Seattle is the latest city to declare a state of emergency in response to homelessness in the city. Los Angeles, Portland, and Hawaii took similar steps in recent months.
"Comparing the devastation of homelessness to flood and fire, local leaders Monday declared states of emergency in Seattle and King County, hoping to secure additional money and potentially loosen regulations to combat the problem," report Daniel Beekman and Jack Broom.
The article notes that Seattle follows Los Angeles and Portland, which took similar measures in September. The state of Hawaii made a similar announcement in October.
Seattle's homeless counts have seen a dramatic uptick this year compared to last. "Last winter’s One Night Count found 3,772 people without shelter in King County, including more than 2,800 in Seattle — a 21 percent increase over 2014," according to the article.
Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine are both quoted in the article comparing the devastation of homelessness to that of natural disasters. They are both pushing both the state and the federal government to respond to homelessness as they would to calamities of Mother Nature, such as fires, floods, or earthquakes. The article includes a lot more detail about the current efforts to provide shelter and services to the growing homeless population in King County.
FULL STORY: Mayor, county exec declare ‘state of emergency’ over homelessness
Seattle Sweep of Unhoused Encampments Draws Criticism
The city denies that the timing of clearing a camp populated by unhoused residents was related to the upcoming MLB All-Star Game.
Seattle's Homeless Bearing the Brunt of Helmet Citations
Almost half of bike helmet citations in the city are issued to people experiencing homelessness.
Tax on High Earners Proposed to Fund Homeless Services in Seattle's King County
The Washington State Legislature is proposing a type of tax that the city of Seattle tried, and failed, to implement a few years go.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
