Governor Inslee’s recent supplemental budget proposal includes a set of investments aimed at reducing homelessness by 50% over the next two years.

The Governor’s proposal includes policy expectations for local governments to support the goal of reducing homelessness. The proposal would dedicate more than $300 million from the state’s rainy day fund to pay for this effort. Of particular note to cities:

• $66 million is proposed for a new grant program to help cities establish and operate temporary homeless shelters.
• $30 million in capital funding is provided for new or upgraded homeless shelters.
• $4 million is provided for encampment cleanup costs.

The Governor is also proposing legislation requiring larger counties and cities (counties with populations over 40,000 and cities over 15,000) to amend their five-year plans to end homelessness. Amended plans would be required to increase shelter or sanctioned encampment capacity to a level equivalent to at least 50% of the jurisdiction’s population living outside, based on point-in-time counts or other means.

Local governments would also be asked to provide an accounting of local law, policy, and resource changes required to achieve this goal, and include recommendations to the state for law, policy, and resource changes that are needed at the state level to achieve these local goals. We are working to understand the mechanism that would direct cities to meet this requirement, given that it is a responsibility of the counties to establish and maintain the five-year homelessness plans.

Any feedback on the concept or implementation is welcomed. Please contact Carl or Shannon.