Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact Information
Ansel Herz
ansel.herz@seattle.gov
206-889-2005
Mayor Wilson’s Shelter Acceleration Opens 90 New Tiny House Shelter Units to Reduce Homelessness
SEATTLE — Today, Mayor Wilson, Governor Chris Gregoire of Challenge Seattle, and local leaders opened a new site of 90 tiny houses in partnership with the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI).
Cloverleaf Tiny House Village, operated by LIHI and located in the South Park neighborhood, is funded with nearly $2.8 million in grants from the Shelter Accelerator Fund, a public-private initiative between the City of Seattle and Challenge Seattle to speed up shelter capacity. Seattle Foundation helped to establish the Fund.
“This is your city. Our public spaces belong to the public, which means that people who are down on their luck need somewhere to stay besides our parks and rights of way. Cloverleaf Village isn't just ninety tiny houses. It's ninety chances for someone to come inside and catch their breath,” said Mayor Katie Wilson. “What makes this project special is that it doesn't just offer shelter, it offers stability: a case manager who knows your name, a kitchen to cook a meal in, a door you can lock behind you, and the ability to get back on your feet. I'm grateful to the Low Income Housing Institute, Challenge Seattle, and Seattle Foundation for stepping up as partners with the City of Seattle. This is how we build a city and a future where everyone has a place to call home.”
Mayor Wilson’s proposed budget funds $183 million in ongoing investments to address homelessness including $37 million to add nearly 1,000 new shelter beds by the end of 2027, serving an estimated 1,750 people annually. Last week, Mayor Wilson announced a shift in strategy, utilizing the nationally-proven Community Solutions framework and expanding a successful Pioneer Square pilot program to other neighborhoods.
“We cannot accept chronic homelessness as the status quo in Seattle. We need solutions that provide people with safe, stable shelter and connect them with the treatment and services they need,” said former Governor Chris Gregoire, CEO of Challenge Seattle. “That’s why Challenge Seattle and our members, including Microsoft, John Stanton and Terry Gillespie, T-Mobile, and Starbucks, are stepping up with investments to support Mayor Wilson’s efforts. This is what public-private partnership should look like: bringing resources and leadership together to tackle one of our city’s toughest challenges and deliver results."
The 90 units in Cloverleaf Village are 8’x12’, fully insulated, and have power, heating, a/c, windows, and furnishings, as well as staff on site 24/7. Shared facilities include a kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, case management spaces, community spaces, and a dog run. There will be a Community Advisory Council with nearby residents, business owners, and community leaders which will hold monthly public meetings to offer input and oversight of the village.
“Seattle is in a housing crisis as available shelters and affordable housing options have failed to keep pace with the growing need. At the Low Income Housing Institute, we work to help close that gap. Last year we sheltered over 1,663 adults and children in tiny houses,” said Sharon Lee, Executive Director of LIHI. “We’re grateful to have built Cloverleaf Village with the Shelter Accelerator Fund, which allowed us to respond to this crisis with the urgency it deserves. We’re looking forward to providing wrap-around services and pathways to permanent housing for people living here.”
Cloverleaf Village is part of Mayor Wilon’s shelter accelerator plan announced in September which combines 960 units by the end of 2027 with a focus on what people need to reach stability. It shifts from small, incremental increases to a strategy that makes meaningful progress for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. It includes investments to better connect people to services and housing, more specialized support for people with complex needs, and approximately $11.2 million in 2027 to help households at risk of homelessness remain housed.
“The opening of Cloverleaf Village represents what's possible when philanthropy, government, and community organizations come together to ensure every person has a safe place to call home,” said Alesha Washington, President and CEO, Seattle Foundation. “Seattle Foundation helped establish the Shelter Accelerator Fund to move solutions like Cloverleaf Village forward, and we will continue to explore innovative approaches so more people in our region have the opportunity to thrive.”
The City will continue to engage private-sector and philanthropic partners to leverage and expand the impact of public investment, including for new shelter projects. Philanthropic support not only can accelerate projects but helps preserve City funding for ongoing operations costs. City departments will build on this approach in the coming years looking for opportunities to stretch public dollars and expand capacity beyond with can be achieved through City funding alone.
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