Homelessness - Jessyn Farrell

Candidate homelessness link

In collaboration with the Regional Homelessness Authority, my administration will explore every available solution to secure reliable housing for people experiencing homelessness as quickly as possible, including acquiring properties like hotels to speed up our efforts to get every person a safe place to call home.
In one year, will provide over 2,000 interim housing options, including hotel rooms, tiny homes, and FEMA emergency housing.
In four years, will expand expand access to supportive housing options, including 3,500 units of permanent supportive housing.
In eight years, will build or buy over 70,000 units of affordable housing across the city in every neighborhood.
In partnership with the Regional Homelessness Authority, will invest in 350 case workers and community liaisons who will be tasked with developing relationships with each person living outside and who can connect them to needed services and housing.
Will scale up programs like Seattle Fire’s Health One program to get trained healthcare professionals to people in crisis for both emergency and non-emergency calls. We also must invest in training programs so that our first responders are equipped to provide the appropriate support to people in need.
Must rapidly scale up low-barrier mechanisms for delivery of medications for opioid use disorder and work with experts to develop solutions that will prevent the use of opioids in our communities, neighborhoods, alleys, yards, and parks. This includes “upstream” approaches like working with the medical community and state partners to promote alternate pain management strategies, prescription monitoring programs, safe storage and disposal of prescriptions, and training for medical professionals to identify disuse early.
Will provide access to showers and other sanitation options regularly, including through mobile sanitation units and portable restrooms.
Will commit to bringing housing, services, and caseworkers to people living in specific parks and streets including Jefferson Park, Lake City Park, Occidental Square, Haller Lake, Ballard Commons, North Aurora, and any Seattle Public Schools property with unsheltered people.
Will also work with the Regional Homelessness Authority, King County government, the state legislature, the Governor, and our Congressional delegation to assist in funding this critical effort.