This yr, by the Well being Via Housing Initiative, King County has begun amassing a 1/10th of penny in a further gross sales tax in an effort to increase cash to buy lodges, motels and nursing properties to deal with the “chronically homeless.”
The King County Council handed the initiative in October 2020 and the coverage is predicted to deal with roughly 2,000 folks by October 2022. In keeping with the Homeless Administration Info Service, there are near 4,500 “chronically homeless” folks in King County.
The bonded proceeds introduced in by the brand new gross sales tax are anticipated to deliver greater than $50 million into the Well being Via Housing Fund in a single yr and over $400 million within the subsequent six years, in accordance with King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn.
Dunn described the county’s earlier efforts to scale back homelessness as “disorganized” and “disjointed,” because the county has spent a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} towards the problem with little outcomes to indicate.
Dunn stated the Seattle metropolitan space has change into a “dead-end road” for the nation’s homeless downside as they proceed to supply companies and advantages to the homeless inhabitants that he says solely encourages the homeless from different areas to flock to the world.
“We’ve an ethical obligation to create a broad and strong security web,” Dunn stated. “However for the homeless from our personal communities.”
King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove stated he likes the Well being Via Housing Initiative due to its elegant simplicity. He stated he felt just like the county’s beforehand tried options have been slowed down in forms with out really offering sufficient housing.
“Why don’t we simply construct some rattling housing,” Upthegrove stated he used to joke with colleagues.
Upthegove stated he seems like this initiative will create housing rapidly, affordably and at a scale that’s significant.
“This will get folks off the road,” he stated.
The constructing bought will first be transformed into “emergency housing,” earlier than being made into “everlasting supportive housing,” in accordance with Upthegrove.
The manager department of the county authorities has till the tip of June to submit an implementation plan for the initiative to be authorized by the council. Upthegrove stated the implementation might be managed by the King County Division of Group and Human Providers.
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The post King County implements 0.01% sales tax to raise money for housing the homeless appeared first on Correct Success.
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