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Posts categorized under Homelessness Archives - Page 3 of 8 - Human Interests

HOPE Team Releases Mid-Year Report

August 18, 2021

Yesterday, the City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) submitted its 2021 Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) report to Seattle City Council providing Quarter 1 (Q1) and Quarter 2 (Q2) data outcomes for the city’s homeless outreach coordination team. The results show that in Q2 (April – June) of this year, the HOPE Team referred the most individuals to shelter and had the most confirmed enrollments into shelter ever recorded by City efforts.

Filed Under: Homelessness

HSD Focuses on Vulnerable Populations in Preparation for Forecasted Extreme Heat

August 12, 2021

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for Seattle and surrounding areas due to forecasted high temperatures above 90 degrees. The warming trend will begin Wednesday and continue through Saturday. The City of Seattle is working together with our regional partners to prepare for these extreme temperatures including monitoring critical infrastructure like power systems, water systems, roadways, and bridges. In addition, the City of Seattle is monitoring the potential for moderate to unhealthy air quality levels on Wednesday to Saturday. A press release sent yesterday by the Mayor’s Office highlighted cooling centers and pools available across the city, and outreach teams are on the ground working with our most vulnerable residents to prevent heat illness in these extreme conditions. You can find a map of locations here.

Filed Under: Healthy Aging, Homelessness, Public Health

Three New Tiny House Village Projects to Offer Even More Spaces

July 28, 2021

Today, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) provided an update to City Council’s Select Committee on Homelessness Strategies and Investments on three tiny house village projects that were previously anticipated to open this summer, as well as on hundreds of other shelter spaces in the pipeline for 2021. The three tiny house projects combined are now expected to provide 120 tiny houses and provide shelter for up to 145 individuals with expected openings in September or October. The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) will operate all three villages, providing wraparound onsite services that will help a person end their experience with homelessness.

Filed Under: Homelessness

HSD prepares its wildfire smoke response to support people experiencing homelessness

July 20, 2021

In addition to the incredible challenges our City has faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our region has seen an increase in extreme weather events over the past year due to climate change, such as record-breaking snow fall in February, all-time record-breaking heat last month, and the severe drought we are currently experiencing across our state. The rising temperatures and dry conditions this spring and summer have contributed to a significant threat of wildfires along the West Coast and an earlier wildfire season than typical. These conditions also make Seattle more susceptible to the harsh impacts of wildfire smoke on the air we breathe. In preparation for a potential poor air quality event this wildfire season, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is engaged in planning, in partnership with Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Public Health—Seattle & King County (PHSKC), to support those living unsheltered by opening up cleaner air shelters if the need arises.

Filed Under: Homelessness, Public Health

Serving the Community: Seattle’s COVID-19 Emergency Food Response

July 8, 2021

The City of Seattle recently released a report about the 2020-2021 emergency food response during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and thanking the many partners involved in supporting our residents. Since the beginning, food security has been a top concern as the unprecedented health and economic crisis dramatically… [ Keep reading ]

Filed Under: Affordability & Livability, Healthy Aging, Homelessness, Public Health, Youth SuccessTagged With:

HSD Staff Respond to Record-Breaking Heatwave

July 1, 2021

In response to record-breaking heat over the last week, City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) employees were in touch with our unsheltered and aging neighbors, worked to set up and staff cooling centers and shelters, assisted in water distribution and logistics, and prepared to serve residents in need and respond to requests from emergency operations.

Filed Under: Healthy Aging, Homelessness, Public Health, Youth Success

Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center to open as an emergency cooling shelter

June 25, 2021

With forecasted record breaking temperatures over the weekend through Monday, June 28, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) announced the planned opening of a 24-hour cooling shelter to provide relief from the elements for individuals experiencing homelessness. The cooling shelter will be open from 8 a.m. this Saturday, June 26, through 7 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29. The shelter will be operated by The Salvation Army with capacity for 73 individuals. Meals will be provided to guests by OSL. To support those living unsheltered in the excessive heat, over the coming days, the HOPE Team, in partnership with outreach providers, will be conducting welfare checks, handing out water and basic needs supplies, and providing other supports, including transportation to cooling centers and shelter. Lake City Community Center (15321 28th Ave NE), which has been serving as a day center, will be open this weekend and Seattle Parks and Recreation has arranged for evaporative cooling at that location. There will be extended hours of operation on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Filed Under: Homelessness

Meeting Notice: Ideas and Interest in Non-Congregate Shelter Communities

June 15, 2021

The City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking input on the potential development of up to three non-congregate shelter communities. Tiny house villages and enhanced shelter have been effective service models that offer people experiencing homelessness a welcoming place to stay, access to essential services, and a pathway to stable, permanent housing. As Seattle seeks to continue to work for its unsheltered residents, we want to know your ideas for creating non-congregate shelter communities and what community partners are interested in getting involved. Feedback procured through community engagement will help to inform potential funding opportunities to stand-up, operate, and provide social and behavioral health services in non-congregate shelter communities in which single-adult households are sheltered in their own structure such as a pallet home, pod, or tiny cabin. Please join us for a virtual Webex meeting to be held on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. This event requires registration to receive the event password.

Filed Under: Funding Opportunities, HomelessnessTagged With:

Human Services Department Provides Update on Three New Tiny House Village Projects

June 2, 2021

All three projects are anticipated to open this summer, operated by the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), and add new shelter capacity The City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) provided an update on three new tiny house village projects set to open this summer that will add over 100 new tiny house units to the City’s shelter system, serving up to 145 individuals. These projects were proposed and approved as part of the 2021 budget and build on the City’s year-long work to address the impacts of COVID-19 by de-intensifying shelters, creating new enhanced shelter space, developing two hotel based shelter programs, and standing-up tiny house villages. This spring, HSD selected the sites, completed a request for proposal process, and selected a provider, LIHI. These programs will offer onsite case management services, including connections to behavioral health supports, and to permanent housing that help end a person’s experience with homelessness. Onsite amenities will also include access to hygiene and communal kitchens.

Filed Under: Homelessness

As the City of Seattle Reimagines Public Safety, Mayor Durkan and Fire Chief Scoggins Announce the Launch of Second Health One Unit Extending Service to University District and Ballard

April 14, 2021

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins announced today the launch of a second Health One unit to expand regular service of the program to Ballard and the University District. The second unit begins operating on April 15 and will be staffed with a team of two specially trained firefighter/EMTs and a case manager from the Human Services Department Aging and Disability Services Division. The team will serve people with non-emergency 9-1-1 calls with issues like substance abuse, non-emergency medical issues and a need to access services. Health One continues to focus on providing alternatives to transporting individuals to hospital emergency departments.

Filed Under: Healthy Aging, Homelessness, Public Health