There will be a second community meeting on Thursday, June 28 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the 415 Westlake event space (415 Westlake Ave. N.).  Staff from the City and the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) will be present to answer community questions and provide an update on the Aloha Village tiny home village going forward.

Following the last meeting, the City of Seattle conducted an air quality test on the site.  We expect the result in the coming days.  In addition, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed into law her bill to create more than 500 new shelter beds in the next 90 days, to help address Seattle’s urgent homelessness crisis. The legislation increases the number of bridge housing and shelter units in Seattle by 25%, the largest single increase in the City’s history. Seattle has 2,032 shelter spaces, which are 93% full each night.

As part of her plan, approved by City Council on Monday, June 18, the following would be able to move forward with funding now in place:

  • Expanding and creating shelter capacity to create more than 250 additional spaces at places such as the Navigation Center;
  • Creating 75 new space of bridge housing at Haddon Hall through a master lease;
  • Creating approximately 80 spaces at City Hall beginning on June 29;
  • Supporting of Whittier Heights Women’s Village, a tiny home village serving 19 chronically homeless women in 16 tiny homes; and
  • Opening 46 tiny homes in South Lake Union and 30 new tiny homes at 18th and Yesler following community engagement and site approval. These tiny homes would serve approximately 95 people.

The legislation will also allow the City to help maintain 163 shelter beds that would otherwise go offline. Mayor Durkan’s approach includes a variety of strategies to create new resources to bring people off the streets and into safer places. The legislation also provides dedicated beds to serve individuals living unsheltered referred by the City’s Navigation team. Providing more capacity for people living unsheltered to move into safer places like enhanced shelters and tiny home villages makes it easier for them to access services including substance use treatment, mental health care, food, employment support, and case management professionals.