Seattle assesses homeless population ahead of proposed levy

SEATTLE – A survey of homeless people in Seattle has found that many were living in the city when they lost permanent shelter.

The Seattle Times reported that detail was among the findings of a survey of the city’s homeless population. The non-scientific survey was commissioned by the city in 2016 to assess the service needs of the estimated 3,000 homeless living outdoors and inside temporary housing facilities. The assessment found that about 70 percent of respondents said they were living in Seattle when they became homeless.

The assessment comes more than a year after Mayor Ed Murray first declared a state of emergency over rising rates of homelessness.

In the 14 months since, Murray’s office has offered Pathways Home, an outline for fighting homelessness that emphasizes helping people find permanent housing, and proposed a new $55 million-a-year property-tax levy that could double the city’s funding to fight homelessness.