Mayor Greg Nickels has added $3.5 million to his 2008 proposed budget to help fund 84 permanent supportive housing studio apartments for chronically homeless people.

Half the units at the Plymouth Housing Group's First and Cedar project would use a "Housing First" model, which combines homeless housing with important in-house medical and mental health services and other support programs.

"For too long, we attempted to manage homelessness through a system that in many cases provides little more than a mattress for the night," said Nickels. "Housing First seeks to break the cycle of homelessness by offering a safe, clean place to call home - and much more."

Page 2 of 2

September 5, 2007

$3.5 million to help the homeless

-more-