We know that more than 53,000 people experienced homelessness in 2022. This number, using the most accurate data, is much larger than previously understood—and our system does not currently have the resources to meet this need. Without a significant change to our community response—unless we invest in additional housing, shelter, and prevention—modeling indicates that the number of people experiencing homelessness will only grow.
We have a lot of work to do.
The Path Forward: Our 5-Year Plan to Dramatically Reduce Unsheltered Homelessness
If we are to meet the need of bringing more people inside each year, we must make changes to the system, optimize existing resources, and invest new resources where they can have the greatest impact.
With the unanimous approval of both our Implementation Board and our Governing Committee, KCRHA can now move forward with a 5-Year Plan. We are grateful for the input, feedback and support—through many months of community engagement—from service providers, government partners, business and community leaders, and KCRHA staff.
When we work together, we can accomplish great things!
A Three Part Approach
Our 5-Year Plan outlines a three part approach, bringing solutions to systems challenges we’ve faced at three levels:
SERVICE PROVIDERS: Improve outcomes at individual service providers, like outreach and shelter, by ensuring every provider has the staff, tools, and support to implement best practices.
NETWORK OF HOMELESSNESS SERVICES: Coordinate our network of service providers through shared data and accountability, ensuring that services are available across King County and that the needs of disproportionately impacted populations are met.
SYSTEM-TO-SYSTEM CONNECTIONS: Collaborate across systems—healthcare, housing, public safety, employment, education, and more—to prevent homelessness.
The activities listed in the full Plan provide a roadmap and set of action steps to achieve progress on each of these three levels, unifying and coordinating the homeless response system so that it is more transparent, accountable, and effective.
Read the Plan
Learn more about our community’s path forward to reduce homelessness.
It Takes All of Us Working Together
We are making progress. But we have a long way to go.
We can only be successful if our whole community—government, businesses, philanthropy, service providers, nonprofits, and people like you—comes together around a shared vision and plan to dramatically reduce unsheltered homelessness.
Working together, we can help more people more inside, because everyone deserves a safe and stable place to live.
