Clark County faces ongoing crisis amid areas of progress
VANCOUVER, Wash. (August 22, 2025) — Council for the Homeless has released the 2024 Homeless Crisis Response System Report for Clark County, offering a detailed look at both progress and persistent challenges in addressing homelessness in the region.
In 2024, 8,894 people from 3,804 households experienced homelessness in Clark County. While this represents a less than 2% increase in the number of people from 2023, the number of households decreased by 14%, signaling a rise in the average size of families experiencing homelessness. Alarmingly, 58% of individuals identified as newly homeless — a percentage unchanged from the previous year.
“These numbers highlight the urgent need for more affordable housing and continued collaboration across the entire response system,” said Sesany Fennie-Jones, chief executive officer at Council for the Homeless. “The data makes one thing clear: Solving homelessness in Clark County will take all of us, working together, with the right tools and resources.”
The 2024 data reveals that 43% of households experiencing homelessness identified as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). This is a reminder of the racial disparities that persist in housing access and stability.
Additionally, 2,583 children under the age of 18 were among those who experienced homelessness in 2024, underlining the need for family- and youth-specific solutions.
Despite the continued high demand, several positive outcomes emerged in 2024:
- 49% increase in families stabilized through rental assistance
- 10% increase in veterans entering housing programs
- 8% increase in youth and young adults (YYA) housed through coaching and financial support
- 91% of people who entered Permanent Supportive Housing in 2023 remained housed for at least one year
- 87% of those housed in 2022 remained stably housed after two years
“Each percentage point of progress represents a human seeking stability,” CFTH Chief Operating Officer Sunny Wonder said. “Behind every data point is a child, a parent, or a veteran who now has a safe place to sleep. We must continue to invest in what works and scale those solutions.”
The Homeless Response System relies on real-time, person-specific data tools, such as By-Name Lists and Case Conferencing, to identify people in need, coordinate services, and track outcomes. These tools have proven successful, particularly for vulnerable populations such as youth and young adults; veterans; and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
In 2024, the CFTH Housing Hotline received nearly 70,000 calls, illustrating the scale of need and the crucial role of centralized access to services. With more than 5,000 people newly homeless in 2024 alone, the crisis is far from over. The need for data-informed, equity-driven housing solutions is critical to reversing this trend. Additional resources are needed to scale proven solutions and fulfill the mission to prevent and end homelessness in Clark County.
“Homelessness is not an individual failure; it’s a community challenge that requires community solutions,” Fennie-Jones added. “If we want to see fewer people without homes in Clark County, we must act boldly and collaboratively to remove the barriers that keep people from safe and stable housing.”
The full 2024 Homeless Crisis Response System Report for Clark County, Wash., is available at https://www.councilforthehomeless.org/by-the-numbers/annual-system-data/. A public dashboard displaying data from publicly funded homeless services agencies, updated monthly, is available at www.councilforthehomeless.org/system-dashboard.
About Council for the Homeless: Council for the Homeless (CFTH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in Clark County, WA, by providing community leadership, compelling advocacy, and practical solutions to solve homelessness on an individual and community level. Founded in 1989, CFTH serves as the lead agency and coordinated entry for delivery of homeless services through the Continuum of Care for Homeless Services in Clark County, WA.
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A major shift in philosophy is needed. Vancouver simply cannot continue to throw money towards “fixing” homelessness. Anyone who has an appreciation of human-nature knows that the more money you spend for support (“stuff”, services, etc.), the more people there will be who will fall in line for those free services. Stated another way, you cannot spend your way out of homelessness.
The upcoming shelter/transition housing behind the Mall…. multi-millions to build, then multi-millions to maintain each year. For what… 150 or so beds? Six million dollars for operating costs, for one year; divided by 150 beds; equals $40,000 per bed for one year. On 31-Dec., they rinse & repeat… for another $40,000 per bed.
Of course there’s the fact that there is BIG MONEY to be made in the homelessness-industrial-complex. It takes a LOT of money to pay all those people a nice salary and the associated benefits that Vancouver City and the various non-profits pay their employees involved in this money-laundering scheme. Right, Jamie Spinelli, the homelessness-czar of Vancouver?
Solution? “Tough Love” is the answer, and you know what that means. Yep, it will be painful at first and there will be a thousand sob-stories. But when the “tit runs dry,” and the homeless get cold enough and wet enough and hungry enough, they will either get sobered-up and find work, move on to someplace else that is giving away freebies, or they’ll overdose and die. Any of the three is fine with me. Just quit throwing away good money after bad.
I’m tired of paying escalating property taxes, year after year, for a problem that is not going away and is seemingly getting worse.