MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Homelessness

New Ninth Circuit Ruling Addresses Anti-Camping Ordinances

October 17, 2022 by Oskar Rey
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Homelessness

Last month, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision that provides clarification and guidance to local governments on camping bans and ordinances.

A Primer on Safe Parking Programs for People Experiencing Homelessness

March 31, 2022 by Lisa Pool
Category: Homelessness

Safe parking programs are operated on behalf of people who use a vehicle as their residence. They give users a sense of security while also connecting them to critical human and social services.

Severe Weather Shelters for Winter and Beyond

January 20, 2022 by Justin Sharer
Category: Guest Author , Homelessness

During a severe weather event, unsheltered individuals are most at risk of adverse impacts. This blog looks at how local governments in Washington State have prepared to care for at-risk populations during periods of extreme heat, extreme cold, or poor air quality.

City of Seattle v. Long: Vehicle Homestead Rights and Excessive Fines

September 13, 2021 by Oskar Rey
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Homelessness

Seattle v. Long challenged long-held practices regarding parking enforcement. The Washington Supreme Court finally issued its ruling on the case, expanding the circumstances under which fines may be challenged as excessive and clarifying how homestead rights apply to vehicles.

Non-Traditional Approaches Used by Local Governments to Address Homelessness

August 26, 2021 by Emma Diamond , Justin Sharer
Category: Guest Author , Homelessness

This blog looks at municipal programs that use hotels and motels to provide temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness.

2021 Housing and Planning-Related Legislative Outcomes

August 16, 2021 by Lisa Pool
Category: Housing , Impact Fees , Homelessness , New Legislation and Regulations

This blog post summarizes several housing and planning-related bills that were passed during the 2021 legislative session.

Changing Your Zoning Code to Accommodate Housing and Shelters for the Homeless

June 29, 2021 by Steve Butler
Category: Development Regulations and Zoning , Homelessness , New Legislation and Regulations

This blog provides and overview and guidance regarding E2SHB 1220, which encourages local governments to take active steps to accommodate transitional housing, emergency shelters, and similar facilities via zoning and regulatory updates.

Caring for the Homeless Challenged by Winter Weather, COVID-19

January 25, 2021 by Leah LaCivita
Category: COVID-19 , Homelessness

This blog post looks at how local governments are providing for the homeless, despite the twin challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and winter weather.

Keeping People Housed: Homelessness Prevention Strategies to Bridge Emergencies

September 10, 2020 by Laura Crandall
Category: COVID-19 , Housing , Homelessness

This blog post identifies root cause contributors to homelessness and details a variety of prevention strategies for local governments.

Living in Vehicles: How Homestead Rights Affect Municipal Impounds

August 17, 2020 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness

This blog post suggests that local government impound procedures should be reviewed to ensure that these don't impede upon the 'homestead rights' of people living out of their vehicles.

New Legislation on Temporary Homeless Encampments

May 26, 2020 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness , New Legislation and Regulations

ESHB 1754 takes effect on June 11, 2020, and imposes additional conditions on cities and counties when regulating religious organizations hosting the homeless.

What Are Local Governments Doing in Response to <em>Martin v. City of Boise</em>?

March 2, 2020 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness

This blog post looks at how Washington local governments are adjusting to the 2018 ruling Martin v. City of Boise, which addressed ordinances that prohibit sleeping or camping on public property.

Permanent Supportive Housing: One Option for Addressing Homelessness

February 13, 2020 by Steve Butler
Category: Homelessness

This blog post looks at permanent supportive housing, which offers low-barrier affordable housing, health care, and supportive services to formerly homeless individuals, by profiling a related project in Everett.

Announcing an Updated Homelessness & Housing Toolkit

October 18, 2019 by Steve Butler
Category: Housing , Homelessness

In 2017 MRSC partnered with the Association of Washington Cities to develop the Homelessness & Housing Toolkit for Cities. This publication has been updated for 2019 and covers such hot-topic items as SHB 1406, Martin v. City of Boise, and more.

Homelessness and the Limits of Enforcement

June 4, 2019 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness

This blog post looks at the legal issues involving homelessness, and how these issues can limit a municipality's response to unauthorized encampments, panhandling, and car camping.

Winter Weather Shelter Programs for the Homeless

December 11, 2018 by Byron Katsuyama
Category: Homelessness

This blog looks at winter weather shelter programs in Washington State. These programs offer temporary housing for homeless persons when weather conditions pose a substantial threat to life or health.

Is Your Camping Ordinance Constitutional?

October 1, 2018 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness

This blog will examine the recent Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals case, Martin v. City of Boise, and discuss how this ruling may impact Washington local governments.

Land Use and Nuisances Legislative Update

August 1, 2018 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness , New Legislation and Regulations , Automobile Nuisances , Property Nuisances

In this blog post, Legal Consultant Oskar Rey looks at several bills passed in the last legislative session that address land use, nuisance, and code enforcement issues.

No Magic Homelessness Bullet

June 4, 2018 by Lynn Nordby
Category: Homelessness

Solutions for tackling homelessness need to be as varied as the people who experience it and the causes of homelessness itself. Policy Consultant Lynn Nordby looks at some innovative solutions, from 3-D printed houses to repurposed shipping containers.

Conestoga Huts Offer More Options for Housing the Homeless

April 23, 2018 by Subir Mukerjee
Category: Guest Author , Homelessness

A housing for the homeless program in Eugene using Conestoga Hut program is immensely popular with long waiting lists. Learn more about this program and the city regulations that have allowed it to flourish.

Safe Parking Programs: A Safe Place to Sleep in Your Car

March 14, 2018 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness

In light of a recent Superior Court ruling, safe parking programs, often sponsored by religious organizations, can offer relief for individuals living in vehicles. Legal Consultant Oskar Rey examines the regulatory role of local government when a religious organization seeks to establish a safe parking program.

Does Your Code Provide Homelessness Solutions?

February 23, 2017 by Oskar Rey
Category: Homelessness

There are a lot of policy options for alleviating homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. However, in some jurisdictions, existing codes can present unintended barriers to providing remedies for homelessness. This blog will summarize a few common issues that can arise.

Tiny Houses as a Workable Option to House the Homeless

January 24, 2017 by Steve Butler
Category: Homelessness

Tiny houses, small structures designed to provide temporary shelter, can be a low-cost method for housing the homeless and offer local governments a better option than having people sleep on the streets or in tents. This post looks at a few models operating successfully here in the Pacific Northwest.

Compass Crossing: New Homelessness Project Connects Efficiency with Responsiveness

August 5, 2016 by Lynn Nordby
Category: Homelessness

A look at an innovative new homeless housing project in Seattle from Compass Housing Alliance and OneBuild.

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