Housing and Homelessness
Mission
We envision a world in which every person has a safe and stable place to call home. To that end we support and partner with organizations that provide:
Emergency shelter (including families and women)
Transitional housing
Permanent affordable housing
Homelessness prevention
See this chart for a list of our housing partners and the services they provide to those experiencing homelessness.
For more information, questions, or if you’d like to know more about how you can get involved, contact Jack Staudt through the church office.
Homelessness FACTS…
Homelessness can be brutal, debilitating, and traumatic. Without stable and on-going support, the physical, mental, and emotional stressors are overwhelming.
Homelessness is a systemic failure
People experience homelessness because of economic conditions such as high cost of living, limited number of affordable/low-income housing units, low-wage jobs, lack of access to health care and mental health treatment, and more.
People do not choose to be homelessness
Homelessness is dangerous, stressful, and humiliating. Rising rents, loss of job, domestic violence, are some of the many reasons that can cause people to lose their home.
Addiction is a serious issue for the housed and unhoused
Addiction can be a result of homelessness and a cause of homelessness. Drug use and addiction are conditions in need of treatment, and there is a serious lack of treatment beds in King County.
Providing services is not a cause of rising homelessness
According to 2019 data, 84% of those experiencing homelessness claimed Seattle as their last place of residence. Only 5% moved to King County from out of State. 46% were born in King County or had lived in King County for ten years or more.
Source: Washington Low-Income Housing Alliance
Programs Supported by Holy Spirit’s Social Justice Funds
Friends of Youth – Kirkland—Emergency housing, Transitional housing, Support services and counseling
Friends of Youth accompanies youth and young families as they achieve and surpass their goals—while facing circumstances of homelessness, foster care and behavioral health challenges. Drop-in services provide basic needs resources for young adults including shelter, food, showers, laundry, clothing and hygiene materials. They provide emergency shelter and transitional living for youth ages 7 - 17, with access to case management, behavioral health and employment services, as well as life skills and education support, recreational outings and programs that focus on housing stability and family reunification whenever possible.
LWUMC Safe Parking Program—Emergency housing, Support services and counseling
Lake Washington United Methodist Church offers their parking lot to guests as a safe place to park, sleep in their cars, and become part of their church community. Volunteer hosts come every evening so guests have access to the indoor bathrooms, kitchen, and phone, and are able to provide information on community resources available, including where to shower and do laundry.
Attain Housing/Hopelink—Transitional housing, Preventing evictions, Support services and counseling
Attain Housing has partnered with Hopelink, who is now operating Attain Housing’s properties to provide the highest quality services to families residing there, providing stability and helping people gain the skills and knowledge they need to exit poverty for good. Families work closely with a skilled case manager to identify strengths, overcome obstacles, and set and meet goals designed to find and maintain permanent housing.
The Sophia Way—Emergency housing, Support services and counseling
The Sophia Way operates two shelters that provide safety and stability to more than a hundred women every day. Helen’s Place is an emergency shelter that is open 24/7/365, offering women the care and comfort they need, while being supported in navigating their individual journey to stability and housing. Sophia’s Place has both a walk-in day center, as well as an extended-stay shelter that provides a safe, warm, and stable space to 21 women for six months. Support and services are available 24/7, with access to showers, laundry computer, phones, nourishing meals, and support case management.
New Bethlehem Programs—Emergency housing, Support services and counseling
Managed and supported by Catholic Community Services, and in partnership with other local faith-based congregations, New Bethlehem Programs offer day center and shelter services for families that are experiencing homelessness. The New Bethlehem Day Center provides easy access to essential services including showers, grab-and-go meals, laundry, onsite case management, and a comprehensive network which works together to return families to stable permanent housing as soon as possible. The New Bethlehem Place Shelter (NBP) located at Salt House Church, provides enhanced 24/7, enhanced shelter to families experiencing homelessness. Families enrolled in the shelter program have access to case management to identify and address barriers to housing. New Bethlehem Place is also operating a hotel-based shelter in response to the pandemic, located in Kirkland. By providing non-congregate shelter options, NBP is reducing occupancy at the main shelter facility while increasing the number of families experiencing homelessness that can receive services.
PorchLight (formerly Congregations for the Homeless)—Emergency housing, Transitional housing, Support services and counseling
PorchLight provides a variety of supportive services and also partners with other outside providers to ensure they best meet the diverse needs of their clients. Services include case management, housing navigation, mental health, addiction support, and employment navigation. They also help connect men to other resources such as medical and dental care, legal assistance, disability services, and veteran support services.
LifeWire—Emergency housing, Transitional housing, Support services and counseling
LifeWire helps adults, children, and youth who have been impacted by domestic violence build safer and healthier lives by offering support, resources, and professional services. They work with youth and young adults to develop healthy foundations early in life, preventing future violence. LifeWire’s newly renovated Hope Starts Here apartments is a 25-unit complex with ADA accessibility, serving as both emergency and transitional housing for families fleeing and seeking safety, stability, and healing from domestic violence. My Sister’s Home, LifeWire’s confidential emergency shelter, serves families and individuals facing lethal situations. Because their shelter has individual apartments, they can welcome all types of families and individuals. In addition to housing services, residents receive family and children’s advocacy services. My Friend’s Place is their communal living shelter, providing confidential transitional housing and supportive services for families healing from both domestic violence and chemical dependency. They also have short-term rental assistance programs to support families as they transition into safe and stable housing.
Imagine Housing—Permanent housing, Support services and counseling
Imagine Housing believes that finding a safe, stable, and affordable home is the first step toward achieving long term stability. Their Case Managers serve as community focal points as well as critical links to external service partners and resources, tailored to the specific needs of the residents. Imagine Housing currently manages five different affordable housing communities in the Kirkland area, fostering sustainable housing by ensuring safe and stable home environments. They help residents with basic needs supplies, such as hygiene and cleaning supplies, connect residents to community health and social services, education, healthcare, and employment partners, provide information about and referrals for community resources, and build a sense of community at each of their properties through group events.
Compass Housing Alliance—Transitional housing, Permanent housing, Support services and counseling
In a period of rising rents and a high cost of living, Compass Housing Alliance’s permanent housing properties provide affordable housing for income-eligible families and individuals. Among their properties, they offer independent living for seniors, supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals, and affordable apartments for low-income and working-class households. They believe that healthy communities are socially and economically diverse, bringing together people from all walks of life, with the vision that everyone in their community has a safe place to call home.
For more information, questions, or if you’d like to know more about how you can get involved, contact Jack Staudt through the church office.