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5-year homeless housing plan update underway

For the past year, the Chelan-Douglas Homeless Housing Task Force has been actively updating the five-year homeless housing plan, which will serve as a guide to prioritizing and creating future housing programs or services for the two counties.

Chelan County staff started the update process by hosting community and stakeholder meetings, gleaning information to incorporate into the plan. Staff hosted three feedback sessions with community stakeholders, case managers and local elected officials. The county’s consultant, Sage Step Consulting, also has completed online surveys and one-on-one interviews with local law enforcement, medical providers and substance-use counselors.

“The task force wants to ensure this plan provides an opportunity for growth in new and existing services as well as increases affordable housing for our community over the next five years,” said Amber Hallberg, Chelan County Community Services manager. “These meetings over the past year have allowed us to hear what the true needs in our community are from people doing the work, such as case managers, providers, people with lived experience and other stakeholders.” 

Some of the emerging top priorities include expanding services offered for the aging population and senior citizens, diversifying housing stock and continuing to develop the centralized case management program that Chelan County oversees, Hallberg said.

A draft of the updated plan is expected to be available to the public by early May. A public hearing, which will be advertised on the Chelan County website, will give people an opportunity to comment on the draft plan. The final plan must be submitted by Dec. 31 to the Washington State Department of Commerce.

“I’m really proud to say that our two-county task force is ahead of the game in the strategic planning process,” Hallberg said. “I’m feeling really good about the processes put in place a year ago that have helped us get to this point, where we are planning to bring the draft to the community this spring.”

The five-year homeless housing strategic plan is a state requirement (RCW 43.185C.050). Local homeless housing task forces must prepare and recommend a local housing plan for the region. The plan must be consistent with statewide guidelines issued by the Department of Commerce. The plan’s goal is to outline a region’s priorities related to affordable housing, homeless housing, and any other housing programs or services.

This year the Department of Commerce has given communities five objectives that must be included in and guide the development of the plan:

  • Objective 1: Promote an equitable, accountable and transparent homeless crisis response system.
  • Objective 2: Strengthen the homeless service provider workforce.
  • Objective 3: Prevent episodes of homelessness whenever possible.
  • Objective 4: Prioritize assistance based on the greatest barriers to housing stability and the greatest risk of harm.
  • Objective 5: Seek to house everyone in a stable setting that meets their needs.

View the current homeless housing five-year strategic plan (PDF) online.

Last Updated: 03/12/2025 09:26 PM

Chelan County Calendar

Upcoming events and schedules at the county!

  • 23
    Apr 2025
    06:30 PM - 08:00 PM

    Planning Commission - April 23, 2025

    Posted by: Community Development

    By Zoom Video Conference or in person at 400 Douglas St. Wenatchee WA 98801
  • 22
    Apr 2025
    09:00 AM - 08:00 PM

    Election Day

    Posted by: Chelan County Elections

    Election Day

    Please see Ballot Drop Locations
  • 16
    Apr 2025
    01:00 PM - 02:00 PM

    Hearing Examiner - April 16,2025

    Posted by: Community Development

    By Zoom Video Conference or in person at 400 Douglas St. Wenatchee WA 98801
  • 15
    Apr 2025
    09:00 AM - 08:00 PM

    Registration in person at our office

    Posted by: Chelan County Elections

    Registration Deadline in person at our office.

  • 14
    Apr 2025
    09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

    Registration deadline for new voters or address updates by mail, online, email or over the phone.

    Posted by: Chelan County Elections

    Registration deadline for new voters or address updates by mail, online, email or over the phone.