Homeless Housing - Plans for Ending Chronic Homelessness

About Plans to End Chronic Homelessness

The Homelessness Housing and Assistance Act (Ch. 43.185C RCW), passed in 2005, established a statewide homeless housing program with the goal of ending homelessness in Washington State within the next 10 years. See Department of Commerce Homeless Plan.

Laws of 2005, ch. 484 (ESSHB 2163) () provided that local governments that choose to participate in the homeless housing program must create and implement a program to reduce homelessness by 50 percent within 10 years. The program establishes a $10 additional surcharge on document recording, a state competitive grant program, and a statewide homeless census.

Laws of 2005, ch. 485, (SSB 5767) () provided that counties that opt to participate in the homeless housing program must create a task force to develop a 10-year plan, addressing short and long term housing solutions for the homeless. As needed, each task force must adopt guidelines for establishing emergency shelters, temporary encampments, and supportive housing. Counties that already have an existing group focused on homelessness are not required to create a new task force. Counties may decline to participate in the program by forwarding a resolution to the Department of Commerce, in which case the department will contract with a nonprofit entity to develop the county's plan. Local governments that choose to participate may develop their 10-year plans individually, create a joint plan with other local governments, or contract with another entity to develop the plan.

A number of Washington jurisdictions have developed strategic plans to end homelessness that are linked on this page. Also linked are general resources addressing the topic of strategic planning to end homelessness.

Local Government Planning Efforts

Adams County

Homelessness: Break the Cycle (), written by Barbara A. Anderson and Steven L. Lodahl, edited by Adams County Emergency Food and Shelter Board, Housing Task Force, 2006-2016 - A ten year plan for Adams County

Chelan-Douglas County

Chelan-Douglas Plan to End Homelessness, City of Wenatchee
Ten-Year Plan to Reduce Homelessness In Chelan and Douglas Counties (), 12/2005
Plan to End Homeless in Chelan and Douglas County - Ten-Year Plan to Reduce Homelessness
- Update and Progress Report (), 01/2008
- Update and Progress Report (), 01/2010

Clark County

Clark County 10-Year Homeless Plan (), updated 08/2007
Clark County 10-Year Homeless Plan Strategies (), updated 04/2005

Grays Harbor County

King County

Committee to End Homelessness in King County
A Roof Over Every Bed in King County: Our Community's Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness
- Bellevue Resolution No. 7322 (), passed 01/17/2006
Homeless Programs, King County Department of Community and Human Services
Tent City - Temporary Homeless Shelters in King County, MRSC
Seattle Resolution No. 30758, passed 04/11/2005 - Endorses the goals of "A Roof Over Every Bed in King County: Our Community's Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness" and states the city's intent to work with other organizations and governmental entities in the implementation of this plan

Pierce County

Pierce County Resolution No. R2005-154 () - Adopts the road home: homeless housing and assistance plan to reduce homelessness by 50 percent in 2015
The Road Home: A Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in Pierce County ()
Tacoma/Pierce County Coalition for the Homeless

Spokane County

The Road Home: Spokane Regional 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness 2005-2015 (), 12/2008 update - A Joint Initiative of the City of Spokane and Spokane County

Whatcom County - Bellingham

Whatcom County Coalition for the Homeless, Bellingham Planning and Community Development
A Way Back Home: A Ten-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in Whatcom County (), City of Bellingham and Low Income Housing Institute, 2003-2013
Whatcom County Resolution No. 2005-077 (), passed 12/13/2005 - Adopts the Whatcom County 10-Year Homeless Housing Plan as recommended by the Whatcom County Advisory Committee (copy of plan attached to Resolution, entitled: A Home for Everyone, Whatcom County 10-Year Homeless Housing Plan, Phase 1)
A Home for Everyone: 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Whatcom County (), Phase III, 01/2008

Yakima County

A 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Yakima County (), Homeless Network of Yakima County, 2006
Yakima County Resolution 66-2005 (), passed 01/2005 - County endorses the Homeless Network Plan
City of Yakima Proclamation (), 02/15/2005 - Supports the goals and strategies expressed in the Homeless Network of Yakima County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

Information Resources

Ending Chronic Homelessness: Strategies for Action, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 03/2003
Homeless Programs, Washington State Department of Commerce
- Homeless Plan - Includes State Ten-Year Homeless Plan and 2008 Annual Report
Homelessness, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness (), United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2010
Subcommittee on Housing and Homelessness: Background Paper (), President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, 06/2004
Toolkit for Ending Long-Term Homelessness, Corporation for Supportive Housing
Agencies and Organizations
- Corporation for Supportive Housing
- Homeless Policy Academies, Health Resources and Services Administration
  - Washington's In-State Academy
- Interagency Council on Homelessness
- National Alliance to End Homelessness
- Washington State Coalition for Homeless
  - Local Coalitions