A recent Columbian article about Clark County’s point-in-time count of homeless persons (“Clark County’s homeless numbers rise, report finds,” The Columbian, May 20) references cost data for homeless services in Clark County: $628 per person per day for Rapid Re-Housing and $195 per person per day for transitional housing. These figures can be found on the winter homeless system performance report card for Clark County for winter 2018 (https://tinyurl.com/yy5pmfhk).
For comparison, the statewide average cost in fiscal year 2018 was $52 per person per day for Rapid Re-Housing, and $33 per person per day for Transitional Housing. Data for Clark County for fiscal year 2018 has not been published by the state. The reason given: data quality issues.
The Columbian quoted the Council for the Homeless executive director suggesting a “willingness to invest” is required to combat homelessness. I have lived in an area of west Vancouver along with many homeless people for about a decade. I never see them getting the help they need; quite the opposite.
I need to understand just who we are helping for $628 per day and, if it really costs that much, why. Until that need is fulfilled, my willingness to invest more in homeless services will continue to shrink.
