Health Through Housing Initiative

Overview

The Health Through Housing (HTH) Initiative is an innovative approach that accelerates our region’s response to chronic homelessness.

King County is partnering with host cities to create up to 1,600 units of emergency housing and permanent supportive housing for people experiencing or at risk of chronic homelessness.

Through innovative partnerships and close collaboration with city governments, service providers, and local communities, HTH acquires former hotels and other existing buildings and converts them into apartments that are dignified, affordable, and service enriched. HTH offers two types of housing, Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Emergency Housing (EH), both of which feature 24/7 staffing and supports such as:

• Case management
• Employment navigation
• Transportation access
• Connection to physical and behavioral health services

Since its inception, King County has worked with local leaders to identify suitable properties and conduct project planning and community engagement together.

Health Through Housing building updates

• Sharyn Grayson House (Capitol Hill, Seattle) –Lavendar Rights Project (LRP) completed lease up of this site with property management support from Chief Seattle Club. We celebrate achieving full implementation of this program and the 32 people who now call Sharyn Grayson House home.
• The Booker House (Federal Way) –The Urban Leage of Metropolitan Seattle (ULMS) is the housing operator and will begin lease up in December. A local referral process is providing initial referrals and Coordinated Entry will contribute referrals beginning in January.
• Sheila Stanton Place (Kirkland) –Plymouth Housing is the operator of this site, which will begin lease up in December. The name honoring Sheila Stanton, a Kirkland resident and humanitarian champion, was selected for this site in November. All Plymouth Housing policies required by the King County-City of Kirkland Permanent Supportive Housing Agreement have now been signed by the City.
• Haven Heights in Honor of Bruce Thomas (Redmond) -The Salvation Army (TSA) is the housing operator and is currently providing emergency housing to 42 residents. The completion of 100 units of permanent supportive housing (PSH) is anticipated in Q4 2026. TSA partnered with IKRON of Greater Seattle to provide on-site behavioral health services two days per week.
• Don’s Place (Auburn) has 81 units of emergency housing and is at capacity.  Compass Housing Alliance is the housing operator. 
• Sidney Wilson House (Renton) has 103 units and is at capacity. Catholic Community Services (CCS) is the housing operator. Major building renovations are underway with completion anticipated in January.
• Mary Pilgrim Inn in Bitter Lake (Seattle) has 85 units of emergency housing and is at capacity. The Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is the housing operator. Major building renovations are underway. 
• The Gateway in honor of Tenaya Wright in Haller Lake (Seattle) has 113 units of emergency housing and is at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.     
• Salmonberry Lofts in honor of Peter Joe in Pioneer Square (Seattle) has 74 units and is at capacity. Chief Seattle Club is the housing operator.    
• The Argyle in Downtown Seattle is a small, 10-unit mixed-use building owned by King County. Given its unique size, location, and structure, the county is exploring appropriate uses for the site.   
• The Bob G in Queen Anne (Seattle) is closed. The operator, Catholic Community Services, relocated all residents to alternative supportive housing units in 2023 due to building conditions. King County is in the process of determining the best use of this property.  
• The North Star in Bitter Lake (Seattle) has 100 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.    
• Bertha Pitts Campbell Place in the Central District (Seattle) has 100 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. Plymouth Housing is the housing operator.    
• Burbridge Place in Green Lake (Seattle) has 62 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.    
• Sacred Medicine House in Lake City (Seattle) has 120 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. Chief Seattle Club is the housing operator.    
• Bloomside (Burien) has 95 HTH-funded units and at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.   
• Sweetgrass Flats (Seattle) is a new acquisition and rehab project for Chief Seattle Club and is currently leasing up 84 units of PSH now through Q1 2026. HTH committed services funding in 2024 concurrent with a separate King County capital award, making this the 6th operations-only project for HTH and the 15th operational site in the HTH portfolio overall.

How HTH is funded