"Hooverville" became a common term for shacktowns and homeless encampments during the Great Depression. There were dozens in the state of Washington, and hundreds throughout the country, each testifying to the housing crisis that accompanied the employment crisis of the early 1930s. The city tolerated Hoovervilles until the eve of World War II. Early in 1941, the Seattle Health Department established a Shack Elimination Committee to identify unauthorized housing clusters and plan their removal.

Source: UW Homepage