Undercount of Native Homeless Population in Seattle Highlights Bigger Data Collection Concerns

Undercount of Native homeless population in Seattle highlights bigger data collection concerns

Following the King County Regional Homelessness Authority Point-In-Time Count that showed 4.2 percent of unsheltered individuals identified as American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous, Native-led organizations in Seattle point to larger concerns with data collection and called for the King County Regional Homelessness Authority to acknowledge that the data is flawed.

Undercount of Native Homeless Population in Seattle Highlights Bigger Data Collection Concerns - Underscore Native News

KING COUNTY, Washington — Data collection methods on Native communities continue to be flawed, especially by the federal government. The latest example is King County’s 2026 Point-In-Time Count (PIT Ccount) of unsheltered individuals. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority report showed that 4.2 percent of unsheltered individuals self-identified as American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous. The count happens every two years. However,…