Seaside’s Mill Ponds homeless encampment during a recent storm.

Seaside joined Clatsop County and other cities along the North Coast in passing a resolution seeking greater state assistance to address homelessness.

Housing and homelessness have been dominant issues on the North Coast.

In a Jan. 26 letter to Gov. Tina Kotek, read at the Feb. 12 City Council meeting, Mayor Steve Wright and councilors said they fully supported the county’s findings and requested greater funding in the county.

Clatsop County and the city of Seaside face critical conditions, councilors wrote the governor. Clatsop County has had among the highest rates of homelessness per capita in Oregon.

“Our homeless population is also exposed to some of the harshest weather conditions in the state with the coastal environment, including high winds and heavy rain, making conditions dangerous for our homeless population,” city officials said in their letter.

The city simply does not have resources like metropolitan areas to combat the homelessness crisis on its own, they wrote. Many residents, businesses and charitable organizations have stepped up to provide relief to the local homeless population.

Seaside has spent in excess of an unbudgeted $130,000 on homeless services since April 2022, when they began tracking the costs.

Efforts have stretched the city’s capacity and finances, making it difficult to do more.

“If Seaside is going to be successful in reducing homelessness, we will need partners like the county and state to help fund those strategies,” city officials said.