As the temperatures outside plummet, more men and women are turning to East Pierce County’s only emergency shelter for homeless individuals.
The Freezing Nights program in Puyallup operates with the help of 11 churches that open their doors on the coldest nights on a rotating basis. It served about 23 people a night on average last year; already this year, with winter still ahead, organizers say as many as 40 people have shown up.
“There are a lot more people, and a lot of new faces,” said Greta Brackman, program coordinator.
The increase appears to be part of a larger trend as the economy continues to falter. The main effort to combat the problem is led by the Puyallup Homeless Coalition, a group that has gained momentum in the last year in its advocacy work but also has hit some bumps along the way.
Earlier this month, the coalition coordinated events aimed at raising awareness of homelessness and hunger in the city of 37,000 people. The events culminated with a free day of services for the needy, from flu shots to haircuts.
In the last year or so, the coalition helped secure a new city law allowing religious groups to host temporary homeless encampments. It also drafted a long-term plan for ending homelessness in Puyallup. It pitched the plan to the City Council over the summer, backed by dozens of supporters.
At a recent forum coordinated by the coalition, about 70 people – including several elected state, county and city leaders – heard about the rise of homeless families in Puyallup and brainstormed new ways to help.
Casey Trupin, the keynote speaker and a Seattle attorney who has worked on homeless issues, said the gathering was something “we just don’t see in a lot of other communities.”
He said Puyallup is becoming a model of how to address homelessness.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing:
• The coalition hoped to use the encampment ordinance by offering a “safe park” in Puyallup where people living in their cars could park securely overnight. The group went public with the idea a year ago but ultimately couldn’t find a location.
• A city councilman’s idea to use an inactive fire station in unincorporated north Puyallup for a family shelter or as some other resource for the homeless hasn’t come to fruition.
• A new housing option for chronically homeless, disabled individuals has raised concerns in the downtown neighborhood where it would operate. Some neighbors of the planned Share & Care House program are worried about crime and say the location isn’t appropriate in part because it’s near a school. They also say their questions haven’t been sufficiently answered.
The homeless coalition estimates at least 484 people are homeless over the course of a year in Puyallup, with many more at risk. The group’s strategic plan asks the city to step up its social service funding over four years to an amount equal to 1 percent of the general fund. (The proposed general fund for 2012 is roughly $37 million; 1 percent of that would be $370,000.)
The City Council has not committed to doing so. But the 2012 budget that recently was given initial approval by the council includes $50,000 in new money specifically targeted to help homeless families. Coalition leaders said that’s a positive step.
Mayor Kathy Turner requested the money be included; it’s in addition to $55,000 for groups that provide a variety of social services to Puyallup citizens – a stream of money that’s been part of past city budgets, as well.
“My major concern is always families, families with children,” Turner said.
For now, Freezing Nights is preparing for a heavier load this season. The homeless coalition has also started working to find a building where the program can operate permanently rather than rotating through churches, said Paula Anderson, coalition chairwoman.
The coalition plans to hold another community forum in January.
“We’re starting to be able to make the public more aware of the situation,” Anderson said. “Are they really seeing the numbers? Is it getting to their hearts? I think the work we’ve done this year has shown them that a little bit more.”
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058
sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com
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