First Seattle homeless residents moving in to King County’s hotel

A hotel that’s part of King County’s “Health Through Housing” initiative in North Seattle will welcome its first residents this week.

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The former Holiday Inn Express is reopening with a new purpose, states a release from the county executive, “providing safe and secure homes for people exiting chronic homelessness.”

The first 15 residents are scheduled to move by the end of the week, and about 100 will have moved in by the end of next week. This initial group will include residents moving from an emergency shelter in Renton, as well as unsheltered individuals from the North Seattle area.

“This summer when we announced these properties, some openly questioned our resolve — but now people who have been trapped in chronic homelessness are moving into a safe, dignified place of their own,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said. “In just three months, we’ve gone from purchase to opening the doors and people resting their heads on their own pillows. And while we mark an important milestone today, our work continues. Before we are done, some 1,600 people will have left the streets behind and be on a path to better health, greater stability, and a more promising future.”

There will be an onsite provider, DESC, which has a history of providing shelter, housing, treatment, and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness. Meal service will be provided for residents, along with 24/7 case management and a range of other services and supports.

King County has seven other Health Through Housing properties, which are in various stages of development at this time. One of these properties — a former Extended Stay America in Federal Way — is currently serving as temporary, emergency housing for over 100 refugees from Afghanistan, and will continue to do so likely through the end of 2021. It will be a Health Through Housing site in 2022.

The new residents are staying at the former Extended Stay America hotel, which was purchased in July as part of the #HealthThroughHousing initiative to house people experiencing chronic homelessness in King County.

Read more about it here: https://t.co/f1O6luJjuI

— Dow Constantine (@kcexec) October 26, 2021

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By the end of 2022, the county will have created up to 1,600 emergency housing and permanent supportive housing units.

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