County presents draft five‑year homeless housing plan to College Place council

Walla Walla County Department of Community Health staff on Tuesday presented a draft five‑year Homeless Housing Crisis Response System plan to the College Place City Council, outlining the county’s strategy to coordinate prevention, shelter and permanent housing interventions and inviting public input during a monthlong comment period in October.

County human services manager Sam Jackal and senior homeless housing coordinator Becca Finkas told the council the draft — which the county planned to post later that week — is intended to “guide decision making and foster accountability” across prevention, diversion, shelter and housing programs. “It’ll help us prioritize the use of funds, make sure that we’re aligning investments and strategies with community values and priorities,” Finkas said.

Why it matters: presenters said the plan is intended to move the county from managing homelessness toward reducing it, aligning local actions with state objectives and improving transparency about how dollars are spent. The plan is also a state requirement; counties must submit their plans to the Washington Department of Commerce by December.

Key data and scope: Finkas summarized multiple counts and datasets used to portray need. A HUD point‑in‑time count recorded 197 people experiencing visible homelessness on one night in January; a broader Commerce “snapshot” that compiles Medicaid, Homeless Management Information System and other data identified about 1,127 people experiencing homelessness during January; presenters estimated the number could rise to roughly 1,600 when couch‑surfing and those at imminent risk are included. Presenters also highlighted housing cost burdens in the metro area — noting 47.3% of renter households pay more than 30% of income on housing and 21.2% pay more than 50%.

Proposed approach and priorities: the county adopted the five state objectives required by Commerce and added locally defined actions, measures, timelines and lead partners. Among the county’s priorities are: recruiting a homeless housing data analyst to improve decision‑grade information; publishing an annual fund and performance report; strengthening the service provider workforce; and expanding coordinated entry and case management to reach the most vulnerable. County staff said they plan to use the Built for Zero model — a continuous quality‑improvement approach used in other communities — to accelerate outcomes.

Council questions: Council member Lopez asked whether people currently unhoused would rent available affordable units; Finkas said long wait lists at local housing providers mean demand outstrips supply and recommended the council coordinate with the local housing authority and BMAC for referrals. Council member Petersen asked whether there is a single lever that moves the needle; presenters said there is no single solution and emphasized parallel investments in data, case management capacity and housing subsidies.

Next steps: the county will host two community forums next week featuring Greg Colburn, co‑author of Homelessness Is a Housing Problem, and a provider panel at Whitman College’s Olin Hall; the county will accept public comment through October, incorporate feedback, seek a Council on Housing recommendation and aim for a Board of County Commissioners adoption in November before filing the plan with Commerce in December.

What remains unclear: presenters noted gaps in funding and service capacity and said the plan alone will not solve homelessness without additional local and state resources. Several council members asked for more specific cost and implementation estimates; staff said those details will be refined alongside public feedback and as funding sources are identified.