The stark contrast between Supplemental Security Income and rent prices highlights the urgent need for affordable housing.
A report released last week by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reveals a troubling 18.1% increase in homelessness nationwide in 2024. The data is even more alarming for Washington state, where the number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness surged by 56% (an additional 4,295 people) between 2023 and 2024.
Critics of the Housing First model have seized upon this data as evidence that prioritizing housing is a failed strategy. What they miss is that the rise in homelessness is driven by the staggering number of new people falling into homelessness. While solutions like permanent supportive housing successfully end homelessness, they cannot address the broader economic forces pushing more and more people into housing insecurity.
The cost of living in Washington state, particularly in Seattle, is among the highest in the nation. Housing costs in Seattle are 50% above the national average and HUD’s Fair Market Rent estimates for 2025 paint a bleak picture: the average rent for a small efficiency apartment in the Seattle-Bellevue Metro Area is $2,238 per month. To put this in perspective, rent for these modest units has skyrocketed by $1,467 over the last decade.
While housing costs have soared, income available to people living with disabilities has remained woefully inadequate. For 2025, the maximum benefit for individuals eligible for federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is $967 per month, an amount that is uniform across the nation regardless of regional cost differences. This one-size-fits-all approach leaves recipients in high-cost areas like Seattle struggling to meet even their most basic needs.
How can anyone survive on $967 a month? In today’s economy, that amount barely covers essentials like groceries, clothing, and transportation — let alone housing. For people with profound disabilities, who often rely solely on SSI, the situation is even more dire. These individuals, many of whom have severe mental health challenges and substance use disorders, form the core of DESC’s clientele.
At DESC, we’re working tirelessly to address the housing affordability crisis fueling homelessness. Our mission is to provide permanent supportive housing for the most vulnerable members of our community, those who’ve been homeless for extended periods and face significant barriers due to disabilities. Tenants pay rent set at a level based on their incomes.
Each year, we aim to open new housing facilities, with several projects currently under development. These buildings not only provide a roof over our clients’ heads but also include comprehensive, around-the-clock services tailored to their behavioral and physical health needs.
It has been shown to:
- Reduce the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness
- Improve people’s health and well-being
- Lower public costs associated with crisis services
- Reduce recidivism rates for shelter
Affordable housing is a necessity for everyone, but for those living on the streets with only SSI to rely on, it’s a matter of survival. As housing costs continue to rise and federal support stagnates, our work is more critical than ever. DESC is committed to ensuring that people experiencing long-term homelessness have a safe place to call home, with the support they need to rebuild their lives.
Rent prices and SSI continue to diverge in 2025 as in previous years. Read our 2023 and 2022 posts highlighting this trend.