Thurston County, WA — Housing & Help Directory (Updated September 2026)
Updated: 6 hours ago
This is Mysti's working directory of housing and help resources for Thurston County, Washington (Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm and surrounding areas). Every link below was opened and every waitlist status was quoted from its source on September 19, 2026. We re-check the whole page monthly (next refresh: October 2026). Statuses change without notice — confirm directly with the agency before you count on anything.
A straight word about rent help: Mysti's helps some clients with move-in, rent, or utility costs, but only through specific funded programs, only when you meet that program's eligibility, and only while funds last. Nobody — not us, not any agency — can promise it. Work your county's Coordinated Entry, 2-1-1, housing authorities, and the local programs below at the same time as anything you do with us.
Start here — today
Call 2-1-1 (Washington 2-1-1 / Thurston County Housing and Shelter Hotline) · wa211.org — free, statewide, they know what is open in your county this week.
Coordinated Entry — Family Support Center of South Sound (FSC) — Coordinated Entry provider for families with children under 18, pregnant people, and DV survivors; also serves single adults/couples without children per FSC's own CE page · 360-754-9297 x215. Call FSC at 360-754-9297 x215 or email ce@fscss.org. This is how most homelessness housing programs decide who gets the next opening — get assessed even if the wait is long.
Continuum of Care (CoC) — Thurston County Office of Housing and Homeless Prevention (OHHP) coordinates the county's homelessness funding and programs; their site lists current providers.
Community Action Agency — Community Action Council of Lewis, Mason and Thurston Counties (CAC / CACLMT) · 1-360-438-1100 — Utility/energy assistance (LIHEAP) confirmed via Thurston County's own community resources page linking to caclmt.org/utility-assistance/.
DSHS Community Services Office — Olympia Community Services Office (Olympia, WA 98501) — apply for cash, food, and medical benefits, or apply online at WashingtonConnection.org.
Emergency: 911. Mental-health or substance-use crisis: call or text 988. Regional crisis line: Thurston Mason Crisis Line · 800-270-0041 or 360-754-1338 (also 988)
Housing authorities and waitlists
Apply to every list you qualify for — including neighboring counties you could realistically move to. See what is open statewide right now and the statewide programs guide for vouchers, public housing, and how portability works.
Housing Authority of Thurston County (HATC)
Website · 360-753-8292 (properties) / 360-918-5818 (voucher program office) · Serves: Thurston County
CLOSED — Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) — "The Housing Authority of Thurston County (HATC) has closed the waitlist. We will not be accepting any new applications at this time. When we open the waitlist up to receiving more applications, we…" Not currently open; watch hatc.org for announcement. Current applicants can check status via Assistance Connect (assistancecheck.com). (not accepting applications; check for reopening; checked 2026-09-19 · source)
Nonprofit housing you can apply to directly
Family Support Center of South Sound (FSC) — Families with children, pregnant people, and survivors of domestic/sexual violence experiencing homelessness in Thurston County Call 360-754-9297; serves as lead Coordinated Entry agency for families. Operates a 24/7 Family Shelter per fscss.org. Apply / availability
Interfaith Works (Interfaith Works Homeless Services) — Adults experiencing homelessness in Thurston County; overnight shelter Contact Interfaith Works directly, 360-918-8424 Confirmed listed on Thurston County's own community-resources page.
Homes First — Low-income households in Thurston County; also identifies Family Resource Services as the county's Coordinated Entry hub for families with children Contact Homes First, 360-236-0920 Apply / availability
Senior housing (55+ / 62+) and housing for people with disabilities
Housing Authority of Thurston County owned properties · varies by property (HATC) — PHA-owned below-market/mixed-income rental units (605 units total per HATC's own site) See hatc.org/properties/ and hatc.org/other-housing-options/
How to find open senior housing anywhere in Washington: step-by-step in the statewide guide.
Rent help and eviction prevention (funding-dependent)
These programs open and close as funding arrives and runs out, often within weeks. Call first, ask what is open today, and ask what documents to bring. If you have an eviction notice, contact the legal help below the same day — do not move out just because you received a notice.
Eviction Defense Hotline / Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services · 1-855-657-8387 (Eviction Defense Hotline); 360-890-4678 (TCVLS); 1-888-387-7111 (NWJP 60+) (Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services / Northwest Justice Project) — Tenants facing eviction in Thurston County Call the hotline directly Confirmed via Thurston County's own community-resources page.
HUMI (Help Us Move In) · 360-890-1174 (HUMI) — Households needing move-in assistance Contact HUMI directly Funding-dependent.
Shelter and crisis housing
Thurston County Housing and Shelter Hotline · 1-844-628-7343 — Anyone needing immediate shelter assistance in Thurston County
Union Gospel Mission · 360-709-9725 — People experiencing homelessness
The Salvation Army — Olympia · 360-352-8596
Food
Thurston County Food Bank · 360-352-8597 — Serves Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater; see tcfb.org/locations/pick-up/ for schedule.
Rochester Food Bank (ROOF Community Services) · 360-273-6375
Tenino Food Bank Plus · 360-264-5505
Utilities and energy bills
Legal help and tenant rights
Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services · 360-890-4678 / 360-705-8194
Northwest Justice Project · 1-888-201-1014 (general); 1-888-387-7111 (60+)
Fair Housing Center of Washington · 253-274-9523 — Handles fair-housing discrimination complaints statewide, including Thurston County.
Veterans
Thurston County Veterans Assistance Program · 360-867-8236
Youth and families
Seniors and people with disabilities — services
Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) / Senior Services for South Sound · 360-664-2168 (AAA); 360-586-6181 (Senior Services for South Sound)
Local directories and newsletters
Thurston County Resource Hub / Community Connections and Care Guides · ongoing — Official county-maintained resource hub.
How Mysti's fits in
Mysti's Adult & Family Services — Washington provides case management, housing navigation and benefit navigation, including Foundational Community Supports (FCS) supportive housing and supported employment for people on Apple Health, and Community Choice Guide services for DSHS clients. New here? Read Need help with housing? Start here, then message us through our contact page or email help@mysticares.org · (800) 524-4827. We will screen your situation and point you to the right door — with us or elsewhere.
Already a Mysti's client? Your case manager is your first call. If you cannot reach them, email help@mysticares.org with your name, county, and the best way to reach you, and use the resources on this page in the meantime — every door on this list is open to you whether or not we are the ones walking you through it.
Partners and case managers: refer through our Partners & Referrals page. Send county, contact details, Apple Health status and housing situation; please do not email medical details.
Learn while you wait
Free, self-paced courses from Mysti's: Housing Search Bootcamp, Speak Up (self-advocacy), Budgeting for Stability, and short guides to SNAP, ABD/HEN, Apple Health, TANF, SSI/SSDI and McKinney-Vento school rights — open the Free Learning Programs. A free member account is all you need.
Get Thurston County updates once a month
Want to know when a waitlist opens, a senior building starts taking applications, or a new program launches in your county? Tell us which counties and topics you care about and we will email you one short update a month — no more, and you can stop any time.
Found a broken link or a status that changed? Email help@mysticares.org and we will fix it in the next refresh. Last full check: September 19, 2026.



