Community groups tell Mason County commissioners homelessness has risen and Youth Connection remodel is on schedule

During the open forum on May 12, two nonprofit representatives praised county staff and shared program updates and local homelessness data.

Susan Kirchoff, executive director and founder of Youth Connection, thanked commissioners for their work and said the organization’s remodel is on track, with the project expected to go to bid in about 30 days. Kirchoff said she attended the prior meeting and wanted to express appreciation for county support.

Tamara Ink Wilson of New Horizon Communities also thanked the commissioners and invited them to a Sept. 19 fundraising event. Wilson cited the organization’s data showing the local unhoused count rose from 238 in 2002 to 435 in 2025 — a figure she called an 82% increase — and noted that housing an individual averages about $52 per person per day compared with an estimated $96 per person per day in community impact costs. She encouraged coordination to address homelessness and pointed commissioners to New Horizon Communities’ 2025 annual report online.