(The Center Square) – Mayor Katie Wilson has walked back a campaign promise to provide indoor shelter for all of Seattle’s homeless residents.
Wilson, in a press release, is citing budget limitations and bureaucratic challenges as reasons why her original plan in March to add 1,000 shelter units per year is an aspirational goal rather than an achievable one.
Seattle faces a $175 million budget deficit next year.
Instead, Wilson presented an updated two-year plan late Monday offering 960 new beds over the next two years as a starting point to address the crisis.
Despite cutting her original pledge in half, Wilson stated she does not regret making the ambitious promise, explaining that large numbers capture public attention and force the city to address the issue seriously.
“Seattle declared a homelessness state of emergency over a decade ago but despite laudable efforts and individual successes, the crisis stubbornly persists, “Wilson said. “For too long, we have fallen short of our goals to address this problem as a city, region, and nation – it is too easy for people to fall into homelessness and too hard for people to get the care and support needed to get out.”
Wilson said her plan doesn’t promise quick fixes on paper over real problems. She said it invests in proven interventions like providing high-quality support and services and giving people struggling a path to stability.
“It is the first step to the real, sustainable solution Seattle has demanded and deserves,” she said.
Not everyone agrees.
Andrea Surarez, founder and executive director of community organization Real Heart Seattle, said the issue is not missing a unit target – it’s the inefficient use of the shelter and housing already in place.
“Residents in tiny homes only have to check in two or three times a week to keep the unit, and permanent supportive housing often allows drug use with no requirement to ever exit or work toward self-sufficiency,” she said.
Suarez said Wilson should focus on why case managers aren’t moving people into workforce navigation, substance-use treatment, and family unification instead of treating government-funded housing as a lifetime destination.
Wilson’s new strategy takes a citywide, neighborhood-specific approach to handle homelessness locally.
Wilson’s first temporary housing complex, Bayside Shelter in Interbay, opened in June.
That facility provides 75 tiny homes, along with behavioral health support, mental health care, case management, showers, laundry, and meals.
However, the project’s developer, Pallet, closed its operations this week, meaning it won’t build any more units in Seattle.
The company announced its closing on its website.
“Communities understand the challenge differently. Customer needs have become more complex. Funding environments and political priorities have shifted,” read a statement.
Establishing the 960 shelter beds across 11 locations in Seattle is estimated to cost $37 million.
While details on many sites remain limited, the current city budget accounts for over $12.1 million in one-time costs to cover about 340 beds, or roughly $35,000 per bed before accounting for ongoing operating expenses.
Additional financial details will be revealed when Wilson submits her upcoming budget proposal to the City Council next week.
During her mayoral campaign against incumbent Bruce Harrell last year, Wilson argued that 4,000 units were necessary to end unsheltered homelessness and criticized Harrell for creating only 13 shelter units during his term.
The Harrell administration actually created several thousand units, but other units were closed while new ones were opened.