6107 BERKSHIRE DR SEPA 016 - 041 Land Use Decision Documents 2025-04-14

PERIv1ANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS A RESPONSE TO ENDING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS Permanent Supportive Housing as a Response to Ending Chronic Homelessness HOUSING FIRST CONCEPT The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines Permanent Supportive Housing as: "Decent, safe, and affordable community-based housing that provides tenants with the rights of tenancy under state and local landlord tenant laws and is linked to voluntary and flexible support and services designed to meet tenants' needs and preferences." In the Housing First model, people are given access to housing without needing to be "housing ready" (i.e. sober or in treatment). The goal is for individuals to be permanently housed by surrounding them with case management, supportive resident services and access to other services when they are ready. This model has consistently been shown to be more successful for chronically homeless individuals than programs that require residents to be sober or on a treatment regimen for mental illness before they qualify for housing.With the security and support of housing, individuals are better able to focus on individual goals that promote positive outcomes in their lives. The Housing First approach,which is also known as "low-barrier" or"supportive housing," is critical for the chronically homeless population because it is exceptionally difficult to address the disabling conditions contributing to homelessness without first providing a foundation of stable housing, particularly for those who have been on the streets for many years. • Poverty: With an extremely low rental vacancy rate in Snohomish County, individuals living at the lowest economic levels struggle to find affordable apartments. There are currently 156 individuals on the county-wide waitlist for supportive housing. They meet all of the eligibility requirements for supportive housing but are living in situations not suitable for human habitation or in shelters because there are no available rental units. Page 2 Final 12/27/2016