WA Homeless Count Expected to Climb in ‘09
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February 23, 2009
Olympia, WA – This Tuesday is "Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day" at the State Legislature, and the economy has lent a new sense of urgency to advocates' pleas for more help to keep people in their homes and off the streets.
The state has set a goal to reduce homelessness by half within six years, but poverty is winning the race so far. This year, the homeless population in Washington could top 100,000, according to Mia Navarro Wells, executive director of the Washington State Coalition for the Homeless.
State lawmakers are being urged to keep programs like "General Assistance Unemployable." GA-U pays people who can't work and aren't eligible for other programs, and it is just one program on the chopping block, says Wells.
"The $339 a month isn't a lot of money but, if they don't have that, they're going to have to use emergency rooms and charity care, at either hospitals' or taxpayers' expense, to get their basic survival needs met."
An estimated 21,000 people in Washington receive GA-U payments, typically for less than a year. Those who have drug and alcohol problems are referred to a different program, Wells explains, which also is in danger being cut to help balance the state budget. There is such a backlog for most types of public assistance, she adds, that the monthly GA-U payment is a lifeline for some.
"Our system is set up to deal with emergencies, so people with the most urgent need get help first. We've let the problem get so out of hand, the longer that we put off actually addressing it, the more money and time it's going to take."
Advocates also want the legislature to do more to protect both homeowners and renters from foreclosure. About 500 are expected to participate in "Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day" events, which begin at 9:00 a.m. at United Churches, 110 Eleventh Ave. SE, in Olympia.