Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homelessness Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Providers urge Seattle to protect shelter and outreach programs as federal funds shrink
Summary
Homelessness-service providers and neighborhood groups asked the council to sustain shelter and outreach funding, back wage equity for housing workers, and protect Continuum of Care funding amid warnings of up to $67 million in federal cuts.
At the Select Budget Committee's Oct. 7 public hearing, providers and neighborhood groups emphasized sustaining existing shelter, outreach, and meal programs amid federal funding uncertainty.
Chloe Yale of Evergreen Treatment Services thanked the council for a 2% wage-equity adjustment and asked that the city keep core shelter and housing programs funded, highlighting the organization’s street outreach and opioid-use treatment programs. Mike Stewart of the Ballard Alliance endorsed continued funding for neighborhood-focused outreach and described the Seattle Neighborhood Impact Framework (case conferencing) as effective when tied to geographically focused outreach and LEAD.
Christopher McKean and Ref Linmark described the reliance of community-meal programs and volunteers on city and mayoral funds, asking the council to keep meal programs operating as federal funding for long-standing programs is reduced. Hallie Willis, policy manager at the Coalition on Homelessness, warned the committee the region could lose up to $67,000,000 in federal HUD Continuum of Care funds and urged prioritizing sustaining housing before expanding new programs.
Speakers called for maintaining workforce supports, neighborhood outreach, and contingency reserves for federal cuts. The committee recessed until the in-person public hearing at 5:00 PM.
Next steps: Committee will take in-person public comments and later consider budget amendments during council deliberations.
