a chair and a vice chair. The Board meets at least once each month to establish policies that provide low-income people of Pierce County with decent, affordable housing.

The Board is responsible for hiring an Executive Director, who also serves as Secretary to the Board. The Executive Director administers the operations of the Authority and implements the policies established by the Board.

The Authority was first under the management of the Tacoma Housing Authority until 1980, at which time the Pierce County Housing Authority assumed its own management. Some of the original staff members currently are with the Authority. The Authority does not have the power to levy taxes and, therefore, must rely upon its ability to issue bonds, collect rent from residents and receive financial assistance from the Federal, State, and local governments for its continued operation. In all, the Authority serves more than 5,100 households annually. The Authority accounts are organized on the basis of funds, each of which is considered a separate accounting entity. Each fund has a set of self-balancing accounts that are comprised of assets, liabilities, fund equity, revenues and expenses. Funds received by Pierce County Housing Authority are frequently accompanied by legal and/or contractual requirements that govern their use and often include special accounting and procedures conforming to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and/or those prescribed by HUD for the program it supports.