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Politics & Government

Homeless Count: More People Lack Basic Shelter

On the Eastside, 197 people without shelter were counted this year in comparison to 138 this year.

In the early morning hours Friday, hundreds of volunteers scoured Woodinville in an effort to count every person living without shelter as part of the 33rd annual One Night Count, organized by the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness.

Volunteers walked various neighborhoods between 2-5 a.m. and reported back their findings by 5:30 a.m., where they were met with a warm breakfast. Similar counts also took place in Redmond, Bothell, Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Renton, Shoreline, Kenmore, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, and White Center. 

At least 2,736 men, women, and children were without shelter during the three hour street count. This number is an increase of 5 percent over those found without shelter last year. This number is always assumed to be an undercount, because volunteers do not count everywhere, and because many people take great care not to be visible.

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Over 8,830 people were known to be homeless in King County on this one night during the 2012 count, according to the coalition. On the Eastside, 197 people without shelter were counted this year in comparison to 138 this year.  Many appeared to be living in cars or trucks, the report said.

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