Homelessness point-in-time

AN ACT Relating to the homelessness point-in-time count; and 1
amending RCW 43.185C.030. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 43.185C.030 and 2018 c 85 s 3 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1) The department shall ((annually)) conduct a Washington 6
homeless census or count consistent with ((the requirements of RCW 7
43.185C.180)) the United States department of housing and urban 8
development's annual notice informing housing inventory count and 9
point-in-time count data collection . The census shall make every 10
effort to count ((all homeless individuals living outdoors, in 11
shelters, and in transitional housing, coordinated, when reasonably 12
feasible, with already existing homeless census projects including 13
those funded in part by the United States department of housing and 14
urban development under the McKinney-Vento homeless assistance 15
program)) persons experiencing homelessness as defined by the annual 16
notice. The department shall determine, in consultation with local 17
governments, the data to be collected. ((Data on subpopulations and 18
other characteristics of the homeless )) Such data must, at a minimum, 19
be consistent with the United States department of housing and urban 20
H-1195.1
HOUSE BILL 1899
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Zahn, Thomas, Parshley, Simmons, Cortes, Ormsby,
Hill, and Macri
Read first time 02/07/25. Referred to Committee on Housing.
p. 1 HB 1899
development's ((point-in-time requirements )) annual notice and the 1
requirements of RCW 43.185C.180. 2
(2) All personal information collected in the census is 3
confidential, and the department and each local government shall take 4
all necessary steps to protect the identity and confidentiality of 5
each person counted. 6
(3) The department and each local government are prohibited from 7
disclosing any personally identifying information about any homeless 8
individual when there is reason to believe or evidence indicating 9
that the homeless individual is an adult or minor victim of domestic 10
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking or is the 11
parent or guardian of a child victim of domestic violence, dating 12
violence, sexual assault, or stalking; or revealing other 13
confidential information regarding HIV/AIDS status, as found in RCW 14
70.02.220. The department and each local government shall not ask any 15
homeless housing provider to disclose personally identifying 16
information about any homeless individuals when the providers 17
implementing those programs have reason to believe or evidence 18
indicating that those clients are adult or minor victims of domestic 19
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking or are the 20
parents or guardians of child victims of domestic violence, dating 21
violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Summary data for the 22
provider's facility or program may be substituted.23
(4) The Washington homeless census shall be conducted 24
((annually)) on a schedule created by the department. The department 25
shall make summary data by county available to the public each year. 26
This data, and its analysis, shall be included in the department's 27
annual updated homeless housing program strategic plan.28
(((5) Based on the annual census and provider information from 29
the local government plans, the department shall, by the end of year 30
four, implement an online information and referral system to enable 31
local governments and providers to identify available housing for a 32
homeless person. The department shall work with local governments and 33
their providers to develop a capacity for continuous case management 34
to assist homeless persons.35
(6) By the end of year four, the department shall implement an 36
organizational quality management system.))37
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p. 2 HB 1899