(The Center Square) – The 2023 point-in-time count numbers show a significant increase for individuals and families without a permanent abode in Spokane, though a large encampment had been drawing down at the time.
According to the 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress released earlier this year, “homelessness in Washington state increased 10% overall from 2020 to 2022,” and the Spokane Regional numbers over that same time period are a significant increase on that percentage.
The 2023 data, presented during Thursday’s Spokane City Council Study Session, shows 2,390 people from 2,136 households were counted as homeless this year. This is a significant increase compared to the 2022 numbers showing 1,757 people from 1,513 households, a rise of 36% and 41% for individual and household numbers.
“The count relies on volunteers to canvas the county using a grid system. This year there were 170 volunteer surveyors compared to 100 last year. Using HUD methodology, surveys for the sheltered population were conducted on Jan. 24, followed by the unsheltered population Jan. 25-29,” according to a statement released Thursday by Spokane City Communication Manager Brian Walker.