In The News -
The Center Square
REPORT: Job loss tops list of causes for homelessness in King County
A comprehensive report on King County’s homeless population reveals job loss is the leading driver of homelessness in the region.
The report is based on data from King County’s 2024 Point in Time (PIT) count, which revealed that the majority of homeless people in the region (45%) cited job loss as the cause of their current homelessness, followed by eviction from their last stable home (9%).
Only 5% of unhoused people cited mental health issues for why they became unhoused and 47% reported that they abuse substances.
The Spokesman Review
As lease deadline approaches, Seattle homeless camp may have nowhere to go
Seattle Times
A plan to move a sanctioned homeless encampment in Seattle appears to have fallen apart at the last minute, eliciting finger-pointing from public officials. Leaders of the encampment say barring a quick resolution they will move to an unsanctioned location on Saturday.
More than 100 people, including 17 children, live at Tent City 4, a self-managed community outside the Seattle Mennonite Church in the Lake City neighborhood, where they’ve been for the past year. Their lease expires Saturday. In February, SHARE/WHEEL, a nonprofit that administers the site, began planning a move several blocks away to the site of the Lake City Community Center, which closed in 2023 due to a fire and is unused.
The nonprofit coordinated with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority and met with neighborhood residents multiple times in community engagement sessions. But SHARE/WHEEL said the authority put the brakes on that process last week, saying a lease agreement was not ready to be signed.
Dozens of people, advocates and those living in Tent City 4, spoke Thursday at an authority board meeting where they criticized officials for letting the sanctioned encampment’s lease expire without finding an alternative location.
“We did step-by-step everything that we were asked to do and did it to the best of our ability and in the manner and time when we were requested to do it,” said Ivan Gerdes, a resident and leader at Tent City 4.
Kelly Kinnison, CEO of the Regional Homelessness Authority, said at the meeting that the community center was Seattle’s property and thus up to the city to approve its use as a sanctioned encampment.
“After review of the community input, all of the community input and the other aspects of the site, the city has determined the site is not suitable for the next site for Tent City 4,” Kinnison said.
Mayor Bruce Harrell said during the board meeting that he had not been involved in the process to find a new location for Tent City 4, and objected to the idea that it was solely Seattle officials’ decision not to approve the new location.
“I just became aware of this issue like yesterday, to be honest with you,” Harrell said. “Decisions like this and addressing homelessness should be a regional decision.”
KXLY
After court setback, Spokane City Council considers revised approach to unauthorized camping
Spokane city leaders are considering changes to Proposition 1 after a state Supreme Court judge overturned the voter-approved camping ban.
The original proposition banned camping within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, and daycare centers. The judge ruled that elected officials, not voters, should make such decisions.
The new version would give people up to 7 days to leave unauthorized camping areas before receiving a citation.
Unauthorized camping remains a divisive topic in Spokane. Some residents worry about public safety, while others believe banning camping criminalizes homelessness.
Doug Trudeau, who lives in the East Central neighborhood, acknowledges the complexity of the issue.
"We want this to be a safe environment for the kids that are playing over there to be able to go out here and play in the park. And not have to step over drug material and stuff like that. We also want the people that are in the park to get help," Trudeau said.
City council members disagree about the revised approach. Councilman Michael Cathcart expressed concerns about the new proposal.
"This essentially puts all of the administrative decision making behind how we enforce camping law in a back room," Cathcart said during discussions.
Councilman Zack Zappone defended the reasoning behind his proposal: "The origin of this was actually started at roundtable discussions...and so I disagree with this interpretation of this not having been talked about."
KREM
More to Every Story: Rising youth mental health needs strain resources in Eastern Washington
Experts say it's more important than ever for families to have open conversations about mental well-being
Mental health professionals in Eastern Washington are sounding the alarm as middle and high school students report increased struggles with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation—often at rates higher than the state average. Experts say it’s more important than ever for families to have open conversations about mental well-being.
Melissa Melson, a clinical supervisor at MultiCare Behavioral Health, says today’s adolescents face pressures that weren’t as prevalent a generation ago. "A common misconception is that kids can just power through it,” Melson explains. “But the challenges they face now are very different from what I experienced growing up.”
Data from the 2023 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey reveals that students in counties like Spokane, Lincoln, and Grant are seeing higher rates of mental health issues than the statewide average—numbers that have been climbing steadily since 2018, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samantha Clark, Assistant Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at MultiCare, emphasizes the importance of proactive support at home. “So often, just one trustworthy adult can make a huge difference in whether or not a teen gets through what they’re experiencing,” she says.
Despite a variety of outpatient programs, such as Imagine Spokane, Passages Spokane, and Inland Northwest Behavioral Health, capacity remains a concern. The closure of Sacred Heart’s psychiatric center for children and adolescents in September 2024 further limited inpatient services, leaving a gap that local facilities are struggling to fill.
Still, families have options. Inland Northwest Behavioral Health offers inpatient support, and crisis resources remain available 24/7. Those in need can call or text 988 for immediate help or contact Frontier Behavioral Health’s regional crisis line at 1.877.266.1818 for round-the-clock assistance.