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Taking Action on Homelessness, Together

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A Conversation on Federal Efforts to End Homelessness: My Discussion with Two Leaders in the Biden Administration

A Conversation on Federal Efforts to End Homelessness: My Discussion with Two Leaders in the Biden Administration

By: Felicia Salcedo, Executive Director of We Are In

The crises of homelessness and housing affordability are not just something we face here in King County — their impacts are felt nationwide. While these challenges show up locally, there is significant work and investment happening at the federal level to support cities, counties, and states in their collective fights to end homelessness. 

To learn more about these federal efforts, We Are In Executive Director Felicia Salcedo had conversations with Margaret Salazar, the Northwest Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Jeff Olivet, the Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). You can view the recording of our October 24th event here.

Below are some of our most important takeaways from the conversation.

The Biden administration is putting an unprecedented amount of money into communities to combat the housing and homelessness crises. 

As Margaret shared, the federal government is investing an unprecedented amount of resources as a result of two COVID relief packages passed by Congress and the recent Inflation Reduction Act.

A nonexhaustive list of the funding and resources HUD and others are offering include: funding for housing authorities; funding for the repositioning, preservation, and operation of public housing; emergency and general housing vouchers; housing, rental assistance, supportive services, and non-congregate shelter through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program; and more. 

In addition to funding, the administration is easing regulatory constraints and lowering costs.

We know that homelessness is a housing problem, and yet there are many systemic barriers to good housing policy. But, as Jeff shared, the Biden administration is working to ease regulations that would otherwise prevent or slow the development of more affordable housing and to financially incentivize localities to ease their own zoning restrictions. At the same time, the administration is also implementing a Housing Supply Action plan that will ease the burden of housing costs and close the housing supply gap. 

HUD is helping King County treat an emergency like an emergency by supporting the establishment of the Housing Command Center.

In October 2022, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, in coordination with We Are In and other key partners, announced the Housing Command Center (HCC), an emergency operations management system focused on housing people experiencing homelessness. Modeled on the federal government’s response to natural disasters, the HCC is significantly speeding up the process of getting people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing. With technical assistance from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the KCRHA built the foundation for the HCC, which takes best practices learned from years of emergency response to disasters like floods, fires and other major displacements, and applies them to homelessness. 

As part of Partnership for Zero implementation, the HCC is currently focused on housing individuals living unsheltered in Downtown Seattle and the Chinatown-International District. To accomplish that goal, the HCC is focused on three actions: identifying available housing units, identifying eligible households, and matching households to units with support from System Advocates (outreach workers with their own lived experience of homelessness). 

Margaret and Jeff said it best: our Housing Command Center is a strong example of the urgency and collaboration we need to bring to this fight. 

Collaboration is key. 

In King County, we see the impacts of our regional collaborations and partnerships between government, businesses, philanthropy, and advocates. Jeff and Marget also reminded us of the need to continue to work together across local, state, regional, and federal levels to align our strategies, tactics, and resources. 

We must continue to follow the leadership and expertise of those closest to the issue. 

When we meaningfully engage folks with lived experience of homelessness, we get more proximate to the problem — and solutions — than we otherwise could. They must continue to be partners in the work with both a voice and shared power because they know best what it is like to experience homelessness and what can actually support those in need. And their time and expertise must be compensated accordingly. 

We need housing and wraparound services.

We often hear about ‘housing first,’ but it should never be housing only — there is also a need for robust supportive services for behavioral health, substance use, employment, and other needs. We know that this approach works. Though the reasons for homelessness will vary from individual to individual, the one thing that will resolve anyone’s homelessness is being quickly connected to permanent housing and supportive services because it provides the dignity and stability needed to thrive. 

Ultimately, the equation — nationally, regionally, and locally — must include emergency response, expanding housing and services, and prevention. 

As Jeff reminded us, the goal is singular and simple: end homelessness. There is a lot to do on the way to that goal, including: improving our emergency response, expanding housing and services, and going upstream to prevent homelessness from occurring in the first place.

You can watch the full recording here.

