Cooling sites opened during heat wave for rising homeless population
North King county has the worst homeless shelter shortage in the county and needs vacant and underutilized land to host temporary shelters. Cooling sites opened across North King county
An early heatwave in the forecast prompted the King County Regional Homeless Authority (KCRHA) to open cooling centers from May 28 to May 30, winding down on the morning of May 31. Our typically mild Pacific Northwest climate can make vulnerable people more sensitive to high heat, causing a spike in serious health problems such as heart attacks, stroke, and kidney failure.
This week, KCRHA also published the 2024 King County Point-In-Time (PIT) Comprehensive Report, showing a 26% increase in overall homelessness and a 117% increase in chronic, unsheltered homelessness since 2022.
North King County has the worst homeless shelter shortage in the county. The agency reported 1,730 unsheltered homeless people in North King County last year but only 198 shelter beds available, a ratio of 9.6 unsheltered people per shelter bed— the worst ratio in the county. The county-wide average was 2.1 unsheltered people for each available bed.
Last week, the agency launched a search for vacant and underutilized land. The region has a dire need for more emergency and transitional shelters and faces a critical shortage of land to host temporary shelters like Tiny House Villages and Safe Parking Lots. In response, KCRHA is now seeking potential sites for temporary shelters to be added to a Land Bank that could be activated when funding becomes available.
The activated North King County cooling sites are:
Bothell:
Kenmore:
Lake Forest Park:
Shoreline:
Woodinville:
The Severe Weather Shelter Navigation Hotline (206-245-1026) is available daily during severe weather activations for information on shelters. Families can call to be connected to a shelter and a ride.