Homeless

Government

Mayor Harrell promises more police accountability, balanced approach to Seattle growth

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell this week defended his record on housing, balancing the budget, and public safety, and promised that 2025 will bring more accountability to the Seattle Police and more business downtown.

Education

A troubling trend. Seattle reports another 20% increase in homeless students

More than 2,200 Seattle public school students say they are or have been homeless since the school year began. That's a nearly 20% increase from last year, when the district recorded a more than 30% jump.

Sleeping in a stairwell when Seattle shelters are full

Last week King County officials activated four severe weather shelters in Seattle for homeless people to sleep inside. With those shelters set to close Wednesday, many people are trying to find someplace to get out of the cold.

Seattle offers places to shelter during cold nights ahead

With low temperatures hovering near freezing in the Seattle area for the first half of this week, King County is extending operations of its emergency overnight shelters until Wednesday morning.

Race & Identity

Seattle opens the nation's first transitional housing for LGBTQ+ veterans

This week advocates opened the doors of a first of its kind transitional housing program in Seattle for LGBTQ+ veterans.

Law & Courts

King County Sheriff’s lawsuit over Burien camping ban thrown out by federal judge

This week a federal judge in Seattle dismissed the King County Sheriff’s lawsuit over a homeless camping ban in the city of Burien, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision supporting the rights of cities to enact those restrictions. It’s the latest step in a standoff between the sheriff and leaders of the city southwest of Seattle, over their attempts to restrict homeless encampments.

Despite threats of removal, asylum-seekers in Kent remain at camp next to empty hotel

For now, asylum-seekers camping out in front of a vacant county-owned hotel in the city of Kent are not going to be relocated.

More than 16,000 people are experiencing homelessness in King County, up from 2022

Preliminary data released Wednesday from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s Point-in-Time Count found 16,385 people are experiencing homelessness in the county. That’s over 3,000 more than were counted two years ago.