Homelessness has a devastating impact not
only on individuals and families but also on society. The
Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness estimates
that there are at least 7,800 homeless people each night in
the Seattle/King County area and only 5,600 shelter and transitional
housing beds available. That leaves more than 2,000 homeless
people without a safe place to sleep each night.
The Facts About Homelessness
- Shelter beds are a temporary fix—it's hard to hold
a job without an address and it's hard to get control of your
life when you must leave your bed every morning and spend
the day on the street.
- For many people, their age or physical/mental disabilities
will severely limit their capacity to ever earn enough to
afford market-rate housing in our community. In fact, a recent
study by the Technical
Assistance Collaborative shows that while SSI (Supplemental
Security Income) recipients in Washington receive an average
of $649/month, the Fair Market Rent for a one-bedroom unit
in the Seattle area is $710/month.
- Someone able to work would be better off, but the minimum
wage earner (earning $7.93 per hour) would be spending more
than half of his or her earnings on rent for a one-bedroom
apartment.
Plymouth Housing Group reaches out and helps people in the Seattle
community who are homeless and who have insufficient resources
to improve their lives. We help those who have very little, if
any, income, and people who may also be struggling with AIDS,
mental illness, or the disabling effects of old age.
By providing people with a safe, supportive and affordable
place to call home, Plymouth Housing Group and its supporters
are helping hundreds of people to regain control of their lives
and begin the work towards self-sufficiency. Over the past three
years, the Building
Hope Campaign has created 300 units of permanent supportive
housing as a part of this caring and comprehensive solution.
Plymouth Housing Group is a proud participant in the Ten
Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County, a collective
effort that unites community agencies, businesses and city and
county government to put a permanent end to homelessness in
King County in the next ten years.
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