Mission Statement Statement of Faith History Executive Director and Board Employment Opportunities About Homelessness News Room Community Education FAQ Financials Stats for 2007

About Homelessness

Homelessness in King County...

• Over 8,000 people are homeless on any given night in King County¹
• More than 2,200 homeless men, women and children were found unsheltered in King County during the One Night Count¹
• Leading causes of homelessness include lack of affordable housing, mental illness, low-paying jobs, substance abuse, poverty and domestic violence²
• People remained homeless for an average of 8 months²
• Overall, the homeless population consists of 40 percent families with children, 41 percent men, 14 percent women and 5 percent unaccompanied youth²
• 17 percent of homeless individuals in King County cite domestic violence as the cause¹
• 26 percent of homeless adults are employed¹
• 30 years ago, the average age of homeless men served by UGM was 55, today it’s 40

• Washington State ranks tenth in the nation for hunger²
• Twenty-eight percent of the people requesting emergency food assistance were children under the age of 18²
• Causes of hunger are due to unemployment, medical or health costs, substance abuse, high childcare costs, and mental health²
• Children under nourished can experience difficulty in comprehending basic skills and have a decrease in overall learning ability³

• The average wait time for public housing in Seattle is one to two years²
• Section 8 Certificates are no longer being issued and applications are being converted to vouchers. The average wait time for vouchers is 4-5 years and currently the waitlist is closed until July 1, 2005²
• The Seattle Housing Authority receives 400 applications per month²

• 8.4% of King County residents are below the poverty level (U.S. Census, 1999)

¹Seattle King County Coalition for the Homeless, One Night Count www.homelessinfo.org
²Hunger and Homeless, 2003 – The United States Conference of Mayors, www.usmayors.org
³Hunger and Food Insecurity Reach Chronic Highs; Center of Hunger and Poverty, www.centeronhunger.org

Additional Resources
Eight Ways to Truly Help the Homeless

For more information about Homeless in the Puget Sound area, please visit some of the following sites.
www.homelessinfo.org
www.endhomelessnesswa.org