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Homelessness and human services advocates urge restoration of homelessness prevention, recovery navigator and community legal aid funding
Summary
Advocates, counties and service providers told senators that cuts to homeless prevention, the Recovery Navigator Program (RNP) and legal aid would threaten services, increase homelessness, and undermine progress. Some asked the Senate to match House funding for document-recording fee shortfalls and for WAMAS and other immigrant legal services.
A broad coalition of human services providers, county officials and homelessness advocates testified that the Senate operating budget proposal would reduce critical homelessness prevention and diversion funding, jeopardize local shelter capacity, and undermine programs that connect people to housing and treatment.
King County and local providers emphasized the role of state funding in sustaining emergency shelter, outreach and rapid rehousing. Mayor Victoria Woodards of Tacoma asked the Senate to allocate $6 million per fiscal year to preserve roughly 300 shelter beds in Pierce County, warning those beds would close without continued state support.
The nut graf: speakers warned that cutting or not restoring targeted homelessness prevention and diversion funding (including the Homeless Prevention and Diversion Fund and local document-recording fee backfills) would increase unsheltered homelessness and raise future costs. Several witnesses urged restoration of the Recovery Navigator Program (RNP), a state-funded program that connects people in crisis to treatment and provides pre-booking diversion; providers testified the RNP saves lives and reduces law-enforcement interactions.
Supporters of the RNP said local programs produced measurable reductions in law enforcement engagement and successful transport to treatment; one provider said local outcomes showed a 55% decrease in law-enforcement engagement for participants. Several cities and counties also asked that the legislature close document-recording fee shortfalls to avoid service reductions at the local level.
Immigrant support groups and legal providers urged full funding for community defense, Washington Migrant and Asylum Seeker Support (WAMAS), and legal aid for low-income immigrants. Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Visit Bainbridge Island, and others asked the Senate to match House funding levels for WAMAS and legal aid programs.
Ending: Witnesses said that restoring or protecting these targeted investments will save downstream public costs and preserve services that keep people housed and safer in their communities.
