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9 <br /> <br />State and Federal Trends <br />Homelessness contfnues to rise across Washington State. The official 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count identffied 31,554 <br />people experiencing homelessness, an increase of 12.5% from the 2023 total of 28,036. Chronic homelessness surged <br />by 56% year-over-year and now accounts for nearly half of the state's unhoused populatfon. Washington ranks third <br />natfonally in total homelessness, behind only California and New York. <br />In 2025, the statewide count identffied 22,173 people experiencing homelessness. However, this total excludes King <br />County’s unsheltered populatfon, which was not counted that year. In previous years, King County accounted for <br />approximately half of the state’s unsheltered homelessness, meaning the 2025 data significantly underrepresents <br />the actual number of individuals experiencing homelessness statewide. <br /> <br />Washington State PIT Count Results <br /> <br />Source: Washington State Department of Commerce <br /> <br />This trend reflects growing pressure on emergency shelters, transitfonal housing, and street outreach system , <br />partfcularly in rural areas and smaller countfes where housing and service capacity are limited. <br />The Washington State Homeless Housing Strategic Plan for 2024–2029 outlines five strategic prioritfes for addressing <br />these trends. These include promotfng equity and accountability, strengthening the provider workforce, focusing on <br />preventfon, prioritfzing those facing the highest barriers, and ensuring access to housing that meets people’s <br />individual needs. The Kittitas County plan mirrors these state-level objectfves in its goals and implementatfon <br />strategies. <br />Kittitas County’s 2025–2030 Homeless Housing Plan aligns closely with these prioritfes, applying them through a rural <br />lens and in coordinatfon with local comprehensive plans. <br /> <br />National Trends and Policy Shifts <br />At the natfonal level, homelessness has also increased significantly. The 2024 PIT Count found 771,480 people <br />experiencing homelessness across the U.S., a record high and a 1 8% increase over the prior year. More significant <br />than the numbers, though, are the shifts in federal policy. <br />In 2025, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), which previously coordinated efforts across HUD, <br />HHS, the VA, and other agencies, was dissolved. Without a single coordinatfng body, each federal agency is now