Why Do People Experience Homelessness In Seattle?
Have you ever been in Seattle and seen how many people don't have permanent roofs over their heads? That's just so heartbreaking. Being such a culturally rich city and having such an exuberant environment, it is pretty hard to understand how Seattle could be facing such a huge problem as homelessness. But have you ever stopped to think about what the real causes behind homelessness are? Let's find out together.
Affordable Housing? More Like Unaffordable Housing!
An insane deficit in the affordable housing market is one of the biggest reasons a lot of folks end up homeless on the streets of Seattle. I mean, have you seen renting prices lately? They're insane! As more and more people flock to the big city, it's almost impossible for low-income folk to keep up with the costs, and gentrification has really taken over. Even with the addition of more units of affordable housing, it quite clearly is not meeting the demand. That's a real issue.
For instance, the 2020 Point-in-Time count estimated the number of homeless people in the Seattle/King County area at 11,751—53% sheltered, 47% unsheltered. That is a big number, and it represents a 5% increase over the 2019 count. In other words, the level of need continues to outstrip available resources even as the city works mightily to address the crisis.
The Haves and the Have-Nots
Yes, Seattle has some of the biggest tech giants residing and a booming economy, but come on, not everyone gets a taste of the pie. Economic disparities, poverty play a huge role in this. Try losing a job, working at very low wages, or just not getting the same opportunities as others. Without this system, one bad break and you are out on the street. For so many people, this is a very cold, sad fact.
Invisible Struggles: Mental Health and Addiction
Yet there's something about Seattle that is also prevalent, very common with its homeless, and that's mental health issues and substance use disorders. It's rather pitiful to see so many people cope with these struggles with no avenues readily opened for proper handling. It's so uphill to leave homelessness when you have mental health or an addiction problem on top of it. We have to make sure that comprehensive mental health services and a wide array of addiction treatment programs are available to them, so they go back to standing on their feet.
These include people experiencing homelessness, such as our veterans, foster youth, and survivors of domestic violence. Unfortunately, Seattle does not have sufficient, targeted support and resources for these at-risk populations, so it is next on the list for those who will fall through the cracks without highly specialized assistance and some level of transitional housing options. That is an unfortunate reality that needs to be fixed.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Now I'll share the statistics that make the homelessness crisis in Seattle palpably obvious. In 2023, Washington State was sixth in the nation, with an estimated 28,036 residents experiencing homelessness across the state without stable housing, a 27% increase over the state's 2019 homelessness rate. Nearly half of that homeless population in Washington State calls the Seattle/King County area home.
But the city worked that hard to bring those numbers down, only to see them climb back up. A new low was recorded for overall citywide verified tent count at a 34% decrease during the first quarter of 2024, including a 30% drop in active site numbers. However, the Unified Care Team still completed around 3,800 site cleanings and raked out nearly 1.2 million pounds of debris from public spaces. It's a never-ending battle.
What Can We Do?
Homelessness in Seattle is a very, very complicated issue. There is no silver bullet. It's going to take many, many different approaches to even begin to make a dent in affordable housing, economic disparities, mental health, addiction, and vulnerability.
The city has been working on increasing shelter capacity and funding for homelessness services, but it's a long way.
The design and implementation of these solutions must all be undertaken in concert by each and every citizen of Seattle. This must include advocating for policies that promote affordable housing, sponsoring local organizations that provide services to the homeless, as well as the hiring of deep cleaners in Seattle who can work to keep these shared public spaces clean and hygienic. These additional cleaners really make the difference in keeping the streets, parks, and public facilities clean and safe for everyone in our communities, including those dealing with homelessness. Every little bit helps, you know? Working together, we can make a better city where everyone may have an opportunity to live in a place they can call home.
