Title
A GUIDELINE AND RECOMMENDATION to inform jurisdictions working at regional, county, and city levels on alleviating the unsheltered homelessness public health crisis for the benefit of the health, well-being and survival of unsheltered people throughout King County.
Body
A. The Board of Health adopts this guideline to urge, inform and assist regional, county and city jurisdictions to address the problem of unsheltered homelessness for the benefit of the health, well-being and survival of unsheltered people throughout King County.
B. The Board of Health adopts this guideline based on the following:
1. The continued lack of shelter for thousands of people experiencing homelessness in King County is a public health crisis with imminent threats to the health, well-being and survival of unsheltered people;
2. The November 2015 proclamations of emergency by the King County Executive and the City of Seattle Mayor have not preserved public health or protected the safety and welfare of individuals. According to the 2018 All Home Count-Us-In/Point-In-Time Count, current efforts to alleviate the unsheltered homelessness public health crisis have been unsuccessful and the number of unsheltered people has increased approximately sixty-eight percent in King County (three thousand seven hundred seven-two to six thousand three hundred twenty) between 2015 and 2018;
3. The March 2018 Report on Homeless Deaths by the King County Medical Examiner Office ("MEO") reported a greater-than-doubling (seventy-eight to one hundred sixty-nine) of MEO investigated deaths involving "presumed homeless persons" between 2012 and 2017, where almost half of the deaths occurred in downtown and central Seattle, Beacon Hill and south Seattle and north Seattle and Shoreline. The MEO defines "presumed homeless persons" as individuals without permanent housing who lived on the streets or stayed in a shelter, vehicle or abandoned building at the time immediately preceding death;
...
Click here for full text