Eastside homelessness is up, count finds

Eastside volunteers counted 158 homeless people out in the open in 30-degree weather in Kirkland, Bellevue and Redmond early last Friday morning, including approximately 50 residents of Tent City 3 in Bellevue.

By Mark Nassutti • February 3, 2009 2:47 am
Tent City 4 resident Dennis Peters takes a cigarette break during the encampment’s move from Kirkland’s St. John Vianney to Woodinville on Saturday
Tent City 4 resident Dennis Peters takes a cigarette break during the encampment’s move from Kirkland’s St. John Vianney to Woodinville on Saturday

Eastside volunteers counted 158 homeless people out in the open in 30-degree weather in Kirkland, Bellevue and Redmond early last Friday morning. These included approximately 50 residents of Tent City 3 in Bellevue.

The count reported a total of 2,826 men, women and children, up 2 percent from 2008. Many suburbs, especially Kent, reported dramatic growth. The figure for the three Eastside cities was up 3 percent.

Though the count did not include the 99 residents of Tent City 4 – who moved from St. John Vianney Church in Kirkland to Woodinville’s Unitarian Universalist Church over the weekend – officials estimate the number of homeless living in shelters and transitional housing to bring the number to 6,000 in King County.

That encampment is considered a sheltered encampment.

Among the nine territories covered by the annual count organized by the Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness (SKCCH), the three Eastside cities had the fourth largest population after Seattle (1,976), Kent (193) and those trying to sleep on buses (171). The count was conducted between 2-5 a.m.

According to volunteers, men and women slept in cars piled with clothing and personal possessions, their windows hung with newspapers or blankets to keep out the light and the cold. One car had a hand-made sign in the window:

“I’m just sleeping.”

Others were found huddled in sleeping bags or bedrolls in tents and under tarps in makeshift camps hidden by underbrush, trying to stay warm in the freezing, foggy weather, some with a small campfire.

A few took shelter in a restaurant after paying for a meal. Some slept under roadways or in doorways. Nine people were just walking around, too cold to risk sleeping and developing hypothermia.

To assure their safety, specific locations where homeless individuals were found will not be made public. A summary is available at www.homelessinfo.org/onc.html

The count does not cover the entire county, focusing on densely populated areas, nor does it include people doubled up with family or friends as they are not considered homeless under federal guidelines. Conducted annually since 1981, the results of the count help allocate resources and plan for future needs, particularly low-income and transitional housing.

Many government officials participated in the count. Those from Kirkland included City Council member Mary-Alyce Burleigh and Human Services Coordinator Sharon Anderson. Redmond officials included City Council members Hank Margeson, Pat Vache, Hank Myers and David Carson.

Margeson said via email, “I was quite moved upon discovering the first set of unsheltered persons and would hope that they reach out to those organizations that can offer support during their time of need.”

Margeson added, “If there are still those who feel that the tragedy of homelessness does not extend to Redmond, I am a witness that it does.”

The homeless in the three Eastside cities were counted by a Bellevue-based group of 46 volunteers, part of a force of 869 that fanned out throughout King County.

Alison Eisinger, Director of SKCCH, said that many count volunteers ask what they can do. SKCCH will offer two free advocacy workshops, “Beyond the One Night Count,” on Saturday, Feb. 21, in Seattle and Kent. Information is available at www.homelessinfo.org.