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JANUARY 2025, ISSUE 22
ACCESS: HEALTH THROUGH HOUSING
The official e-newsletter for King County's Health Through Housing
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King County's Health Through Housing (HTH) initiative awarded Chief Seattle Club's Sweetgrass Flats with operating funds for up to five years. Sweetgrass Flats is creating permanent supportive housing (PSH) opportunities for chronically homeless American Indians and Alaska Natives. Initially developed by a private developer, Sweetgrass Flats is a rapid acquisition for Chief Seattle Club; they will convert the building's 84 units into PSH, with three units for program staff.
"We are honored to receive this transformative funding award for Sweetgrass Flats which will allow us to provide 84 units of permanent supportive housing for our members. This milestone brings us closer to achieving our goal of 1,000 housing units by 2030,” said Derrick Belgarde, Executive Director of Chief Seattle Club. “King County has been a transformative partner as a funder, thought leader, and collaborator as we jointly tackle the housing and homelessness crises facing our region."
HTH operations-only buildings are HTH locations that receive HTH funds to cover the cost of operations, programming, and services such as case management tailored to individual needs and enrichment programming focused on educational attainment, job readiness, and transportation access. Of the 11 HTH locations currently open, five are operations-only buildings.
When it opens, Sweetgrass Flats will be the third HTH location operated by Chief Seattle Club. Sacred Medicine House in Seattle's Lake City neighborhood opened last year and is also an HTH operations-only building; Salmonberry Lofts, a King County owned HTH location in Seattle's Pioneer Square community, opened in December 2022.
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Sweetgrass Flats is also supported by King County's Housing Finance Program (HFP) and is one of nine affordable housing developments awarded in the region. Announced earlier this month, these capital awards totaled $26 million in funding that will generate 848 new homes, 66 renovated rental units, and 25 new home ownership units across King County over the next five years. The investments prioritize affordable housing for people with the lowest incomes, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and locations close to public transit.
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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
HTH News
Team Update
By the Numbers
Building Updates
Quick Links
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Shanna Clinton (she/her) joined the Health Through Housing team in October 2023 as HTH's Systems, Services, and Quality Manager. In her new role as Assistant Manager, Shanna will help oversee all aspects of the HTH initiative, focusing on program operations and strategy.
For over 6 years, Shanna also worked in King County's Behavioral Health and Recovery Division to administer programs that provide high-support and low-barrier services to people with serious behavioral health conditions, many of whom were experiencing homelessness or in permanent supportive housing.
"Our work in Health Through Housing is a series of opportunities to build, reform, and empower health and human service systems which are more ethical, efficient, humane, just, and effective than our society has developed yet," said Shanna. "I'm grateful to work with smart people who have stellar values and incredible skills toward improving health, wellness, and equity in our community."
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HTH Capitol Hill (Seattle) will be operated by Lavender Rights Project with property management support from Chief Seattle Club and is expected to welcome residents this year. Construction has begun to make improvements to the building. A community engagement event was held last month to meet neighbor residents and businesses, provide information about the program, and answer questions.
- HTH Federal Way – King County selected a general contractor to complete property updates required by the City of Federal Way. Construction mobilization is set to being in February. In anticipation of the building's opening, the local referral process and community engagement planning is underway with the City of Federal Way and Urban League, the housing operator.
- HTH Kirkland – Plymouth Housing is the housing operator and is collaborating with King County and the City of Kirkland to develop a Community Relations Plan and other required documents. Meetings with neighboring businesses and property owners are ongoing as part of this process. The procurement of a general contractor is being finalized.
- Haven Heights in Honor of Bruce Thomas (Redmond) - The Salvation Army is the housing operator and is currently serving 15 residents as phased construction occurs to prepare additional units. King County selected a general contractor; construction is set to start this spring.
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Don’s Place (Auburn) has 81 units and is at capacity. Compass Housing Alliance is the housing operator.
- Sidney Wilson House (Renton) has 107 units and is at capacity. Catholic Community Services (CCS) is the housing operator.
- Mary Pilgrim Inn in Bitter Lake (Seattle) has 85 units and is at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.
- The Gateway in honor of Tenaya Wright in Haller Lake (Seattle) has 113 units and is at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.
- Salmonberry Lofts in honor of Peter Joe in Pioneer Square (Seattle) has 76 units and is at capacity. Chief Seattle Club is the housing operator.
- The Argyle in Downtown Seattle is a small, 10-unit mixed-use building owned by King County. Given its unique size and structure, the county is exploring appropriate uses for the site.
- The Bob G in Queen Anne (Seattle) is closed for major renovations. The operator, Catholic Community Services, relocated all residents to alternative supportive housing units in 2023. King County is in the process of determining the scope of work necessary for conversion into permanent supportive housing.
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The North Star in Bitter Lake (Seattle) has 100 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.
- Bertha Pitts Campbell Place in the Central District (Seattle) has 100 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. Plymouth Housing is the housing operator.
- Burbridge Place in Green Lake (Seattle) has 62 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. DESC is the housing operator.
- Sacred Medicine House in Lake City (Seattle) has 120 HTH-funded units and is at capacity. Chief Seattle Club is the housing operator.
- Bloomside (Burien) has 95 HTH-funded units and is near capacity. DESC is the housing operator.
For additional information about HTH, visit our King County webpage.
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Check out the DCHS Blog for updates and information: DCHS Blog
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