Title
A MOTION declaring a one-year moratorium on the use of county-owned land for emergency temporary homeless encampments; directing the executive to review and make recommendations regarding the availability, suitability and appropriateness of the use of county-owned land for such encampments; and further directing the executive to submit the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and a related county action plan for council review and approval.
Body
WHEREAS, homelessness is widely recognized as a growing problem in King County and elsewhere in the nation, and
WHEREAS, some estimates conclude that eight thousand King County residents are homeless on any given night, and
WHEREAS, Seattle Housing and Resource Effort ("SHARE") and the Women's Housing, Equality and Enhancement League ("WHEEL") are nonprofit organizations that advocate and provide services for homeless persons and that have established Tent City 4 in King County to provide a safe community for up to one hundred homeless persons every night, and
WHEREAS, since its initiation, Tent City 4 has sought and successfully obtained sites, support services and other assistance from local churches and other community groups and has been able to move, as planned, every ninety days, and
WHEREAS, SHARE/WHEEL is also seeking sites for Tent City 4 on land owned by the county as well as land under county land use jurisdiction, and
WHEREAS, county properties have been acquired for specific public purposes, and in many cases legal and policy restrictions on use of the property may not allow the use of the property for residential occupancy, and
WHEREAS, the citizens' advisory commission on homeless encampments ("CACHE") was established by the metropolitan King County council in June 2004 to study the issues of temporary emergency encampments, including whether there is a need for homeless encampments, whether these encampments shall be sited on public or private land, or both, and identifying procedural guidelines for siting and permitting future temporary homeless encampments, and
WHEREAS, the final report of the CACHE found that homeless encampments are currently necessary due to the lack of attention to longer-term housing and service solutions, and
WHEREAS, the Committee to End Homelessness, made up of representatives from United Way, King County, the city of Seattle, other cities, the Church Council, service providers and advocates, completed the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County and released it to the public on March 11, 2005, and
WHEREAS, as recommended by the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, the county has created two positions, one with funding support from the city of Seattle and United Way, to facilitate implementation of the Ten Year Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. A one-year moratorium commencing upon the date of adoption of this motion is declared on the use of county-owned land for emergency temporary homeless encampments. During this period no county-owned real property shall be used for any emergency temporary homeless encampment, and no county officer or employee shall authorize or permit the use of such property for such purposes.
B. By February 15, 2006, the executive shall review the availability, suitability and appropriateness of the use of county-owned land for emergency temporary homeless encampments and submit a report to the council with recommendations regarding the use of county-owned property following the end of the moratorium period.
C. By June 15, 2005, the county executive shall submit the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County and a related county action plan to the council for review and approval. The county action plan shall:
1.Set out goals to significantly increase the placement and success of homeless persons in transitional and permanent housing options within three years;
2. Focus county mental health, chemical abuse and dependency, public health, housing, veterans, other human services and community corrections programs on the mission of preventing and eliminating chronic homelessness due to disabling conditions;
3. Describe how the county programs listed above will collaborate with cities and community and faith-based organizations to develop coordinated, regional housing and service systems that minimize homelessness by providing outreach, coordinated case management and integrated services and housing; and
4. Describe the steps to be taken together with the city of Seattle, other cities and providers to fully implement the Safe Harbors Homeless Services Information System as quickly as possible.
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