CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION _________________
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A RESOLUTION endorsing the goals of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County Strategic Plan; and stating the intent of The City of Seattle to work with other organizations and governmental entities in the implementation of this plan.
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WHEREAS, The City of Seattle (City) contributed to the formation of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County (CEH) and has actively participated in and supported CEH for more than a decade; and
WHEREAS, the City continues to cooperate with King County, United Way of King County, cities in King County, non-profit and religious organizations, and other partners in the countywide effort to provide shelter for homeless people and to help them secure permanent housing; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, the CEH Single Adult Shelter Task Force recommended expanding shelter outside of Seattle to increase safety and help people survive countywide. This recommendation was made based on data showing that the vast majority of shelter is located in Seattle, and that people experiencing homelessness are required to leave their home communities to access shelter; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, nearly 85% of all shelter resources are located in Seattle. This totals 3,058 units/beds. Only 15%, or 547 units/beds, are available outside of Seattle; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, The City Council appropriated $175,000 in the 2015 City Budget to incentivize regional partners to develop new shelter. In early 2015, the City’s Human Services Department and United Way of King County moved quickly to conduct a regional shelter funding process. Through this combined funding effort, totaling $325,000 and including $150,000 from United Way, nine shelters received funding. Altogether, almost 27,000 bed nights were added to the region’s shelter inventory with these funds; and
WHEREAS, the Human Services Department is committed to increasing equity and reducing racial disparities through efforts directed by its results-oriented strategy; and
WHEREAS, the Human Services Department completed a Homeless Investment Analysis recommending a policy framework and investment plan that aligns with and supports the CEH Strategic Plan ; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, the Human Services Department invested over $40 million in efforts to end homelessness, with roughly $19 million annually allocated to fund shelter ($9,009,662), transitional housing ($7,334,693), and housing stability services ($2,319,347); and
WHEREAS, the City’s Housing Levy, administered by the Office of Housing, provides funding for the development and operation of permanent housing for homeless families and individuals, and is aligned with and supports the CEH Strategic Plan; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, the Office of Housing provided $13.4 million in capital funding to develop and preserve homeless housing and $1.5 million to subsidize homeless housing operations; and
WHEREAS, looking ahead, the City’s support for homeless services should be based on evidence and focused on preventing homelessness and moving people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing. New investments in services such as diversion, rapid rehousing, engagement with long-term stayers in shelter, housing search services, and employment navigation will be the City’s highest priority; and
WHEREAS, it is our community’s vision that homelessness is rare in Seattle and King County, racial disparities are eliminated, and if one becomes homeless, it is brief and only a one-time occurrence; and
WHEREAS, new focus and new efforts are necessary to prevent people from becoming homeless and to move people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing; and
WHEREAS, while the broader community-including government officials, the United Way of King County, philanthropies, the faith community, the business community, and non-profit organizations-continues to work together, this plan is a recommitment to our vision of ending homelessness, and to the efforts we must take for this vision to become a reality; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. The City of Seattle (City) endorses the goals of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County Strategic Plan, July 2015 to July 2019 (CEH Strategic Plan), a copy of which is attached as Attachment 1, and states the City’s intent to work with other governmental officials, faith and civic groups, communities of color and other groups disproportionately affected by homelessness, philanthropies, the business community, non-profit housing and service providers, people who have personally experienced homelessness, and others around the region to implement this plan over the next four years.
Section 2. The City recognizes that the City’s homelessness investments should align with the CEH Strategic Plan, the provisions of the federal Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009, and evidence-based best practices. Therefore, the City intends to support funding and programming that align with the CEH Strategic Plan, federal priorities, and community need. It is the City’s intent to focus expenditure of new resources on effective prevention and housing services to better align our spending with the federal HEARTH Act and evidence-based best practices.
Section 3. The City recognizes that additional resources will be required in order to meet the ambitious goals included in the Plan and that local government resources are not adequate to achieve these goals. Therefore, the City will advocate for increased funding at the federal and state levels to pursue the goals of the CEH Strategic Plan.
Section 4. The City’s intent as expressed in this resolution is to promote the public health, safety, and welfare, and not to establish any legal rights or obligations, nor to designate any particular class or group of persons to be especially protected or benefited.
Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of ____________________, 2015, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this________ day
of ______________________, 2015.
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President ___________of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the _____ day of _______________________, 2015.
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Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Filed by me this ____ day of ________________________, 2015.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachment 1: Committee to End Homelessness in King County Strategic Plan, July 2015 to July 2019