Filed Under: Events

Housing and Homelessness Are Regional Issues, Requiring Regional Solutions: A Recap of Our 2022 Sub-Regional Town Halls

Housing and Homelessness Are Regional Issues, Requiring Regional Solutions: A Recap of Our 2022 Sub-Regional Town Halls

By Felicia Salcedo, Executive Director of We Are In

Collaboration is the key to solving the issues of homelessness and housing affordability, which affect all of our communities and require a regional effort on resources and solutions. To hear from each community across King County –– and to share the incredible progress that’s happening across our region –– We Are In partnered with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) to host a series of town halls in South King County, East King County, and North King County. We’ll host a town hall in the Snoqualmie Valley in early 2023. 

A special thanks to all the elected officials, advocates, service providers, and Lived Experience Coalition members who joined us: King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci; Kirkland City Councilmember Amy Falcone; David Bowling, Executive Director of Congregations for the Homeless; Bellevue City Councilmember Jeremy Barksdale; Redmond Mayor Angela Birney; Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus; Renton City Councilmember Ed Prince; Robin Corak, CEO of Multi-Service Center; King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski; Bothell City Councilmember Jenne Alderks; Silje Sodal, Executive Director of the North Urban Human Services Alliance; William Towey, Executive Director Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness; and Marvin Futrell, LEC member.

During all four events, we shared progress on the important work happening across our region. See below for an overview of what we shared, or watch any of the recordings. 

  • Eastside Town Hall Recording 
  • Southside Town Hall Recording
  • North King County Town Hall Recording 

Getting More Accurate Data

Data-driven decision making is a core value for many people in our region, and we understand that solutions must be informed by the best available information. Decisions about resources and investments in workforce, housing, shelter and services must be informed by an accurate picture of who is experiencing homelessness and why. Unfortunately, traditional methods of identifying homeless populations consistently undercount people. Nationally, we’ve relied on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Point-In-Time Count, an annual survey of individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. But homelessness is a dynamic problem; and we can’t solely rely on a count conducted only once a year. 

That’s why the KCRHA is using a different approach, including multiple data sources, for identifying and counting the county’s homeless population — which not only produces a more accurate number, but also a better understanding of people’s lived experiences, their challenges, small victories, system barriers, and other milestones on the path to housing stability. 

The Washington Post recently praised KCRHA’s innovative strategy, which included setting up 10 hubs at locations across the region, from libraries to food banks to health clinics where volunteers could walk people through a series of questions about their experiences with homelessness: Where are you sleeping? During this time, what things or people have been helpful to you? During this time, what things or people have not been helpful — or may have been harmful — to you? The KCRHA will release a detailed analysis of their new survey data this Fall. 

Emergency Housing Voucher Program Exceeds National Average

King County’s Emergency Housing Voucher program is ahead of the nation, with a leasing rate nearly double the national average and three times that of communities of comparable size. As of October, over 1,100 households have been permanently housed through the EHV program.

KCRHA worked to target King County’s allocation of vouchers towards people living unsheltered and in vehicles — an unusual prioritization, as many other communities around the country focused on people deemed “easier to house.” KCRHA CEO Marc Dones said, “we worked with service providers to build on the trusted relationships they had already established with people experiencing homelessness, and that relational framework made all the difference.” Read more about the success of the King County’s Emergency Housing Voucher Program from the KCRHA and other local coverage.

Health Through Housing Initiative Has Housed 600 Formerly Homeless Individuals 

Nearly two years into the implementation of the county’s Health Through Housing program, 10 facilities have been purchased, 600 formerly homeless households have been housed, and 1,600 additional units are expected to soon be available. 

In August, King County Department of Community and Human Services announced operators for two of the newest Health Through Housing sites in Auburn and Federal Way that together will house 200 people experiencing or at risk of chronic homelessness. Compass Housing Alliance will operate the former Clarion Inn in Auburn and Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle will operate the former Extended Stay America in Federal Way. 

Read King County Executive Dow Constantine and Community & Human Services Director Leo Flor’s reflections on the success of the program here.

Looking Ahead: Services Database and Gaps Analysis 

As part of their work to defragment and improve our homelessness response system with transparency and accountability, the KCRHA is developing a comprehensive database of all available homeless services across the region, information that will be publicly accessible and regularly updated. The database will include types of shelter and services they offer, and other details, for instance how many meals are served and whether there’s private storage available or pets allowed. This is the first time this information has ever been collected in one place and it will fundamentally change the way we serve individuals experiencing homelessness.

