by Karen Lee, CEO of Plymouth Housing

In these incredibly uncertain times, we should stick to the things that make sense. Whatever political or ideological differences you and I may have, we likely want the same thing: for everyone in our community to have a safe, stable place to live. In addressing homelessness, at least, recent polling suggests that what unites us is stronger than what divides us.

In 2024, a study from the National Alliance to End Homelessness revealed that more than 70 percent of eligible voters—across political affiliation, gender, and age—support evidence-based policies that focus on getting people housed with no preconditions. Now that lawmakers are back in Olympia to focus on affordable housing, I urge them to approach this as the bipartisan—and widely supported—issue it is.

At Plymouth Housing, the organization I lead, we provide permanent housing with wraparound services to nearly 1,400 people, all without asking them to “prove” that they’re ready for it. Permanent supportive housing is a proven solution for chronically homeless people that pairs housing with case management and supportive services. Once an individual is housed, they can then begin seeking medical care, pursuing treatment for substance use disorder, and reconnecting with social networks (all which Plymouth assists with).

 

As Anthony, one of our residents, stated, “It wouldn’t have been possible for me to get sober and seek treatment for my heart condition if I had been living on the streets.” It’s no wonder that 95% of people who come to Plymouth leave life on the streets for good.

From a financial standpoint, it’s nearly three times more expensive to keep people homeless than to house them. The Housing First approach that we follow reduces costly stays in state hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons. Put it this way: A person can receive 365 days of housing and critical support at Plymouth for the same cost as a couple of weeks in the hospital, or a few months in King County jail.

As Will James explores in a recent audio documentary on KUOW, critics of permanent supportive housing—and other Housing First approaches—believe the goals of housing programs should be “sobriety, employment, and self-sufficiency.” But if someone cannot achieve any or all those measures of “success,” does it mean they are less deserving of a safe place to sleep? If an individual continues to deal with substance use after being housed, are they any less entitled to a warm, comfortable home, and to dignity and respect?

Over the years, I’ve encountered strong feelings from people who do not want permanent supportive housing in their neighborhood. But I’ve seen many more people who do want permanent supportive housing in their communities; who want to see people housed and provided with the resources they need to thrive. The small but vocal minority who opposes our work comes nowhere close to the majority who agree with our approach. This includes donors of all stripes, public officials, businesses and educational institutions neighboring our buildings, faith communities, high school students, and community members of all walks of life. Seeing the overwhelming support for what we do, along with partners in this field, motivates me like nothing else.

 

There is no one “right” way to understand homelessness, and everyone is entitled to their own feelings of safety, security, and belonging. That’s why Plymouth, like other housing providers, is committed to working with communities—not against them—and it’s why proactive community engagement is a vital and daily part of our work.

We build relationships with community groups, attend public meetings and events, and actively solicit feedback when and where we develop new buildings. Through this process, it becomes clear—as the polling shows—that getting people into homes is widely supported, even among people of different backgrounds and mindsets.

Addressing homelessness gives us an important chance to work together, and not to let the loudest voices in the room drown the reality of unity. Most people want to see our neighbors housed—so let’s work together to make shared progress. False partisanship and political bickering have no place in housing our neighbors—on that, we can agree as well.