$815M bill would tackle explosion of homeless camps along state highways

Governor Jay Inslee announced a historic new bill on Thursday that would tackle the explosion of transient camps along highways.

Senate Bill 5662 proposes a monumental effort to partner government agencies and nonprofits to immediately start to clean up a statewide problem.

The $815 million bill proposes the creation of a new state office that would address an estimated 1,700 homeless encampments on state-owned rights of way.

The plan is to clean up the sites and help the people who live there move into shelters or housing.

Over the last five years, Washington has tripled its spending with the intention of making an impact on homeless issues, but the governor admitted the problem has only become worse.

“We need to act. We’re not seeing enough progress. This bill will give us the tools to accelerate this so that we find solutions in months, rather than years and decades,” said Inslee.

He said it’s time to urgently focus spending on encampments near highways to protect the people living there, as well as drivers.

“We have to move more quickly and compassionately, to service the thousands of people who are now living under bridges, our sidewalks, on the shoulders of our freeways, and we need to do this now,” said Inslee.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell proposed that of the $815 million in the bill, more than $300 million would go to housing acquisition, $100 million would be used for enhanced shelter options, and $50 million for behavioral support services, right-of-way site outreach, and camp remediation.

This bill is moving quickly and will go to the House Committee on Ways and Means Friday. If approved, it would go to the full state Senate for a vote and then to the House.

Harrell said that if the bill passes, it will make a huge difference.

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