Lawmaker seeks funds for Yakima homeless

YAKIMA — State Rep. Gina McCabe has requested $3.6 million for housing for Yakima’s homeless.

Her capital request comes after visiting more than 30 service providers in Yakima, and having them all agree on one project that aims to get the homeless off the streets.

McCabe, a Goldendale Republican, said the money would be spent on building tiny homes and providing wrap-around services for those who would live there.

If approved, the funds could support a local effort already in the works seeking to build about 30 tiny homes for the homeless.

McCabe said fellow lawmakers know the homeless project is high on her priority list.

“They know it’s a priority project,” she said.

McCabe said she was impressed by the number of service providers in Yakima, and said the only piece the area lacks is housing.

“There are 35 service providers who do great things already in Yakima,” she said. “That’s why I think you can argue you’ve got the perfect storm in Yakima.”

Although homelessness is nothing new to Yakima, the problem came into sharp focus last summer when more than 30 homeless people set up a camp along a strip of public property on North Chestnut Avenue near downtown.

The camp grew to more the 60 people and was eventually moved to a vacant parking lot before being shut down in November, when temporary winter shelters opened.