One thing the Everyone at Home Now plan helped initiate is community partnerships that led to a continuum of care homelessness governing board. It receives and disseminates grants for the homeless, said Robin Hood, a grants manager for county Human Services.

Another thing that started nine years ago is the Point In Time count. Volunteers ask each person a short list of questions, such as how long they have been homeless. Then the volunteers informed them where they could get help with temporary housing, mental health services, and drug and alcohol counseling.

During the 2014 count, 1,272 individuals in 922 households reported they had no permanent place to stay. Of those individuals, 314 – or 26 percent – were younger than 18.  The yearly survey is required by federal agencies that send taxpayer money to the county and to local community groups that provide social services to the homeless.

“These really need to be accurate,” Hood said of the data. So now, homeless are asked for their birth date and initials, too. “There needs to be a balance,” Hood said. “We don’t want to be scaring people away.”

Hood said he was unable to give an update on how far the county has come in the nine years in meeting its goals.

10-year county plan at a glance

Vision: We view homelessness as intolerable. Our vision is that every person in Snohomish County has safe and affordable housing.

Prevention: Every day homelessness erodes the stability of all county residents. The causes of homelessness are numerous and complex. Preventing homelessness is the most cost-effective solution, in both financial and human terms.

Six long-term policy initiatives:

•Increase housing for the homeless by 2,500 units over 10 years.

•Increasing resources for prevention will keep families and individuals housed, conserving limited community resources.

•A community-wide system that reduces the duration of homelessness, improves the use of housing resources, and assists in improving identification of housing and service needs will make rehousing and prevention efforts more efficient.

•Accurate and timely needs assessments and outcome data will be used to make sure appropriate funding decisions are made.

•Provide funding to maintain existing housing and services that demonstrate measurable outcomes and overall progress towards ending homelessness.

•Creation of and increase in the number of housing types and resources, including creating barrier-free housing for individuals not eligible for other housing options due to their history of criminal activity, difficult behavior, drug addiction, sex crimes, and/or chronic mental health issues.

The county plan advocates for increased cooperation and partnership between the Department of Social and Health Services and service providers to

improve procedures contributing to homelessness. Among the actions: advocating for policies that ensure viable housing plans are in place for youth exiting foster care, for the temporarily unemployable due to disability, and for those being released from jails, hospitals and similar institutions.

The plan also says the county needs:

•to provide longer-term, career-based employment services.

•more primary health-care providers to serve the homeless.

•more treatment resources and housing for people with mental illness and chemical addition.

•more housing for people with disabilities to help them become as independent as possible.

•at least 50 units of housing for the chronically homeless, those with mental illness who can access services and live independently.

•to increase services for youths 16-24 so they don’t become homeless.

•200 housing units over the next 10 years for veteran housing.

•to help prisoners better understand how to re-enter society after incarceration.