King County launches mobile shower unit for homeless

King County launched a new mobile shower program last week, designed to provide hygiene resources for the region’s homeless population.

Seattle interactive map shows open, available hygiene facilities

The shower will split time among Kent, Renton, and Seattle, and will be available Monday through Friday starting on April 1.

Funded by federal money from the American Rescue Plan, the four-stall self-contained unit will have clean water, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and towels available on-hand. Private stalls will each come equipped with a sink, toilet, shower, and dressing area, and will be sanitized by staff after each use. It will be capable of providing as many as 250 showers a week, with plans to expand access to more locations later on this year.

“The ability to bathe is basic to human dignity, and something most of us are fortunate to be able to take for granted,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a news release. “The launch of this mobile shower with our partners at Clean the World gives people the chance to feel refreshed, gain confidence, and live healthy lives.”

Eventually, the hope is to have the mobile shower unit provide an entry point to other services for unhoused individuals, including mental health assessments, substance abuse resources, food assistance, clean clothes, medical care, veterinary care for animals, job placement training, and housing access.

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A lack of access to hygiene resources has long been an issue for Seattle’s homeless, with the city having previously shied away from offering such services, particularly to those living in encampments. According to a 2020 report from the Seattle Times, there were few locations where unhoused individuals could access showers, sinks, restrooms, and laundry services in the early days of the pandemic, mostly restricted to public pools and a small handful of select community centers.

Seattle expanded access months later, launching a program to stand up portable restrooms and sinks, while adding a mobile “hygiene trailer” as well.

That’s also been one of the selling points of hotel shelter units, which come equipped with showers and restrooms in each room. That was seen in a study out of the University of Washington, which indicated that homeless individuals living in hotels over 12-month period saw across-the-board improvements to their lives, were showering and shaving regularly, and were more frequently attending medical appointments.

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