Shelter, not penalties, will solve Washington’s homelessness crisis | Opinion

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What can we do about the housing crisis?

Washington state faces a housing and homelessness crisis that continues to deepen.

Too many Washingtonians remain one medical bill, car repair, or missed paycheck away from losing their home. The consequences are increasingly visible in every corner of our state: more people living outside because there is nowhere else to go.

Rents have climbed faster than wages for years, prompting the passage of HB 1217 to stabilize rent increases. Affordable housing remains in short supply, so lawmakers increased middle housing supply through HB 1110, advanced transit-oriented development through HB 1491, and opened the door to housing in underused spaces through HB 1757.

These policies matter. They are already shaping a more inclusive housing future. But they are not enough to counteract the combined pressures of rising housing costs, economic instability from regressive trade policies and federal cuts to essential human services.

In King County alone, the most recent point-in-time count from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority found more than 16,000 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024.

Nearly 60% were unsheltered, up 26% since 2022. This is the predictable outcome of a housing system under strain and a safety net stretched too thin.

Many local governments are responding with compassion and pragmatism. They are investing in outreach, expanding high-quality shelter, and connecting people to services that meet their needs. Those efforts deserve recognition and continued support. But these efforts can’t solve the problem alone.

In the absence of clear statewide standards, other jurisdictions have taken a different approach, adopting a confusing patchwork of ordinances that punish people for basic, life-sustaining activities like sleeping, sitting or protecting their belongings when no shelter is available.

Last October, Tacoma City Council passed an amendment to expand areas where homeless encampment are prohibited. In October 2022, they also passed an ordinance that prohibits camping and the storage of personal belongings in a 10-block radius around temporary shelters and all public property within 200 feet of Tacoma’s rivers, waterways, creeks, streams and shorelines.

These laws do not reduce homelessness. They shuffle people from block to block. They prolong instability, making it harder for people to get into shelter or housing when it becomes available. And they spend public dollars on enforcement instead of solutions.

That is why I introduced HB 2489, the Shelter, Not Penalties Act. The bill establishes a clear and humane statewide standard: No local government may punish people for engaging in necessary life-sustaining activities in public spaces unless adequate shelter is available at the time and place of enforcement.

This bill ends the cycle of punishment without solutions. Citations, fines, and arrests for unavoidable behaviors like sitting or sleeping only deepen hardship. They create barriers to employment and housing, increase reliance on emergency services, and ultimately cost taxpayers more.

Enforcement-first approaches have been tried for decades, and the evidence is clear: they are more expensive and less effective than investments in housing, shelter, and supportive services that help people exit homelessness for good.

This legislation offers clarity over confusion, consistency instead of chaos, and guardrails that protect both community safety and human dignity. HB 2489 is one piece of a broader, housing-centered strategy the Legislature must continue to pursue. While we work to fix the underlying causes of the housing crisis, we cannot keep putting obstacles in the way of housing that people need right now.

That is why lawmakers are advancing HB 2266, sponsored by Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Mukilteo, to ensure local governments comply with state law when siting emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.

It is also why we must expand affordable housing opportunities in creative ways, including HB 1859, sponsored by Rep. Osman Salahuddin, D-Redmond, which opens new pathways for affordable housing on religious properties.

Housing alone, however, is not enough. Continued investments in essential human services such as SNAP, behavioral health care, and housing stabilization programs are critical to preventing homelessness and keeping people housed once they regain stability.

Washington has a choice. We can continue cycling people through displacement and enforcement or we can choose a path rooted in dignity, accountability and results.

Rep. Mia Gregerson has served the 33rd legislative district since being appointed in 2013 and serves as vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee and is a member of the House Housing Committee.