More than 2,000 homeless counted in Pierce County

Published 10:57 am Monday, May 2, 2016

TACOMA — Pierce County officials say homelessness in the county has reached a crisis level with more than 2,000 people on the streets in 2016.

KOMO-TV reported that a recent head count found there were nearly 500 more people homeless in Pierce County than there were in 2015, a 37 percent increase.

Pierce County Council Chair Doug Richardson says the council plans to use the results from the count to try to determine a plan of action.

Some county leaders have brought up the idea of pushing for a 0.1 percent sales tax increase to support mental health and chemical dependency programs.