Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has proposed adding $12 million to Seattle’s homelessness budget, on top of the roughly $50 million the city already spends annually. Murray wants the money spent implementing his administration’s “Pathways Home” plan (based on consultant Barbara Poppe’s report) to adopt a data-driven, efficiency-oriented homelessness response system. Some homeless advocates have criticized the technocratic plan for over-promising results and under-stating the scope of the problem.

“By providing funding for key elements of the Pathways Home Plan, I believe we can make a dramatic and visible difference in the number of people currently experiencing homelessness through a major transformation of our homeless service delivery system,” said Murray in a press release.

According to that release, Murray’s proposed budget includes:

• Almost $1 million for rental assistance, motel vouchers, rapid rehousing, and sexual assault and domestic violence-oriented housing and case management.
• $5 million for a 24-hour dormitory shelter and other stuff, including a mobile medical van.
• $1.1. million for “staffing and data capacity.”
• $2.1 million “to maintain stability in shelter and encampments as system changes are made.”
• $2.8 million for homeless encampment sweeps and the offers of service and shelter that go with them.

Murray will present his entire proposed budget to the City Council, and the public, today at 2 p.m. in City Hall. Watch on SeattleChannel.org/live or listen in by calling 206-684-8566.