Seattle releases report on homeless spending

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jun 30, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Seattle releases report on homeless spending</h1>
                <h2><p>Mayor Ed Murray made public the Seattle Human Services Department’s (HSD) Homeless Investment Analysis. The report "provides an in depth look at the City’s current and historical investments to prevent and end homelessness." Authors also make recommendations about how to distribute that very investment in more</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>Mayor Ed Murray made public the Seattle Human Services Department’s (HSD) Homeless Investment Analysis. The <a href="http://http//www.seattle.gov/humanservices/emergencyservices/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">report</a> "provides an in depth look at the City’s current and historical investments to prevent and end homelessness." Authors also make recommendations about how to distribute that very investment in more effective ways.</p><p>In 2014, Seattle spent more than $40 million — for 183 contracts with 60 agencies — on services for the city's homeless. That figure, up 102 percent since 2005, is "one of the highest commitments in the nation," according to the report. Yet, based on January's One Night Count, the city's homeless population grew 21 percent in the last year.</p><p>Support for homeless services comes straight out of the city's general fund. To get the most bang for the buck, the report encourages streamlining the city's sprawling, "fractured" system of services, investing more in prevention and developing a strategic vision. Amen to that.</p>
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Mayor Ed Murray made public the Seattle Human Services Department’s (HSD) Homeless Investment Analysis. The report "provides an in depth look at the City’s current and historical investments to prevent and end homelessness." Authors also make recommendations about how to distribute that very investment in more effective ways.

In 2014, Seattle spent more than $40 million — for 183 contracts with 60 agencies — on services for the city's homeless. That figure, up 102 percent since 2005, is "one of the highest commitments in the nation," according to the report. Yet, based on January's One Night Count, the city's homeless population grew 21 percent in the last year.

Support for homeless services comes straight out of the city's general fund. To get the most bang for the buck, the report encourages streamlining the city's sprawling, "fractured" system of services, investing more in prevention and developing a strategic vision. Amen to that.

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,