THE SEATTLE TIMES

HOMELESSNESS SURVEY

Page 1 / 6

TOPLINE DATA
SAMPLE: 407 adults in King County
419 adults in Seattle.

SAMPLE FRAME: Registered Voter Households
MARGIN OF SAMPLING ±5% at the 95% level of confidence
ERROR: For both King County & Seattle Samples
DATA COLLECTION: Telephone Survey with Live Interviewers
49% via cell phone

FIELD DATES: December 15-18, 2018
AREA: King Co = 407 “Suburban”= 261 Seattle = 416
•

The questions are presented here as they were asked in the interview

•

The figures in bold type are percentages of respondents who gave each answer.

•

The results are presented in 3 segments: “County” = All King County
“Suburb” = County Outside Seattle
“Seattle” = Seattle Residents

•

Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.

1.

The first issue I want to talk about is homelessness. In your community is homeless …
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
58
51
73
A significant problem
21
22
20
A moderate problem
19
26
7
A minor problem
1
1
0
DK/NA

2.

There are a number of reasons why someone might be homeless. As you see it, what is
the most common reason people are homeless? [DATA AT END – P.9]

3.

Which of these do you think is the most significant reason for the homelessness problem
in Seattle?
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
More tolerant attitudes and more lax law enforcement
14
16
13
than other places
12
12
10
Too many services that attract people here
Not enough services for people with mental illness or
30
26
34
chemical dependency
32
33
32
High cost of living, including housing
8
9
8
Poor coordination among local governments
4
5
3
DK/NA

ELWAY RESEARCH, INC.

 THE SEATTLE TIMES

HOMELESSNESS SURVEY

Page 2 / 6

4.

Do you think it is possible to solve homelessness? Would you say …
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
24
21
28
It is possible to solve it almost entirely
59
59
62
It is possible to solve the worst of it, but not all of it
14
16
9
It is not possible to solve
3
4
1
DK/NA

5.

In your opinion, which should have the higher priority:
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
65
68
61
Dealing with the root causes of homelessness
31
29
34
Getting people off the street.
3
3
5
DK/NA

6.

I am going to read a list of groups involved to some degree or another in the issue of
homelessness. As I read each one, tell me whether that group should be doing Much
More, A Little More or is already Doing Enough to address the problem here. The first
one is:
MUCH LITTLE ENOUGH DK

ROTATE
A Federal Government

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

53
50
58

22
20
23

20
24
12

5
6
7

B State Government

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

55
55
58

23
21
24

15
17
11

7
7
7

C County government

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

52
50
57

25
24
24

16
19
11

7
8
8

D City government

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

55
53
61

23
23
22

16
17
14

6
7
3

E Charities, Churches, and Community Organizations
COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

19
20
17

26
25
29

52
53
51

2
2
2

F Business community

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

35
34
39

32
31
33

27
28
23

5
7
5

G People who are homeless themselves

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

43
46
35

31
33
28

19
15
25

7
6
12

ELWAY RESEARCH, INC.

 THE SEATTLE TIMES
7.

HOMELESSNESS SURVEY

Page 3 / 6

I am going to read some strategies that have been suggested or tried in other places.
For each one, tell me whether you Approve or Strongly Approve or Disapprove or Strongly
Disapprove of that approach. The first one is
STGAPP APP DIS STGDIS DK

ROTATE
A

A zero tolerance policy to prohibit camping
in parks and public places
COUNTY

34
37
32

21
20
21

26
23
24

15
15
19

4
5
3

56
56
60

25
24
28

11
11
7

6
6
4

2
3
1

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

19
21
17

19
21
16

28
28
29

30
26
33

4
5
4

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

32
31
31

39
38
45

14
15
14

11
10
8

4
5
3

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

72
71
75

22
23
20

2
2
3

0
1
0

3
3
1

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

16
14
18

35
33
40

23
27
18

20
19
17

6
6
7

SUBURB
SEATTLE

B More affordable housing

COUNTY
SUBURB
SEATTLE

C Require people who are homeless to prove they

are from this area before they can get shelter

D Build more shelter beds and tiny houses

E Provide better access to mental health

and drug treatment

F Divert people from shelters in the first place

with one-time financial assistance,
such as money for a rental deposit

8.

