HomeMy WebLinkAboutUrick, Shannon
Tsuneda, Kaci
From:shannon urick <shannonurick@gmail.com>
Sent:Saturday, September 12, 2026 12:30 PM
To:Council Testimony
Subject:Testimony in Support of Bill 192 - Finance Committee, September 15, 2026
Aloha, I am submitting this testimony to the Finance Committee in strong support of Bill 192.
HHF should be judged by the people it helps house, the people it keeps housed, the crises it prevents,
and the public burden it reduces, not by whether it can eliminate homelessness entirely.
A few points I ask the Committee to consider:
• Housing is not a quick fix, and it takes more than just rent. Sustained case management- building
trust, budgeting, tenant skills, employment support, emotional regulation, and behavioral health- is
often what makes housing successful. This work is complex and takes time, but it works.
• Continued prevention is essential because homelessness is not a fixed population we can simply
“eliminate.” HHF supports diversion and rental assistance that keep people housed before they become
homeless. Even if every person currently experiencing homelessness were housed tomorrow, new
people would be at risk within weeks. That is precisely why this work needs sustained funding rather than
being judged by whether it has eliminated a problem that is continually being replenished.
• The ROI is broader than permanent housing. Basic services such as showers, clean clothes, and
drop-in centers can help people stabilize before reaching a crisis point, reducing public disturbances,
theft, emergency calls, and costly police and emergency-room interventions; while also connecting
people to permanent housing. We do not expect the fire department to demonstrate a tidy ROI for
every fire it prevents; homelessness services should be evaluated with the same understanding of
prevention.
• HHF is a quality-of-life investment for all taxpayers. Fewer people in acute crisis means fewer
unpredictable encounters and a safer, calmer downtown and public environment. Residents,
businesses, visitors, and taxpayers all benefit. That progress may be gradual, but it is happening,
and taxpayers have every right to expect their government to address quality-of-life issues that
affect the entire community.
• Housing stability is public safety. People without stable housing, particularly homeless youth, are
more vulnerable to exploitation, sex trafficking, and abuse. HHF’s youth and family services help
reduce that vulnerability before it becomes a larger crisis.
The results of this work may not always be immediately visible, but they are real.
Ending or weakening HHF funding would interrupt services that are housing people today while
reducing our ability to prevent tomorrow’s homelessness.
I respectfully ask the Committee to pass Bill 192 with a favorable recommendation.
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Thank you for your time and consideration,
Shannon Urick
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