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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| King County homeless population third-largest in U.S. |
| 2017-12-08 |
| [SeattleTimes] A new federal report on homelessness shows King County behind only Los Angeles and New York City in the number of people living without permanent shelter. King County has the third-largest concentration of homeless people in the country, a new federal report shows. National homelessness figures compiled by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show that with an estimated count of 11,643 in 2017, King County trails behind only Los Angeles County and New York City in overall homeless population. That overall number includes people living in shelters and other facilities, as well as outdoors. The department requires communities from around the country that receive federal dollars to conduct annual snapshot counts to track homeless numbers. A local point-in-time count was conducted in King County earlier this year. King County also ranks third in the number of unsheltered homeless ‐ people living in vehicles, tents and on local streets. The 5,485 unsheltered people counted in the county in 2017 represent a 21 percent increase over last year’s tally. The numbers underscore the severity of a problem that stretches from Seattle to San Diego. As rents soar and access to affordable housing shrinks, the number of people living in states along the West Coast is trending in the wrong direction. In California, the number of people living without permanent shelter rose by nearly 14 percent, the report shows. Oregon saw a 5 percent increase this year, while in Washington the homeless population rose to 21,112 ‐ an increase of 1 percent over the previous year. The crisis has prompted several local governments, including those in the city of Seattle and King County, to declare a civil state of emergency. In hopes of reducing the numbers, local authorities have begun a series of reforms. Earlier this month, officials announced $34 million in new contracts for homeless service providers, and they’ll hold the providers to new performance bench marks. Combined with federal funding, officials are projecting a dramatic increase in the number of people moved off the streets. With its new funding plan, the city believes it can help move 7,399 people from homelessness into stable housing in 2018. That’s up from the 3,026 "exits from homelessness" projected for 2017. |
| Posted by:746 |
| #9 Funny there doesnt seem to be all that much homelessness in "red" dominated areas. |
| Posted by: Injun Bucket8891 2017-12-08 20:51 |
| #8 Raj, you only hear about the "homeless problem " during R administrations. It magically clears up as soon as a D takes over. Then appears again in the next R administration. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2017-12-08 14:49 |
| #7 Funny how I didn't see any stories about the homeless when Obama was President. |
| Posted by: Raj 2017-12-08 14:35 |
| #6 I posted this in order to Highlight the growing trend in Socialist Cities and their Skyrocketing homeless issues. the trend seems to be that when the rich urbanites move in, who ever was there and doesnt conform to much higher living expenitures ( taxes, and fee's) , well they must move away or go broke. |
| Posted by: 746 2017-12-08 13:38 |
| #5 They should move to LA where it's warm. |
| Posted by: gorb 2017-12-08 12:53 |
| #4 What about the ones that choose to be homeless, or "outdoors"? We have vagrancy laws for those folks. I'd put them in encampments out in the desert surrounded by concertina wire. Let them pitch their tents there. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2017-12-08 12:43 |
| #3 As rents soar and access to affordable housing shrinks, the number of people living in states along the West Coast is trending in the wrong direction. I've said it before: If you really want affordable try Detroit or Albuquerque or Houston. The coastal areas of California, Oregon and Washington are what you call prime real estate so it's no surprise that a lot of people can't afford to live here. It's a shame that we all can't afford to live in mansions on the beach in La Jolla or Malibu but some of us have to settle for something a bit more modest and a bit further inland. We have to work for it too. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2017-12-08 12:37 |
| #2 The obvious cure is for gubmint forces to do whatever they can to force housing prices even HIGHER than what they have so far done. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2017-12-08 12:34 |
| #1 What about the ones that choose to be homeless, or "outdoors"? |
| Posted by: Texhooey 2017-12-08 00:14 |