Housing is a basic human need, and today’s Supreme Court ruling doesn’t change the fact that our unhoused neighbors need a safe place to sleep. The cycle of displacing people without providing a stable alternative place to live increases the risk of losing vital connections with services, making it more difficult for them to rebuild their lives.
We need to focus on implementing effective strategies and best practices that bring our unhoused neighbors indoors. Utilizing outreach, connecting people to services, and matching people with housing best suited to their needs is part of creating a successful path to addressing unsheltered homelessness. These are the steps KCRHA, in collaboration with various partners, takes when resolving homeless encampments as part of the State Encampment Resolution Initiative, funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce. Our method aligns with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness’ 19 strategies to address encampments.
We need resources, not criminalization which drives displacement.
