“On any given night in King County, nearly 6,000 people stay in emergency shelters or transitional housing. For too long we have tried to manage homelessness through a system that provided little more than a mattress for the night. To end homelessness, we must find programs that work in reaching those who are the hardest to reach. Programs like Housing First break the cycle of homelessness by offering a safe clean place to call home, and vital services to help stabilize and rebuild lives.”

--Mayor Greg Nickels

The City of Seattle is a leader and one of three major funders of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County and the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness, along with King County and United Way of King County.

The Ten-Year Plan emerged as an idea in 2004, when a broad-based coalition of more than 30 leaders representing United Way of King County, businesses, faith-based communities, housing and human services organizations, homeless people and governments, came together to confront this serious issue. The plan, completed in the spring of 2005, seeks to end homelessness, not just help people live in homelessness. In addition to the more than 16 municipalities who have endorsed the Ten-Year Plan, more than 125 organizations and churches operate housing and service programs aligned with the strategies of the Ten-Year Plan, or have otherwise endorsed the plan.

The plan provides a clear vision and action steps to improve the broad spectrum of services for homeless individuals and families. The goals of the plan promote long-term and sustainable solutions to homelessness including alignment of funding, programs and services among the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

In 2007, the City of Seattle is allocating more than $41 million (a combination of City General Funds, federal and state funding, and other sources) toward ending homelessness. The Seattle Human Services Department and Seattle Office of Housing are the primary City departments funding programs ending homelessness.

 

Learn more about what Seattle is doing to end homelessness - Acrobat PDF