Asotin County Alliance for the Unhoused

1333 Fair Street, Clarkston, WA.

The ACAU is working with contractors to prepare the site. Trees are being removed, next the land will be leveled and graded, then the fence will go up. The huts will not go up until all of that is completed.

Behind the house on the property.

Yes.

We initially plan for an overnight Sleep center, open in the evening and closing in the morning.

The average cost of taxpayer dollars for one night in jail if someone is arrested for trespassing is $125. That $125 does not include the cost of resources used such as law enforcement response, court, etc. Based on the Walla Walla sleep center model, the average of a sleep center is $11.60 per person per night. The Sleep Center is a non-profit and not funded by taxpayer dollars.

The same individual can stay in the same hut. Conestoga huts are assigned as they become available.

Yes. People would be able to leave, but not return after certain hours.

Providing suitable emergency shelter can help people experiencing homelessness access with transitional housing and other services. Health outcomes are better for people with stable housing and a low-barrier shelter is often a first step. It is also a step toward good stewardship of resources. Taxpayer dollars spent on criminal-legal system expenditures will be saved by not ticketing, arresting, and citing individuals who are homeless.

The Sleep center is funded through local document recording fees from the County that are designated to address homelessness, grants, fundraising, and donations.

A sleep center would be a managed site with security for the unhoused to be during operating hours. The site would have rules to follow and provide a place for individuals to be while they transition into stable housing. With a sleep center, public camping ordinances can be enforced.

A combination of operations and/or security personnel would be onsite during operating hours.

The sleep center is intended for adults only. Any youth under the age of 18 would be referred to the LC Valley Youth Resource Center or other appropriate locations.

A 2017 report by the Washington State Department of Commerce shows that increasing rents is the largest driver of homelessness. Washington State-based researchers have found that rental housing prices more closely correlate with homelessness rates than other variables such as poverty rates or drug use. Rents and rates of homelessness have been increasing in recent years across much of Washington State. Examples of events that can lead people to become homeless include: Chronically Homeless Mental health problems Substance use disorders Physical health problems History of criminal justice system Older age (44 years and older) Crisis Homelessness Loss of a loved one Divorce Eviction Loss of employment Domestic Violence Source: Kittitas County Public Health Department

The primary cause of homelessness is a lack of affordable housing. Simply stated, wages have not kept up with rising housing costs for the last several decades. Similarly, funding for those with mental illness or a physical disability lags behind increases in housing costs.

According to the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, 77 individuals were identified as unsheltered in Asotin County. This reflects a decrease of 93 individuals from the 2024 PIT Count. However, this decrease is believed to be influenced by the absence of a centralized location where individuals experiencing homelessness congregate. Instead, individuals are dispersed throughout the county, making them more difficult to locate due to enforcement of local ordinances and restrictions related to homelessness. WA Department of Commerce reports that there is a total of 1,180 unsheltered persons in Asotin County and 1,532 homeless or unstably housed persons.

According to the Department of Commerce, Washington State will need 1.1 million new homes in the next 20 years. The Washington State Department of Commerce projects, according to the Housing All Planning Tool, that Asotin County will need 1,360 new housing units by 2044. It is also projected that Asotin County will need an additional 35 Emergency Housing/Shelter Beds by 2044.

Low Income (80%): Single Person $47,250, 2-Person Family $54,000, 4-Person Family $67,450 Very Low Income (50%): Single Person $29,550, 2-Person Family $33,750, 4-Person Family $42,150 Extremely Low Income: Single Person $17,750, 2-Person Family $20,440, 4-Person Family $31,200

When you are homeless the hardest thing to find, and the most important, is a safe place to sleep. Without a good night’s sleep, it is almost impossible to solve any of your other problems. A Sleep Center goes a long way to relieving this barrier. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, basic needs (the first two tiers) must be met before an individual can achieve their full potential.