The number of people who are sleeping outside or in emergency shelters in Washington increased about 2.2 percent from January 2024 to January 2025, according to the state.

The Department of Commerce’s “Snapshot” report said 158,791 people were living in emergency shelters or unhoused in January 2025. While homeless populations are uniquely hard to fully count, the state’s Snapshot report combines data on housing status from three state agencies to be one of the most comprehensive numbers available in Washington.

The population of people living outside or in emergency shelter throughout Washington has been marching steadily upward for years. State officials are claiming some victory in seeing the increase slow after the end of pandemic-era renter relief programs caused a more than 9 perce

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