The director of Seattle’s Navigation Team warned that the city shouldn’t be too hasty in implementing some of the recommendations to house homeless people made in a recent auditor’s report.
Fewer people experiencing homelessness accept referrals to basic shelters, according to the report, which recommends the city should find opportunities to expand enhanced shelter capacity. The city, the report says, should consider something like “bridge-to-housing” structures – essentially giant tents that can house more people than tiny home villages.
But Fred Podesta, who leads the Navigation Team, says the city should first reach out and ask people if they are willing to transition from – for example – a tent to dormitory-style living in another tent.
The report found that far fewer people accepted referrals to basic shelters than enhanced shelters or tiny home villages or sanctioned encampments, which offer better amenities and more privacy. In 2017, 401 people contacted by the Navigation Team accepted referrals to enhanced shelters; 319 accepted referrals to tiny home villages or sanctioned encampments. About 100 were referred to basic shelters.
At least part of the problem stems from shelter availability. The Navigation Team typically had between four to 12 vacancies in the preferred shelters each day. There is little argument that availability needs to grow if the city is going to continue to tackle the homelessness issue.
The auditor’s report notes low shelter bed availability made be hindering the team’s ability to get people off the streets.
Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda says they already know the “bridge-to-housing” works in other cities, such as San Diego, Sacramento, and even as close as Tacoma.
“We’re tired of people thinking about it,” she said, adding that “we don’t have time to think about it anymore.”
Mosqueda envisions the tent (or tents) having barriers between beds, allowing pets, incorporating green space, as well as having case management available to help getting people into more permanent housing.
The discussion comes at a time when Mayor Jenny Durkan is proposing an expansion of the team, and the city works to add 500 more shelter beds this year.
What is clear is that the city won’t have much additional money to work with on top of what is already being proposed. The 2019 proposed budget includes $89.5 million to address the homeless crisis. It’s about a $3 million increase over 2018’s amended budget.
“I’m here to tell you there are not sufficient resources and the challenge the mayor had before, and you have now, is figuring out how to allocate the resources we do have,” Seattle’s Budget Director Ben Noble said.
