Summary

Executive Dow Constantine announced the opening of the newest Health Through Housing building in Northgate and provided updates on the initiative’s progress to date and what county residents can expect to see moving forward.

Story

Executive Constantine announced today that the Northgate Health Through Housing (HTH) location will begin welcoming people to their new homes on Thursday. Joined by Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), Executive Constantine discussed the initiative, progress to date, and what county residents can expect to see from the program between now and the end of the year.

The Northgate location was purchased in July 2021 and has a total of 115 available units, 20 of which will be reserved for double occupancy. More than 130 people are scheduled to move in this month. This is the fifth opening since the Health Through Housing initiative began, purchasing former hotels last year and preparing them to serve as permanent supportive housing in the region.

“Last year, we set out an ambitious plan to tackle chronic homelessness in our region, and we are making good on that promise, with 971 units purchased to date and nearly 500 opened homes. And now, before this month ends, another 135 people will have a safe and stable place to call home,” said Executive Constantine. “King County will continue to push ahead on our Health Through Housing – steadily selecting operators, opening new locations, and serving residents with the wraparound services they need to take command of their lives.”

"DESC's Health Through Housing Northgate is our next step in providing what we used to call ‘shelter’, evolving from the major changes we made early in the pandemic. Those changes, made to keep people safe, also turned out to be better for our guests overall, reducing stress and allowing them to stabilize and pursue goals," said DESC Executive Director Daniel Malone. "And just as we do in our permanent supportive housing, we will have 24/7 staffing, with supportive services for our guests. As Health Through Housing continues and units become permanent supportive housing, the 1,600 units will be the single greatest commitment to bringing PSH to the scale our community needs."

Last week, King County celebrated the opening of Bertha Pitts Campbell Place in First Hill. This building brings 100 units of supportive housing to the neighborhood. The building is funded by the City of Seattle, and King County is investing in the wraparound services to connect residents to healthcare, behavioral health and/or substance use support, dental care, and housing case managers.

The Health Through Housing initiative continues to move ahead in preparing six of the 10 buildings purchased for occupancy in the next six to 12 months. The Renton building opened in April and welcomed 97 new residents. After a competitive process in partnership with the cities of Auburn and Federal Way, King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) will select the operators in the coming weeks for those locations. Community engagement continues in Kirkland and Redmond. The Bitter Lake building with 100 units of supportive housing will open in early August, and the newly named Salmonberry Lofts in Pioneer Square is forecasted to open in September with 80 units and Chief Seattle Club as the operator.

Relevant links

• Health Through Housing Initiative
• Northgate HTH Announcement | July 2021
• Downtown Emergency Service Center | DESC

Quotes

Last year, we set out an ambitious plan to tackle chronic homelessness in our region, and we are making good on that promise, with 971 units purchased to date and nearly 500 opened homes. And now, before this month ends, another 135 people will have a safe and stable place to call home. King County will continue to push ahead on our Health Through Housing – steadily selecting operators, opening new locations, and serving residents with the wraparound services they need to take command of their lives.

DESC's Health Through Housing Northgate is our next step in providing what we used to call ‘shelter’, evolving from the major changes we made early in the pandemic. Those changes, made to keep people safe, also turned out to be better for our guests overall, reducing stress and allowing them to stabilize and pursue goals. And just as we do in our permanent supportive housing, we will have 24/7 staffing, with supportive services for our guests. As Health Through Housing continues and units become permanent supportive housing, the 1,600 units will be the single greatest commitment to bringing PSH to the scale our community needs.

For more information, contact:

Katie Rogers, Department of Community & Human Services, 206-758-8287