King County – New King County data from the Department of Community & Human Services (DCHS) shows jail bookings declined nearly 27% in the first year after people moved into housing and continued to fall over time, reaching a 37.6% reduction within three years. An analysis of 5,371 residents between 2021 and 2025 found that 81% of residents with a recent jail booking experienced a reduction after entering housing, with declines observed across all racial and ethnic groups included in the analysis. 

The findings are a new addition to the Health Through Housing dashboard, which provides key outcomes to support transparency and ongoing learning about the initiative.  While all other dashboard metrics focus solely on Health Through Housing residents and locations, the jail bookings data draws from all adult-serving supportive housing programs across King County. The findings underscore what providers and residents consistently report: stability in housing can interrupt cycles of homelessness and repeated involvement with the criminal-legal system while creating pathways to long-term stability. 

"Breaking the cycle of homelessness starts with providing housing," said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. " Every person deserves the stability of a safe place to call home. This data shows that when people have a stable place to live, they're less likely to cycle through our jail system. That's better for individuals, better for the broader community, and a reminder that housing is one of the most effective investments we can make." 

This latest data release comes after last year’s findings showed stable and dignified housing with services supported improved health outcomes for Health Through Housing’s residents.  

"The data confirms what residents, providers, and communities experience every day: housing creates the stability people need to move forward," said Dr. Susan McLaughlin, DCHS Director. "Many people enter supportive housing after years of navigating homelessness, health challenges, and repeated crises. When people have a safe place to live and access to support, they are better able to focus on their health, reconnect with their communities, and build a more stable future." 

Stable housing with services helps break cycles of homelessness and crisis-system involvement 

Lack of stable housing can increase the likelihood of interactions with the criminal-legal system, creating additional barriers to stability and well-being. When people are living outside, they are more likely to come into contact with law enforcement through low-level infractions or survival-related circumstances such as citations for sleeping in public spaces or other enforcement actions tied to lack of housing. These interactions can, in turn, create additional barriers to stability, including challenges with employment and housing access. Housing with services for people experiencing chronic homelessness is designed to interrupt this cycle by providing stable housing without preconditions, alongside voluntary supportive services. 

The analysis was conducted by King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), which oversees the Health Through Housing initiative and other affordable housing and homelessness response programs. The findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting housing as a foundation for stability, recovery, and long-term well-being. 

“This analysis comes at an important moment,” said Daniel Malone, DESC Executive Director. “The data shows that when people have access to supportive housing with services, they experience greater stability over time. These are outcomes that benefit not only residents, but the broader community as well. Sustaining that progress requires continued partnership and commitment across every level of government, alongside nonprofit providers and community organizations. As homelessness continues to impact communities throughout our region, it is critical that we protect and strengthen investments in supportive housing and services that help people remain housed.” 

About the analysis  

The analysis matched jail booking records from seven local facilities with housing data for 5,371 residents enrolled in adult-serving permanent supportive housing programs between 2021 and 2025. The data reflects nearly all local jail bookings in King County but does not include state prisons, federal facilities, or some smaller and tribal jurisdictions. 

The findings are particularly notable because many residents entered housing after experiencing significant instability.  

Overall, 38% of residents had at least one jail booking in the five years prior to being permanently housed. This reflects any recorded jail booking in the available local data during that period. Jail bookings may include a range of circumstances, including administrative or court-related matters such as warrants or failures to appear, and do not necessarily indicate new criminal activity or the nature or severity of an offense.  

Following placement into housing, jail bookings declined significantly and those reductions were sustained over multiple years. 

“These findings reflect what providers see every day,” said Derrick Belgarde, Chief Executive Officer of the Chief Seattle Club. “When people have a stable home and access to supportive services, they are better able to move beyond crisis and focus on their health, relationships, and future. Through our partnership with King County as its only Native-led housing provider, we have expanded culturally responsive housing opportunities for Native people experiencing homelessness, and this data reinforces the impact that stable housing can have on long-term well-being and stability.”  

Housing improves outcomes across communities while disparities persist 

While reductions in jail bookings were observed across all racial and ethnic groups included in the analysis, the findings also highlight longstanding inequities. Prior to entering housing, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents were more likely to have a history of jail bookings than other groups. While bookings declined across all racial and ethnic groups after entering housing, disparities remained. 

While the analysis does not examine the reasons for individual jail bookings, it found a strong association between stable housing and reduced bookings over time. 

“It is encouraging to see improvements across all racial and ethnic groups, but the disparities highlighted in this analysis cannot be ignored,” said Belgarde. “Native people continue to experience homelessness and involvement with crisis systems at disproportionately high rates because of generation of systemic inequities. While these findings show that stable housing and supportive services can help create greater stability, they also remind us that we must continue investing in culturally grounded housing and services so that Native communities and other communities of color have equitable opportunities to thrive.” 

King County continues to invest in strategies that address the root causes of homelessness and create pathways to long-term stability for residents across the region.