Pierce County homelessness up 11% in 2025 – leaders point to housing costs

(The Center Square) – Pierce County’s homeless population continued to increase in 2025 as county leaders vouch for more affordable housing to change the trajectory.

Pierce County’s 2025 Point-in-Time count, or PIT, found 2,955 people experiencing homelessness in Pierce County – an 11% increase from 2,661 in 2024 and a 56% increase from 1,897 in 2020.

Over the last 10 years, homelessness throughout the region rose 125% since 2015 – the same rate as median home prices. Rental rates also doubled within that time span as well.

The county’s Homeless Management Information System prioritizes a housing-first approach in order to curve the rising PIT results.

“This crisis didn’t happen overnight – it’s the direct result of a housing market that has simply become unaffordable for too many of our neighbors,” Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello said in a statement.

The county executive added that investments in housing and other homeless services will be included in Mello’s biennial budget proposal set to be presented to the county council next month.

Solutions to homelessness have become a divisive issue across the U.S., as President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order redirecting federal funding to substance abuse treatment, enforcing bans on open drug use and camping on public property. Supporters of the treatment-first approach say it would better equip Washington municipalities to address homelessness, which they believe is interwoven with drug addiction and mental health issues.

Still, Pierce County points to the region's affordable housing capacity. According to a press release, more than 17,500 people entered Pierce County’s homeless crisis response system, while 1,375 have exited into permanent housing so far in 2025. Out of the 1,375 that exited into permanent housing, 84% remained housed for at least two years. To the county, that proves stable housing works, but it cannot keep up without a dramatic increase in the supply of affordable homes.

One key strategy Pierce County is implementing is eviction prevention through its new “Eviction Prevention program,” which was dedicated approximately $6.3 million to run for two years. In the first half of 2025, the program provided funding to keep 698 households from being evicted. The county received nearly 2,000 applications for rental assistance during that same time.

The PIT count is widely known to be an undercount of the actual number of homeless people in a region. However, Pierce County leaders point to changes in its 2025 PIT count which may have contributed to more accurate numbers. This includes enhanced outreach, improved mapping, and expanded volunteer partnerships.