Mayor Mike McGinn released his proposed budget for 2013 and 2014 on Sept. 24. Despite a $32 million shortfall, the mayor’s proposed budget increases funding to the Human Services Department, which oversees city services for homeless and poor families and seniors.
While the overall budget has increased, the funding allocations emphasize the city and the Committee to End Homelessness in King County’s plan to focus on rapid rehousing, which places recently homeless families in transitional housing.
Here’s how it breaks down:
The Human Services Department will spend $246.4 million over the next two years
The department will add the equivalent of 22.5 full-time staffers in 2013 and three more in 2014
The city will emphasize rapid-rehousing by increasing the program from $150,000 to $250,000
The budget for aging and disability services will grow by $2.6 million in 2013 and another $832,000 in 2014
Health care for homeless people will remain fairly steady, increasing by $30,000 in 2013 and another $36,000 in 2014
Homeless intervention services funded through community development block grants will decrease from $3.8 million to $3.5 million in 2013. In 2011, the budget for homeless intervention through community development block grants was $4.8 million
The city will create employment support services through community development block grants of $60,000 in 2013 and $800,000 in 2014
Emergency and transitional housing services will increase by almost $400,000 in 2013 and again in 2014.