King County homeless count breaks 11,000

A new, more comprehensive point-in-time homelessness report released on Wednesday provides critical information on homelessness in King County.

Utilizing a nationally recognized count methodology, a countywide canvas of census tracts, and a person-to-person survey of people experiencing homelessness, the 2017 Count Us In tally counted a total of 11,643 people experiencing homelessness countywide.

The total includes 6,158 people sheltered in transitional housing or emergency shelters and 5,485 people on the streets, sleeping in vehicles, tents or encampments (both sanctioned and unsanctioned). Obtaining reliable, accurate and actionable data through the annual point-in-time count is a requirement for federal funding, and imperative to informing local strategies to address homelessness.

“This year’s count reflects what we already know: skyrocketing rents and the growing demand for behavioral and mental health services continue to make homelessness a regional challenge. We are already moving more people into housing faster, while cutting in half the number of people slipping back into homelessness. With comprehensive data from Count Us In, we can do even more to target resources where they are needed most,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine in a media release. “We have a plan to make homelessness rare, brief and one-time, and the renewal of the Veterans and Human Services Levy is a big part of it – increasing homeless outreach and connections to treatment while creating more affordable housing to move people permanently out of homelessness.”

A new, more comprehensive count

The 2017 count, coordinated by All Home and Applied Survey Research (ASR) is substantially different from previous years. It includes a street count held on Jan. 27, that covered virtually every census tract in King County, a shelter count the same night, a youth and young adult count, and a person-to-person survey completed by 1,158 people reflecting a representative sample of the sheltered and unsheltered population across the county.

The results of the survey can be generalized to the entire population of people experiencing homelessness with 95 percent confidence. The comprehensive report provides details on the people counted and the causes of homelessness. Among the findings are the following:

• People experiencing homelessness in King County are overwhelmingly local. Ninety one percent are from Washington state, including 77 percent who said they were last housed in King County. Only 9 percent reported a last home address out of state.

• History of domestic violence or partner abuse is prevalent; 40 percent said they had experienced abuse and 7 percent said it was the current cause for their homelessness.

• Homelessness disproportionately impacts people of color. In all, about 55 percent of the local homeless population are people of color.

• Half of all people surveyed reported a disabling condition, and more than a third have two or more conditions. Most mentioned were mental illness, substance use, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• Nearly a third are maintaining employment.

• Loss of job (30%), drug/alcohol problems (20%), or eviction (11%) were the leading causes of homelessness.

• Homelessness is not a choice. Ninety-two percent said they would take safe and affordable housing today if it was available.

• Rental assistance and affordable housing were the top two supports needed to end the experience of homelessness.

“This new count is the most comprehensive to date, and confirms that homelessness is prevalent throughout the county,” said Mark Putnam, Director of All Home. “People who are homeless want housing, and we are housing more people than ever. Yet the count confirms that more people are becoming homeless here. This is true wherever there is a severe lack of affordable housing.”