It is estimated that the combined spending for homeless programs last year in King
County was more than $195 million dollars. In your opinion, which of the following is the
main reason that the problem does not seem to be getting better, despite the attention
and resources being devoted to it?
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
31
28
36
Homeless is a difficult and complex problem
Too many resources are spent on the wrong approaches
to the problem

23

22

34

Local government is wastes money by being inefficient

19

21

15

Local government is not accountable for how the money
is spent

15

17

13

We’re not spending enough to really solve the problem

7

6

7

DK/NA

5

6

5

ELWAY RESEARCH, INC.

 HOMELESSNESS SURVEY

THE SEATTLE TIMES
9.

Page 4 / 6

Currently Seattle pays 85% of the cost of shelter beds in King County. Which of the
following statements comes closest to your thinking about that?
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
That seems right, since most of the problem is in Seattle
There should be a more regional approach to funding
homelessness programs
DK/NA

31

32

29

60

58

65

8

10

6

10. IF INSIDE SEATTLE: Do you trust the Seattle City Council and Mayor to solve this problem?

COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
Yes
No
DK/NA

24
68
7

10.1. IF OUTSIDE SEATTLE: Do you trust the King County Council and County Executive to

solve this problem?
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
Yes
No
DK/NA

24
70
6

24
70
6

11. Do you personally know anyone who is now, or has been homeless?

IF YES: Is that a family member, acquaintance or perhaps yourself?
MULTIPLE ANSWERS ALLOWED

COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE

Yes, Self
Yes, Family member
Yes, Acquaintance
No

5
14
48
40

6
16
46
41

4
14
47
43

12. I have just a few last questions for our statistical analysis. How old are you?

COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
18-35
36-50
51-34
65+
[NO ANS]

12
24
37
26
2

11
22
38
26
2

13
27
34
24
2

13. Do you own or rent the place in which you live?

COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
Own
Rent
DK/NA

75
21
3

78
19
3

73
23
4

ELWAY RESEARCH, INC.

 HOMELESSNESS SURVEY

THE SEATTLE TIMES

Page 5 / 6

14. Finally, I am going to list four broad categories. Just stop me when I get to the category

that best describes your approximate household income - before taxes - for this year.
COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
$50,000 or less
$50 to 74,000
$75 to 99,000
$100,000 or more
NA

18
14
16
38
15

19
14
15
38
14

19
15
13
39
15

15. What is your gender?

COUNTY “SUBURB” SEATTLE
MALE
FEMALE

49
51

49
51

47
53

16. As I said earlier, this survey is sponsored by The Seattle Times. A reporter from the

Times may wish to call some people back who participated in this survey to talk about
these issues in more detail. Would it be all right with you if a reporter called you?
59% Agreed (n=400)

17. COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

11%

14%

12%

12%

10%

10%

10%

10%

11%

18. SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

14%

13%

13%

15%

15%

17%

14%

ELWAY RESEARCH, INC.

 THE SEATTLE TIMES

HOMELESSNESS SURVEY

Page 6 / 6

There are a number of reasons why someone might be homeless. As you see it, what is the
most common reason people are homeless?
COUNTY

SUBURB

31%

30%

32%

28
4
2

27
3
2

27
6
1

MENTAL ILLNESS
CHOICES

26%
9%

24%
14%

30%
7%

Won’t work
Their Choice
Wont Help selves
Poor Choices
Lack of Education

3
6
1
1
2

3
6
1
2
2

1
4
1
1
1

44%

40%

51%

11
11
13
4
1
9

11
10
10
2
1
11

12
14
17
5
2
8

13%

17%

12%

1
3
4
1
5
3%

1
3
6
*
7
2%

3
2
1
1
4
2%

ADDICTION
Drugs
Addictions
Alcohol

ECONOMICS
Cant Afford Rent
Jobless
Housing Prices
Economics
Low Wages
Cost of Living

OTHER
Family Problems
Too Many Programs
Lack of Services
Too Many Issues
Misc.
NO ANSWER

ELWAY RESEARCH, INC.

SEATTLE