Counting people experiencing homelessness is always a little inexact, but my current calculation based on data from HMIS (our shared Homeless Management Information System) is 6,230 experiencing homelessness in Pierce County.

 

HMIS shows 658 clients in shelter beds right now, but there are a few shelters not currently tracking shelter stays in HMIS, so I’d say the number is probably in the 700-800 range. Another 165 folks or so are in transitional housing.  That leaves a bit over 5,000 people unsheltered. 

 

It is easy to pooh-pooh those numbers, but they are very real. Each month, we have 450-700 people starting a new homeless episode who have never connected with the homeless system in Pierce County before. That sort of an inflow builds the large population of people experiencing homelessness we are all struggling to serve. As a social service provider community, we all help lots of households exit homelessness permanently each month, but the inflow is just overwhelming. That said, every client housed or sheltered is making the difference for that person. As Mother Teresa said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

 

-Gerrit 

 

Gerrit F. Nyland

Director of Client Information Systems, SW

Catholic Community Services of Western Washington

gerritn@ccsww.org

Mobile: 253-304-5105

 

From: Sherri Jensen [mailto:Sherri@valeovocation.org]
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2020 8:49 PM
To: Gerrit Nyland; Jennifer Ammons
Cc: fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org
Subject: Re: Re: People'sPark - 72 Hour Notice

 

Gerrit-

 

This is a great compilation. If I'm counting correctly, I see:

 

I'm leaving out 70 freezing nights, a motel room that fits 2-3 families per week and some overflow. But, if my math is right (and it might not be!), we have a typical 694 shelter beds available on any given night in Pierce County. Is that correct? 

 

Can you tell us what HMIS is currently reporting as the total amount of unsheltered homeless folks living in Pierce County? I think knowing how many shelter beds are available vs how many folks need it is important to know.

 

 

 

Sherri Jensen (she/her/hers)

CEO, Valeo Vocation

1224 Tacoma Ave S, 98405

Office: 253-301-2134

Cell:253-691-2846

https://www.valeovocation.org

 

A close up of a sign Description automatically generated

 

“Staffing, with a social purpose”

 

From: fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org <fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org> on behalf of Gerrit Nyland <GerritN@ccsww.org>
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2020 5:54 PM
To: Jennifer Ammons <jennifera@nwjustice.org>
Cc: fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org <fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org>
Subject: Homeless Coalition - RE: Re: People'sPark - 72 Hour Notice

 

What the Coalition has collected about Pierce County shelters is at https://coalitionfiles.blob.core.windows.net/files/Shelter List.xlsx . The City and County monitor this listserv, so if they have better information, hopefully they will chime in (and then I can update our spreadsheet).

 

On any given night, all shelters are full with waitlists. The only current exceptions I know of are:

·         Bethlehem Baptist (families, couples, single women) – 20 beds available (this new shelter will probably fill up quite soon)

·         Tacoma Rescue Mission Men’s shelter – overflow cots available

 

Thanks,

-Gerrit

 

Gerrit F. Nyland

Director of Client Information Systems, SW

Catholic Community Services of Western Washington

gerritn@ccsww.org

Mobile: 253-304-5105

 

From: fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org [mailto:fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org] On Behalf Of Jennifer Ammons
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2020 4:54 PM
To: fullcoalition@list.pchomeless.org
Subject: Homeless Coalition - Re: People'sPark - 72 Hour Notice

 

I am also interested in how many shelter beds are available.  Is there a way to find out how many beds/slots are available at each shelter in the City of Tacoma, how many of those beds/slots are available on any given night (tonight or 1/6/20, for example), and the restrictions on those beds (gender, age, drug use, etc.)?

 

Jennifer Ammons

Staff Attorney

Northwest Justice Project

715 Tacoma Avenue South

Tacoma, WA 98402

(253) 272-7879, ext. 0937

1-888-201-1015 (toll-free)

(253)272-8226 (fax)

www.nwjustice.org

www.washingtonlawhelp.org

 

Combatting Injustice • Strengthening Communities • Protecting Human Dignity

 

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