SEATTLE — Governor Inslee announced that new policies are in the works to address homelessness across the state.
He provided a preview of the proposals legislators plan to bring forward in the upcoming legislative session.
The most recent numbers from the state put the homeless population at 83,000 people with about half living in King County.
In Seattle, officials said the crisis is clear. A snapshot from September of verified encampments found 724 tents and 273 RVs.
"We know this is a crisis in the state of Washington. We know we have a long way to go, but I am pleased to say we are making solid progress on this effort,” said Gov. Jay Inslee during a news conference on Wednesday.
Inslee said part of that progress is the new Right of Way Safety Initiative.
"We want to do this as fast as we can and as permanently as we can,” he said.
The program started in the spring and so far Inslee said the state has addressed nine encampments along state highways.
"Our department of transportation has worked as hard as they can, but they didn't have the person power to do it. The legislature has now put in $300 million to allow them to do it, and that is why this is being successful,” said Inslee.
One example happened in Seattle where people were living unsheltered near I-5 and Dearborn. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority says that changed in August.
“Everyone who we engaged with at Dearborn, with the exception of a single person, is inside today,” said Marc Dones, the executive director of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.
Now the governor says he is looking toward the next legislative session.
"I look forward to working with legislators. We are going to make some proposals to increase housing opportunities along transit corridors which is so effective for people to get to work,” said Inslee. "There is really good news stories here if we just give people a roof."
Governor Inslee also said that he wants to speed up housing construction by improving the permitting process. He added that several proposals about housing will be introduced in the legislative session that begins in January.