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15 <br />• “The overall perception of homelessness in our community skews from very <br />understanding to I want ‘em out of here. Somehow, we need to bring those together.” <br />Community Members: Common themes for this question included Access to Services, Shelters, and <br />Housing. Other discussions included public education about homelessness, rental assistance for <br />those at risk of homelessness, and increased utility assistance. <br />ACCESS TO SERVICES <br />▪ Behavioral health, mental health services. Robust, creative, accessible mental health <br />services <br />▪ Mental and medical assistance <br />▪ Reliable transportation, flexible employment opportunities, flexible work training <br />programs <br />▪ Expand shelter services to include access to other needs identified by those with that lived <br />experience. <br />▪ Make sure homeless are signed up for all available services such as food stamps, Medicaid, <br />Medicare, affordable housing sign up application, etc. <br />▪ Food and shelter—address immediate needs. <br />SHELTER <br />▪ Tiny house communities provide shelter (low barrier), look for successful models from <br />elsewhere (i.e., Bend, Toppenish/Wapato, Wenatchee) <br />▪ Short term help, sleep center, rental assistance, food, and clothing <br />▪ Sleep center/shelter, low barrier, year-round shelter. <br />HOUSING <br />▪ Make the process for getting into housing less intimidating and bureaucratic <br />▪ HOUSING, homeless people need homes, more available housing. <br /> <br />• “The solution to homelessness is simple, but it’s not easy. ‘Home’ is in the word; <br />homeless people need homes. All other things don’t help if they’re sleeping on the <br />street every night.” <br />• “I think it’s important to educate the problem to reduce the fear of homeless people.” <br />• “Many of the same people are a paycheck away from being right there.” <br />Central Washington University: Participants had several common themes for this question: <br />Shelter, Housing, Basic Needs, and Communication. Sponsorship/mentorship programs was an <br />outlier. There was additional discussion about mentors to help sponsor a person and the community <br />response to the proposed location of the sleep center. <br />SHELTER <br />▪ Adapt empty spaces for shelter (hotels, campus spaces…) <br />▪ Designated shelter/safe camp area for immediate place to stay. <br />▪ Safe place 2 sleep <br />▪ Warm/cold shelters <br />HOUSING <br />▪ Affordable housing <br />▪ Financial incentive for community to build permanent housing. <br />▪ More housing: temporary, transitional, affordable <br />▪ Multiple locations of free/affordable housing