VANCOUVER, Wash. — The city of Vancouver's homeless response efforts are showing some signs of progress, with local officials noting a potential stabilization in homelessness rates for 2024, according to a Vancouver end of the year homeless report presented during a work session Dec. 9 to the city council.
Jamie Spinelli, the city's homeless response manager, says this year marks a critical turning point.
"Looking at all of the data, I saw more of a leveling out versus an increase in everything we've seen over the last several years related to homelessness," Spinelli said.
A summer count by the city's Homeless Assistance and Resource Team (HART) found 522 individuals experiencing homelessness within the city with a notable shift in housing dynamics. For the first time since 2019, more people are now experiencing homelessness indoors than outdoors.
"It is a lot of people to be living without shelter; one person is a lot to be living without shelter," Spinelli emphasized.
Countywide statistics paint a complex picture during the annual point in time count conducted in January 2024. Numbers showed a 5% increase in total homelessness that was accompanied by a slight 0.4% decrease in unsheltered homelessness.
Clark County also saw a large increase in families experiencing homelessness, a 43% rise compared to 2023. Spinelli likens the increase to the high eviction rate in Clark County.
"You can drain the bathtub, but if the water faucet is still on, then you kind of always have that," she said. "We're trying to address it from all angles."
Vancouver has implemented several strategies to combat homelessness, including an affordable housing fund to invest in housing solutions and create more affordable housing. The city has opened four Safe Stay shelters, temporarily housing 125 people around the city that are trying to find permanent housing and jobs.
The city is also set to announce two new winter shelters opening from December to March, one shelter will be open 7 days a week, the other 4 days a week. Both will be open overnight and those utilizing the resources will need to be approved before staying there. The city will also open three severe winter shelters, the thresholds for when the shelters will open have not been set yet.
Spinelli remains cautiously optimistic.
"I think it shows that all of the interventions are effective; they are working. We just need more of it. We still have folks outside, so we need more of it," he said.