Homeless

650 Stories

Sleeping in a stairwell when Seattle shelters are full

Last week King County officials activated four severe weather shelters in Seattle for homeless people to sleep inside. With those shelters set to close Wednesday, many people are trying to find someplace to get out of the cold.
Casey Martin
Seattle offers places to shelter during cold nights ahead

With low temperatures hovering near freezing in the Seattle area for the first half of this week, King County is extending operations of its emergency overnight shelters until Wednesday morning.
KUOW Staff
Race & Identity

Seattle opens the nation's first transitional housing for LGBTQ+ veterans

This week advocates opened the doors of a first of its kind transitional housing program in Seattle for LGBTQ+ veterans.
Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez
Law & Courts

King County Sheriff’s lawsuit over Burien camping ban thrown out by federal judge

This week a federal judge in Seattle dismissed the King County Sheriff’s lawsuit over a homeless camping ban in the city of Burien, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision supporting the rights of cities to enact those restrictions. It’s the latest step in a standoff between the sheriff and leaders of the city southwest of Seattle, over their attempts to restrict homeless encampments.
Amy Radil
Despite threats of removal, asylum-seekers in Kent remain at camp next to empty hotel

For now, asylum-seekers camping out in front of a vacant county-owned hotel in the city of Kent are not going to be relocated.
Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez
More than 16,000 people are experiencing homelessness in King County, up from 2022

Preliminary data released Wednesday from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s Point-in-Time Count found 16,385 people are experiencing homelessness in the county. That’s over 3,000 more than were counted two years ago.
Casey Martin
Mental Health

Lost Patients live show explores what's next for mental healthcare

In the podcast "Lost Patients," journalists Will James, Sydney Brownstone ,and Esmy Jimenez explored why so many people with severe mental illness in Washington state are not getting the care they need.
Libby Denkmann

Will James
In Burien, 'the soap opera continues' as quarrels grow over city's camping ban

Each day in Burien seems to bring a new uproar between city officials and the King County Sheriff’s Office over the city’s camping ban. Meanwhile, people await an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling on whether camping bans violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment when they don’t come with offers of available shelter.
Amy Radil
Law & Courts

The SCOTUS case that could change the rules on homelessness

The Supreme Court is hearing a case this morning on homelessness. It could have a big impact on how cities in our region respond to the homelessness crisis. That’s particularly true for areas like Burien, which have banned public camping. We’ll get the story from public radio reporter Jane Vaughan, who’s following every twist and turn.
Paige Browning

Andy Hurst
New Seattle apartment opens with promise to ‘end Native homelessness in King County’

A new five-story apartment building has opened on Lake City Way in northeast Seattle for adults experiencing chronic homelessness. The complex is the fourth housing development to open in the last few years for Native adults who struggle to find stable housing.
Casey Martin

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