Student Homelessness
%
of homeless students
are doubled up
%
are temporarily living
in a hotel or motel
%
of students are living in places not meant for human habitation
OUT OF 3,000+ STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY, ONLY 20% QUALIFY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH HUD.
EVERETT PUBLIC SCHOOLS DATA
A Growing Challenge
Student homelessness is a growing challenge in our community. Over 3,000 children and youth in Snohomish County experienced homelessness during the 2019-2020 school year. This staggering figure grows every year as the cost of housing continues to increase and wages remain stagnant, especially for low-income families.
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The Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development each have two different definitions of “homelessness,” which makes it nearly impossible for families to access services, leaving a critical gap in safe, affordable shelter.
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Housing Hope is pioneering an innovative solution to build affordable housing specifically dedicated to these families so that children and youth can succeed in school and parents can get back on their feet.
The Washington State Legislature took action in 2018 to make it legal for school districts to lease surplus land for the purpose of building affordable housing for students experiencing homelessness because it provides a public benefit of enhancing student achievement.
Through Snohomish County Human Services Department, Housing Hope was granted an exception to the normal HUD processes and serve families who meet the Department of Education/McKinney Vento definition of homelessness rather than the HUD definition. This allows these families to access permanent, affordable housing for the first time.
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Housing Hope and our partner School Districts are breaking new ground to serve these families and believe that once this model is proven successful, it can be replicated in other communities as an innovative solution to solving student homelessness.
Innovative Solutions