Seattle restores $1M for hygiene services for homeless

Some groups had argued that the city was putting homeless people at risk for disease.

  • By Wire Service
  • Thursday, February 22, 2018 10:14am
  • Northwest

Associated Press

SEATTLE — Seattle officials have restored $1 million for hygiene and emergency services for homeless people after the city slashed some funding as part of a shift toward a new strategy to address homelessness.

The Seattle Times reports the Seattle City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a measure to direct the funding from a sale of city property into the programs.

Some homeless service providers had pushed back against city after its Human Services Department reduced funding. Providers argued that the city was putting homeless people at risk for disease before the city’s new system could be implemented.

The city had made changes as part a plan to reach an enhanced-shelter model, which focuses on wraparound services, like case management, with the goal of moving people into permanent housing.

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