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Update on Mayor Durkan’s “Path to 500”

Following Mayor Durkan’s announcement to increase the City of Seattle’s bridge housing and shelter units by 25 percent, the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) has been working with community and agency partners to bring these resources online and available to people experiencing homelessness. With Seattle’s shelters continuing to operate near capacity on a nightly basis, new shelter capacity meets a critical need to create more safe spaces for people sleeping unsheltered throughout the City.

Mayor Durkan’s “Path to 500” plan creates additional shelter capacity for more than 500 people and has already opened 124 new shelter spaces, which serves approximately 150 people. These shelter options are open today:

  • Whittier Heights Women’s Village – 16 new tiny houses to serve women experiencing homelessness
  • City Hall Shelter – 80 new basic shelter beds at Seattle City Hall.
  • YWCA Late Night Motel Vouchers – 20 additional vouchers for families experiencing homelessness.
  • Salvation Army William Booth Center – 8 additional enhanced shelter beds.

In August, approximately 80 additional shelter beds will become available for approximately 100 people:

  • Navigation Center – Adding additional spaces to existing enhanced shelter.
  • True Hope Village – Opening of a new tiny home village in sponsorship with local faith organizations in the Central District
  • Angeline’s – Adding additional spaces to existing enhanced shelter.

You can read more about all of the City Permitted Villages including the potential new villages here.

Under Mayor Durkan’s plan, the City is on track to create approximately 500 new shelter spaces by this Fall. Additional capacity will be created by either adding or building new capacity at existing basic and enhanced shelters including Bailey-Boushay House, which is owned and operated by Virginia Mason Medical Center and serves homeless HIV positive men, will provide emergency shelter for as many as 50 clients beginning in November 2018. As part of these new spaces will be 100 shelter beds at Harborview Hall in partnership with King County, which is working closely with Seattle Department of Constructions and Inspections and the City leadership.

Additionally, Mayor Durkan’s initiative also extends funding for three existing Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) shelters, which will keep 163 beds open for the remainder of the year.

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