After years of fighting with former President Donald Trump’s administration, national homelessness advocates are, for the first time in a while, feeling hopeful. Yes, it seems there are more people out on the streets than ever, and homelessness numbers show no signs of decreasing — in fact, studies say they could get worse if nothing is done.
Biden has big plans for homelessness — but will they help Seattle?
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden extended the CDC’s eviction moratorium through March, but that will only delay what experts say could be a wave of eviction-driven homelessness — with potentially thousands in Seattle and hundreds of thousands across the country in coming years living in their cars, couch-surfing or on the streets.
The Biden administration has a plan for housing and homelessness that is extraordinarily aggressive, putting billions into rent vouchers and construction, attacking restrictive zoning, and committing to making housing a human right.
“We haven’t seen an approach that’s this comprehensive since the onset of modern homelessness,” said Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, who has been homeless in the past and consulted with President Biden’s transition team on its plans.
By Scott Greenstone
Seattle Times staff reporter