“Solving” chronic homelessness is hard and defies easy answers – that is why we need to be smart and invest in proven solutions that get results.
When I discuss chronic homelessness, I am referring to the people who are trapped living on our streets in squalor, many with untreated mental illness and addiction. Most have been on the streets for years, some committing crime and most being victimized by crime. It is inhumane and unacceptable for anyone.
During my time as Executive, I have worked closely with our Human Services team to address homelessness, broadly and chronic homelessness, specifically. We need compassionate and effective programs that help folks get off the street, get well, and get back in control of their lives.
As you might imagine, we need a variety of programs to help get people back to a dignified life. We need emergency shelters to get them safely off the streets – generally limited to 90 days. But we also need places where they can live long-term with the support they need to restore their health and their lives. For years our system in Pierce County has struggled because we face a significant shortage of longer-term supported housing options. The result – people are frequently stuck on the streets or in short-term shelters without a place to take their recovery to the next level – and in many cases they end up back on the street.
Certainly, shelter comes first – and over the years our Human Services team has made significant investments in expanding both the number and type of shelter beds across the County. Whenever someone is willing to go to the safety of a shelter, we want to make sure we have a bed available. Collectively, the County and our partner jurisdictions fund more than 1000 shelter beds. Last year, on average, 73% of our available shelter beds were used – and we also have another 200 beds being added by 2025. So, I am confident that we will have a safe place for anyone willing to come indoors.
But for the last few years, we have focused on expanding long-term supported housing – projects like our Good Neighbor Village with the Tacoma Rescue Mission. The Village is a place where people who were chronically homeless can fully recover with the support they need. We have been growing both the number and type of housing options but are still far short of the need.
While this year’s Housing and Homelessness Program (HHP) funded outreach, shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing and long-term (permanent supportive) housing, our Human Services team prioritized the last two program areas. This approach is consistent with our 2022 Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness as these interventions – rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing – offer permanent solutions to homelessness.
Which brings us to a current disagreement with some on the Council. Last year, the Council allocated $2.5M for a “stability site” in unincorporated Pierce County. Our Human Services team worked hard to find a way to deliver on this but was confronted with siting challenges and County Code restrictions.
The Council majority has been trying to rush through changes to the County Code to allow for a stability site. While I share their commitment to finding solutions to homelessness that are transparent and sound, emergency rules do not allow for that. Housing ordinances should go through the full normal legislative process – encouraging plenty of public input. Rushing code changes under an expedited process that limits public notice is bad policy and undermines community confidence.
I am also concerned that using one-time investments of federal pandemic funds to increase temporary shelter is the wrong approach. We have a finite amount of funding to address homelessness, and funding more shelter leaves fewer funds for housing projects, where we can realize permanent resolution to homelessness. Our community struggles to move individuals out of shelter because of our lack of deeply affordable housing. If we want to see permanent change, we need more affordable housing and more supportive services. My related concern is sustainability — there is already a shortage of operating funds for our county’s shelter system, so adding more shelter capacity puts a strain on the financial security of our existing shelters.
In light of these concerns, my supplemental budget proposal reallocates that $2.5M to help fund a 500-unit affordable housing project developed by the Tacoma Housing Authority and Mercy Housing (breaking ground later this fall) and additional existing services for our homeless population.
As I said, this work doesn’t have easy answers. I want to close by acknowledging the efforts of Heather Moss, John Barbee, and the entire Homelessness Team at our Human Services Department. They are the true subject matter experts that turn policy direction and budget allocations into a cohesive system-wide response. They are addressing one of our most complex issues with informed, thoughtful, compassionate, and effective solutions, and I am grateful.
Thanks for reading,
Bruce