Washington state has decided to pull back on efforts to address homelessness by reducing funding for its Encampment Resolution Program, much to the dismay of Seattle and King County officials.
This decision comes as part of the state’s recent budget adjustments, which slashed the program’s funding from $75 million to $45 million.
The Encampment Resolution Program, initiated in 2022, had notably shifted the responsibility of clearing homeless encampments from cities to the state level, a significant move considering local governments typically handle such matters.
The program was launched in response to an alarming rise in tent encampments along state highways during the pandemic, which raised safety concerns and prompted former Governor Jay Inslee to take action.
As transportation officials noted, the presence of individuals living near fast-moving traffic posed serious risks.
In forming the program, state officials based their model on successful strategies that originated in Seattle, focusing on removing encampments without merely displacing individuals to other locations.
This approach necessitated the creation of new shelters and housing, given that existing resources were often full.
The state invested significantly, funding hundreds of new housing units across five counties, primarily along the Interstate 5 corridor—King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, and Spokane.
Consequently, the program succeeded in closing nearly 80 encampments, providing shelter or housing for over 2,200 individuals, a marked change from the traditional methods employed by most cities, which often resulted in individuals losing track of where they went post-clearance.
One notable aspect of the program was its commitment to ensuring that individuals transitioned from encampments to permanent housing directly, a promise that many found compelling enough to accept outreach offers.
However, as state lawmakers faced a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall this year, the new administration under Governor Bob Ferguson indicated a need to prioritize broader issues over the continuation of this specific program.
State officials stated that some local leaders questioned the efficacy of investing hundreds of millions in a program targeting only a fragment of the state’s homeless population.
In the days leading up to the funding decision, several Seattle and King County officials voiced their support for the program during a news conference, referring to it as the ‘gold standard’ for addressing homelessness on the streets.
Despite their heartfelt pleas, the state ultimately opted to cut funding significantly.
While the reduced budget will cover the costs for individuals who have already been moved inside through the program, Purpose Dignity Action, a nonprofit that aided in administering the initiative in King County, has confirmed that it will cease resolving new encampments entirely.
Lisa Daugaard, co-executive director of the nonprofit, expressed her disappointment regarding the funding cut, suggesting it could undermine public confidence in government responses to such pressing challenges.
Nevertheless, she acknowledged the strong backing for the program’s methodology from local officials and expressed hope for new sources of funding to potentially revive the initiative.
As of 2024, the Department of Commerce revealed over 156,000 individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Washington, underscoring the urgent need for effective solutions amidst changing political priorities.
image source from：https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-cuts-funding-for-homeless-encampment-removal-program,382649
