Conversations on homelessness: Skid Road with Josephine Ensign - lessons from our past to inform our future
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
|
|
| Severe Weather Shelter at St. Dunstan's |
| Shelter at St. Dunstan's |
| Severe weather shelter at St. Dunstan's |
| Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter at St. Dunstan’s Church will be open Tuesday Photo courtesy St. Dunstan's |
| Seattle Mennonite Church in Lake City |
| Overnight shelter at St. Dunstan's |
| The cold weather shelter at St. Dunstan's |
| Sen. David Frockt |
| Beverly Hawkins, Human Services Champion |
One nomination noted, “Her sense of oneness with all the campers is boundless, and as a black woman helping campers who are mostly white, she also teaches them how to ignore the differences in people and focus on what they have in common – a need for safety, security, and at least minimal comfort, dignity, respect and a sense of community. This is her focus daily – not for herself, but for others.”
The CUWS Board implores all reading this to look at all properties they own or control or know about and tell us if there is a possibility for CUWS to put its camp there for 3 to 6 months – now or sometime in the next two years.
The former Holiday Inn America at 13300 Aurora was previously purchased with Health Through Housing funds and is in operation now. Photo courtesy King County. |
“Health Through Housing is a game changer and an investment in making major progress toward combating our county’s homelessness crisis,” said King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles.“Not only does this program show our communities we are taking thoughtful and cost-effective action, but goes beyond that by providing actual housing with dignity. A kitchen, a bathroom, a quiet and safe living space — along with supportive services — are all essential to promoting safety and support for houseless individuals as they exit out of the brutal cycle of poverty.”
| The Oaks photo from Google maps |
| The Mary Pilgrim Inn will house 100 people Photo courtesy King County |
“This summer when we announced these properties, some openly questioned our resolve – but now people who have been trapped in chronic homelessness are moving into a safe, dignified place of their own,” said Executive Constantine.
“In just three months, we’ve gone from purchase to opening the doors and people resting their heads on their own pillows. And while we mark an important milestone today, our work continues. Before we are done, some 1,600 people will have left the streets behind and be on a path to better health, greater stability, and a more promising future.”
In North Seattle, there are ongoing engagement efforts with local residents experiencing chronic homelessness, including at the encampments in the Bitter Lake area, and King County will provide resources to help provide housing to individuals from the community at the two North Seattle properties.
| arian malek khosravi on unsplash |
“King County is committed to supporting tenants and local property owners alike to get through the financial hardships of this lingering pandemic,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.
“We moved with urgency to implement new federal rules and reassigned dozens of staff to process a flood of applications.
"Today, our community partnerships are strong, our data system is working well, and our team is getting millions of dollars out weekly to stabilize both landlords and tenants across the county.”More information here
My first month as Executive Director has been a wonderful mix of learning opportunities, healthy challenges, and smiles a plenty.
Among the highlights has been the first-hand witness of the care and thoughtfulness of our Staff and Board Members.
Our Lake City Partners team is truly up for the challenge!
![]() |
| Shelter residents cleaning up around the facility. Photo courtesy The Oaks |
![]() |
| St. Dunstan's houses the Severe Winter Shelter |
![]() |
| Shelter guests are warm, dry, and fed for the night |
![]() |
| Sen. David Frockt, D-46 |
“The goal of this fund was for the state to partner with local governments, nonprofits and the private sector more aggressively to make more units available rapidly – not in three or four years but within months.
"I am pleased that this initial round appears to be moving toward that goal. I think there are likely to be more units rapidly developed in Seattle and King County in upcoming rounds of funding.
“Our state goal needs to be to join with local communities to get people living in parks, tents, under bridges and in other unsheltered spaces in our cities, under a roof with the supports they need.
“The kinds of housing that these grants bring online—temporary housing where people have their own rooms, permanent supportive housing where people can receive the behavioral health treatment they need—are critical.
"I am under no illusions that this is easy or that every placement is 100% successful for these individuals. But the crisis is right before our eyes in this city and has been for years, and we have no choice but to keep working to improve the situation.
“Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the local governments to use the tools the state has provided, be it direct grants, housing vouchers funds, permanent supportive dollars, and bonding and sales tax authority, to create the housing ecosystem to meet the needs of this population and to improve the quality of life for all the residents of our city.
“The long-term solution to homelessness is to build more supportive housing across our state. But given how much time is needed for construction, we have to take immediate steps to rectify the unacceptable situations that many of our neighbors find themselves in.
"That is why I am calling for an additional investment of up to $400 million in rapid housing out of remaining federal relief funds when the Legislature next meets.”
“The downturn in the real estate market due to the pandemic made it possible for three newly constructed apartment buildings to be purchased as permanent supportive housing for vulnerable homeless people.
"Thanks to the State’s Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program, the Low Income Housing Institute will soon move in 180 people currently living on the streets, shelters and tiny houses into studio apartments. We appreciate the leadership from Governor Inslee and the Legislature in innovating this new program to address homelessness.”
© Blogger template The Professional Template II by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009
Back to TOP