The Big Picture
Learn more about how social and historical forces increase a person’s likelihood to experience homelessness.
Stable housing transforms lives
What is Housing First?
Housing First means providing stable housing before addressing other challenges. Without a home, basic needs like sleeping and eating become overwhelming. Many experiencing homelessness also face disabilities or health conditions, worsened by life on the streets. At Plymouth, we offer homes unconditionally—because everyone deserves a place to heal.
Where We Serve
We’re addressing homelessness in King County
Plymouth serves adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, meaning people who have experienced long-term homelessness who also live with a disability. An estimated 8,028 people are experiencing chronic homelessness in King County on any given night.
- Bellevue
- Kirkland
- Redmond
- Seattle
Unpredictable Circumstances
Homelessness can happen at any time
For the many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, one unexpected expense is all it takes for the world to come crashing down. Low wages combined with rising rents and a widespread lack of affordable housing leaves many teetering on the edge.
Incarceration
Formerly incarcerated people are 10 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general public. Discrimination against people who have been incarcerated limits their access to jobs and housing once they’re on the outside.
Disability
Two-and-a-half times more likely to live in poverty than people without disabilities. Due to income qualifications, those who receive Supplemental Security Income cannot save for emergencies or improve their situation.
Low Income
In the United States, there is little economic mobility from generation to generation. When children of low-income families grow up, they may not have anybody to borrow money from to keep them afloat. This is called network impoverishment, and it especially impacts people of color.
Before she could begin her healing journey after homelessness, August needed housing.
Now that her basic needs are met, today, August is enrolled in college classes to become a care provider. “I remember, when I was homeless, people would come around and say, ‘We want to talk to you about services.’ And honestly, all I could think was, ‘I’m really hungry right now.’”
""Why don’t you just pick yourself up?""
If all your worldly possessions, including personal records, civic documents, your work uniform, and extra clothes, are stored in a tent or in a car, they're vulnerable to theft when you're not there. And what are you to do if the police throw away your tent or impound your car? How will you pull together everything you need to get an apartment?
""Why don’t you just pick yourself up?""
If you get sick or injured, how will you heal while living in a tent, even if you receive treatment? Without running water, a bed, or adequate food, your illness is prolonged and serious complications can arise easily.
""Why don’t you just pick yourself up?""
Even if you have applied for every opportunity, there just isn’t enough affordable housing. Most of the people who move into Plymouth apartments have waited for housing for years.
""Why don’t you just pick yourself up?""
If you live in poverty or have bad banking history, banks are often not accessible to you. If you’re trying to save money for an apartment, where will you keep it? Carrying around cash isn’t safe.
""Why don’t you just pick yourself up?""
Feeding yourself while homeless is expensive. Without a kitchen, you can’t store fresh food or cook at home. And with just $5 in your pocket, visiting a faraway low-cost grocery store and buying in bulk aren’t options.
The Bottom Line
Homelessness is more costly than housing
How do Plymouth’s costs compare?
The same funding can buy vastly differing stability, support, and time.
16 days
at a King County hospital
10 weeks
in a King County jail
1 year
at Plymouth Housing
Housing is a
human right
The cost—societal, moral, cultural, and financial—of not housing our neighbors is high. Everyone deserves a place to feel safe and secure. Plymouth provides permanent homes, not shelter or transitional beds. Why? Because we believe that healing begins with a home.
