Ballard Urban Rest Stop to open soon – open house on Oct. 1

The city’s newest Urban Rest Stop is nearing completion in Ballard, and there will be an open house for community members to see the facility. The Low Income Housing Institute’s (LIHI) Urban Rest Stops are hygiene facilities for the homeless; there are currently two others in Seattle, one downtown and one in the University District. The Ballard rest stop is at the base of Cheryl Chow Court (2014 NW 57th St), and the doors will be open from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 for anyone who wants to check it out. They’ll have a brief program at 4:30 p.m. to talk about the hygiene center.

LIHI developed the rest stops to provide a place for homeless to take showers, do laundry, and receive referrals to housing and services. The facility will be in full swing by Monday, Oct. 12, and services will be provided Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Ballard facility has been in the works for several years; the site was first identified back in 2012. Sharon Lee, Executive Director of LIHI, told King 5 that many people who use the other rest stops in Seattle have jobs, and rely on the center to get ready for work. “They’re working in full-time jobs, part time work, or even day labor and as long as they can clean up and be ready, it’s making a big difference in their lives.”