Native organizations question Seattle homelessness count
Leaders say undercount of Native people could affect funding and future planning
Native-led organizations in Seattle are raising concerns that Native people were undercounted in King County's 2026 Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness, according to reporting by Underscore Native News and ICT. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority reported that 4.2% of unsheltered individuals identified as American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous, while leaders at Chief Seattle Club and the Seattle Indian Health Board said the number is likely closer to the 15% reported in 2020. They argued the results could affect funding decisions and resource allocation.
Native leaders criticized the respondent-driven sampling process and federal reporting standards, including the use of a multiracial category that they said can obscure Native representation, according to the Underscore Native News and ICT reporting. Zack Almquist, a University of Washington sociology professor who designed the county's sampling method, said federal reporting standards are the larger issue and called for local reporting that better reflects Native populations. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority did not respond to requests for comment before publication, the news organizations reported.
We provide the independent reporting that non-Native, extractive outlets often overlook. We give our communities the context and the facts they need to make informed decisions.
