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Seattle Human Services news and events

City opens severe weather shelter at City Hall

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SEATTLE (December 16, 2016) – As the region’s cold weather continues, the Seattle Human Services Department will open an emergency co-ed adult shelter at Seattle City Hall (601 5th Ave) from tonight, Friday, December 16, through Sunday night, December 18. This co-ed shelter will be open from 7 PM to 7 AM and has room for 100 people. Pets will be allowed and no referral is necessary to access the emergency shelter.

The emergency shelter at City Hall is opening as an alternative to the Seattle Center emergency shelter, which is unavailable this weekend. Individuals looking for shelter from freezing temperatures are encouraged to come to City Hall and enter from the 4th Avenue entrance. The severe weather shelter will serve individuals 18 and older and will be operated out of the Bertha Knight Landes room. It will be operated by the Salvation Army.

The forecast currently calls for below freezing temperatures, creating extremely cold conditions in Seattle. For the most current forecast, please visit the National Weather Service website. For more information on how to prepare for winter weather, please visit Take Winter By Storm. Additionally, for up-to-date information pertaining to impacts in the City of Seattle please sign up for AlertSeattle at Alert.Seattle.gov

 

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Seattle Human Services Department announces $1.3M in Bridging the Gap funding

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New grants will increase shelter capacity and fund the storage of belongings for those experiencing homelessness

Seattle, WA (December 15, 2016) – This week, the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for over $1.3M to fund increased shelter access for those experiencing homelessness and storage for their belongings. Approximately $1.1M will be devoted to adding 100 new, low barrier shelter options. In addition, $200,000 will be devoted to increasing storage opportunities for safekeeping the belongings of those currently living unsheltered.

 

This week’s announcement of funding is part of the Bridging the Gap plan, announced in October, a set of interim steps the City will take to assist those experience homelessness while the City implements Pathways Home. Pathways Home is Seattle’s plan to transform our homeless services system by focusing our investments on the goal of getting people into stable housing.

 

“We must continue to creatively expand shelter options that address the unique needs of each individual living unsheltered,” said Human Services Department Director Catherine Lester. “Expanding low-barrier shelter and ensuring that people have access to safe storage for their belongings are immediate steps we can take to improve the lives of those experiencing homelessness.”

 

The 100 new shelter beds will be dedicated to individuals referred from city-funded outreach teams, which are conducting outreach to those living unsheltered and working to connect them with resources. Eligible shelter costs could be staff and operating costs, expansion of existing shelter to add beds or capital/facility repair and improvements.

 

This is one time funding for the period of March 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017, though projects will be eligible to apply for ongoing funding through HSD’s Pathways Home RFP for 2018 contracts. The $1.3M for Bridging the Gap Shelter and Storage is funded by City of Seattle General Fund.

 

The City of Seattle will also send out a Letter of Interest (LOI) to the business, corporate, faith, and nonprofit communities to call for innovative solutions for our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. This LOI is asking for donated or rate-reduced space and resources.  Responses from the LOI will provide additional resources for the services proposed in the Bridging the Gap Shelter and Storage RFP. Learn more about the LOI on the Human Services Department’s Bridging the Gap Shelter and Storage RFP page.

 

The application deadline for proposals is Friday, January 20, 2017 at 12:00pm (noon). Those with questions are encouraged to attend an information session Wednesday, December 21, 2016 from 9:00am to 11:00am:

 

The 2100 Building
2100 24th Ave. S
Seattle, WA 98144

 

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The Seattle Human Services Department is one of the largest contributors to Seattle’s safety net. HSD provides $89 million in funding through 400 contracts to nearly 200 agencies supporting Seattle’s most vulnerable residents each year. The department works closely with its community partners, including other public and nonprofit funders and service providers, to understand current and emerging human service needs, and to create and invest in a comprehensive and integrated regional human services system.

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Seattle announces three new authorized encampment sites

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SEATTLE (December 1, 2016) —Today, the Human Services Department announced the siting of three new temporary sanctioned encampments for individuals living unsheltered in Seattle. This action is part of the Bridging the Gap plan, announced in October, to better address the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness while the City fully implements its long-term plan, Pathways Home.

Together, the following three new sanctioned encampments will serve more than 200 people starting in early 2017:

  1. 1000 S Myrtle Street will contain up to 50 tiny houses serving 60-70 people.
  2. 8620 Nesbit Ave N. will contain up to 50 tiny houses serving 60-70 people.
  3. 9701 Myers Way S will contain up to 50 tents serving 60-70 people.

“Today’s announcement recognizes our need to provide safer alternatives to the people living unsheltered on our streets as we work to implement Pathways Home,” said Catherine Lester, Director of the Human Services Department. “We remain committed to our long-term plan to transform our homeless services system and focus our investments on getting people off the streets and into housing. In the meantime, we will continue the work of increasing our outreach efforts, implementing a more compassionate set of protocols when cleanups are necessary and offering trash and needle pickup services.”

In October, Mayor Murray announced the Bridging the Gap plan, which recognizes that the City should not displace unauthorized encampments that do not pose an imminent health or safety risk or do not unlawfully obstruct a public use, unless the City can offer those living there a safer alternative place to live. The plan reflects the principles laid out by the Task Force on Unsheltered Cleanup Protocols.

That announcement came a month after Mayor Murray announced Pathways Home, Seattle’s plan to transform our homeless services system by focusing our investments on the goal of getting people into stable housing. The plan aims to eliminate barriers to better meet the individualized needs of those experiencing homelessness, shift investments where necessary to achieve the goal of moving people into housing, and increase accountability to this goal through performance-based contracting.

The first of the authorized encampments is scheduled to open in early January.

Additional information about the Mayor’s actions to address homelessness can be found here.

 

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