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The City of Seattle
Resolution
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A resolution relating to persons living in vehicles and establishing the Vehicle Resident Assistance Program; accompanying legislation to provide a structured pathway to shelter.
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Recitals:
The City of Seattle (City) is committed to creating a comprehensive strategy to help people living in their vehicles enter permanent housing.
Today there are no shelters or safe lots available in Seattle that are tailored for people who live in their vehicles, which means that the City does not have any place for people who live in their vehicles to come inside.
The City must provide a safe place that meets the needs of people who live in their vehicles in order to allow them to come inside.
The needs of vehicle residents are different than the needs of people experiencing other types of homelessness. These needs are not being adequately met by the City today, and that has hindered the City's progress to improve the lives of people living in their vehicles and create pathways to permanent housing.
For some who have fallen on hard times, their vehicle is their last possession after losing housing. Beyond needing different types of assistance such as minor vehicle repairs, fuel, and registering their vehicles, people who live in their vehicles also have the needs of everyone experiencing homelessness, including shelter, clean water, food, warmth or cooling, and a place to use the restroom and shower.
The distinct differences between vehicle residency and other types of homelessness is why solutions to other types of unsheltered homelessness do not directly transfer to addressing vehicle residency.
The City currently has no City team to help people in their vehicles and offers few services specifically designed to assist people who live in their vehicles. It does not directly employ any outreach teams tailored to assist people liv...
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