KGMI News

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) – As homelessness has exploded along the West Coast, the city of Everett has been trying an array of strategies to tackle homelessness, addiction, untreated mental illness and other problems on its streets.

For starters, the city put together a team that would track the 25 most costly and vulnerable cases, and hover over each one individually until he or she was in treatment or housing.

Officials are also pushing for new permanent supportive housing and sending social workers out with police officers.

The number of unsheltered chronically homeless — those who have been homeless for longer than a year while struggling with a serious mental illness, substance use disorder or physical disability — more than doubled in the Everett region since 2015.

In Bellingham, two people have died within a week of each other due to what the police believe was exposure to the elements.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.