The KCRHA is also in the process of conducting a Gaps Analysis in partnership with Cloudburst, a national firm already working with the State Department of Commerce, that supports federal, state, and local governments as well as private sector and non-profit organizations to develop and manage solutions to social challenges. This analysis will look at what currently exists and what is still needed in our emergency housing and shelter inventory. 

The Services Database and Gaps Analysis will inform the KCRHA’s 5-Year-Plan, which is expected before the end of the year.

To watch the full Eastside Town Hall, click here.
To watch the full Southside Town Hall, click here.
To watch the full North King County Town Hall, click here. 

Filed Under: Events

Update on Housing and Homelessness in Seattle with Mayor Bruce Harrell

Update on Housing and Homelessness in Seattle with Mayor Bruce Harrell

On June 21st, We Are In’s Executive Director, Felicia Salcedo, spoke with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell at a public event about our city’s progress, goals, and next steps on housing and homelessness.

Mayor Harrell spoke about the release of his One Seattle Homelessness Action Plan and data dashboard, which tracks where people experiencing homelessness are living, whether they’re living in a tent or an RV, where the city is offering people shelter, and the city’s budget for doing so.

Mayor Harrell said of the dashboard, “people have a tendency to look in their own neighborhood, or just [whatever] their common path is to work, or wherever they’re going. They may not see all 84 square miles [of Seattle] and I think it’s important for people to realize the gravity of the issue… and see how we’re meeting our housing goals. By measuring it, we hope we can create new energy and new synergy around our efforts.”

Mayor Harrell, too, shared enthusiasm for the progress Partnership for Zero is making in Downtown Seattle and the Chinatown/ International District. He spoke to the trust he has in the KCRHA’s system advocates conducting outreach to those who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, as well as the great partnership among business, philanthropy, and government that made this work possible. However, the Mayor noted: “there is no victory lap until everybody is housed.”

Further, Mayor Harrell affirmed that Seattle will continue to be a compassionate place that provides services and housing to people experiencing homelessness. He recalled the words of United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge ––  “you can’t solve homelessness by banning” –– and repeatedly stated his commitment that  Seattle is known as a welcoming and compassionate city. Relatedly, Mayor Harrell closed out the event speaking about our nation’s history of racially discriminatory vagrancy laws, which effectively criminalized poverty, and his aversion to reinforcing such policies as a city.

You can watch a recording of the full conversation here.

Filed Under: Events

Homelessness is a Housing Problem with Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern

Homelessness is a Housing Problem with Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern

Filed Under: Events

Partnership for Zero Community Briefing on March 10, 2022

Partnership for Zero Community Briefing on March 10, 2022

with Marc Dones, CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, and Felicia Salcedo, Executive Director of We Are In

After many months of planning and collaboration, We Are In is proud to have announced Partnership for Zero, a robust public-private effort that will dramatically reduce unsheltered homelessness in King County, starting in Downtown Seattle and the Chinatown/International District.

To learn more about Partnership for Zero, please join us Thursday, March 10th at 4pm for our Partnership for Zero Community Briefing, featuring Felicia Salcedo, Executive Director of We Are In, and Marc Dones, CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. This briefing will be the first of many opportunities to remain engaged, involved, and informed.

Filed Under: Events

A Conversation On Housing in King County with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Virtual Event

A Conversation On Housing in King County with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Virtual Event

Join We Are In on Monday, January 24, 2022 from 4:00 – 5:00pm for A Conversation On Housing in King County with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, King County Executive Dow Constantine, state Rep. Nicole Macri, and We Are In Founding Director Felicia Salcedo. 

It is evident –– both in King County and across the country –– that the solution to homelessness is housing. The question then becomes, where is the funding going to come from for additional affordable housing units and how do we ensure that the funding is spent swiftly, effectively, and equitably? We are excited to discuss these questions and more with our guest speakers representing national, state, and local government, and for the opportunity to learn more about what homelessness and housing funds exist or will soon be available to the King County community and the steps necessary to ensure impactful implementation. 

Register to join our virtual conversation HERE. 

If you would like to submit a question for We Are In’s guest speakers, you can do so HERE. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Filed Under: Events

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