Point-in-Time count shows rise in people experiencing homelessness in Snohomish County

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Officials with Snohomish County said after conducting their 2019 Point-in-Time count, homelessness is the highest it has been since 2012.

The PIT count gives communities a data source about people who experience homelessness, allowing them to better understand the causes of it. The count is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Washington State Department of Housing.

According to a Tuesday release, 1,116 people were documented on Jan. 23, 2019, as being homeless.

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Officials said homelessness has grown by almost 35 percent this year in comparison to 2015. There were 829 who identified as homeless then.

Comparing 2018 data to 2019, the number adults between the ages of 18 and 24 without shelter rose by 4.5 percent, while the number of homeless women who don't have shelter rose from 31.6 percent to 44.2 percent.

Officials said they plan to add more than 140 units of additional housing in the county by the end of this year to help address homelessness. However, it will not meet the demand based on current trends.

Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said to meet the challenge of providing more housing and deal with the rising cost of living, a housing task force will be formed to launch a community discussion about potential solutions to the housing crisis.

More than 285 volunteers, county employees and partnering agency staff helped to conduct the survey, which counted people staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing or living without shelter.

Cox Media Group