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Clallam County to set public hearing for five-year homelessness plan; staff seek public and provider input
Summary
County staff recommended a notice and public hearing for a five-year local homeless housing plan, required by Washington state. The plan will be presented at task force meetings and scheduled for a public hearing and board briefing in May.
Clallam County commissioners approved publishing a hearing notice and scheduled a public hearing on a proposed five-year local homeless housing plan, with a briefing and public hearing set for May.
A county presenter said state law requires each local homeless housing task force to develop and recommend a five-year plan that includes goals, strategies, performance measures and a record of public engagement. The proposed plan includes outreach to people with lived experience of homelessness; staff told commissioners they already conducted a focus group and will ask providers to circulate hearing notice to clients and service recipients.
Staff encouraged the public and local providers to weigh in on prevention, which the presenter identified as a key area where people with lived experience could help identify system gaps. Commissioners and staff discussed needs for both low-barrier shelter beds and higher-barrier transitional housing for people working on sobriety; staff said fund availability for shelter and services is limited and will require multi-sector solutions that may include nonprofits and private partners.
Staff said consultant Paul Knox will present the draft objectives to the homelessness task force on May 6, and the board will receive a full briefing and hold a public hearing May 27. Commissioners asked staff to ensure outreach to school districts, behavioral-health providers and those with lived experience to capture couch-surfing youth and other less-visible populations.
Why it matters: The five-year plan is a required local document under Washington state law; it establishes goals and a public-engagement record that counties must produce as part of local homelessness response funding and planning.
What’s next: Staff will publish the notice of hearing, continue outreach to providers and people with lived experience, present the draft to the task force on May 6 and bring the plan to the board for briefing and public hearing later in May.
