Question 1

Where is the property for the Sleep Center?

Accepted Answer

1333 Fair Street, Clarkston, WA.

Question 2

What is the current timeline?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

Where will the huts be located?

Accepted Answer

Behind the house on the property.

Question 4

Will the property be fenced?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

Question 5

What will be the initial operating hours?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

Average cost with a sleep center v.s. without a sleep center?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

Are the sleep huts going to be on a first-come, first-served basis nightly?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 8

Will the facility be secured during the night?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 9

Why is a sleep center needed in Asotin County?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 10

Where would the money come from to run a sleep center?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

What would you get from a sleep center in Asotin County?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 12

Would there be staff and security?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

Would the sleep center house families?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 14

Why do people become homeless?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 15

What housing issues contribute to homelessness in Asotin County?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 16

How big is the homeless population in Asotin County?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 17

What are Asotin County housing needs?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 18

What are the income limits in Asotin County?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 19

Why focus on housing?

Accepted Answer

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.

Asotin County Alliance for the Unhoused

Frequently Asked Questions