SEATTLE — In Seattle’s SODO neighborhood, there are concerns about the frequency of homeless encampment fires. Living in those encampments are some of the 40,000 people experiencing homelessness in the region, according to King County.
On Wednesday morning, there was a fire at an encampment near Spokane Street and Sixth Avenue South. It's the kind of call that's become familiar, according to Erin Goodman with the SODO Business Improvement Area.
"We have been you know tracking fires for about five years,” said Goodman. "They are significantly higher in the last year, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down this year."
City data, which bundles illegal burns, rubbish fires, and encampment fires shows Seattle Fire responding to 238 calls in 2021, 330 calls last year and 300 so far this year.
"We believe the outreach is necessary,” said Goodman.
The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) reported it's doing outreach. Anne Burkland, chief of staff for KCRHA delivered a report to the King County Council on Wednesday morning.
"Eight encampment sites have been fully resolved, bringing 376 people inside,” Burkland said.
That's part of the progress. Seattle's Housing Services Department reports that, last year, about 1,500 individuals were referred to shelter, just under 700 actually enrolled.
A few of the focuses included in KCRHA’s five-year action plan are adding thousands of new shelter beds, parking spaces for people living in vehicles and the expansion of supportive housing. The estimated price tag is nearly $12 billion.
"The price tag for this is substantial,” said King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn. "The details become important to the community - how you are breaking down those pots of money."
"I am so utterly confused by people's shock. Nobody disputes the scale of homelessness,” said King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay.
KCRHA told council members details about the financial information associated with the plan will be released in April.