County launches Interbay modular shelter for COVID-19 response

Meghan Walker Ballard

In an effort to provide services and safe housing for people experiencing homelessness during COVID-19, King County has established a new modular pilot shelter in Interbay.

The enhanced shelter located at 551 Elliott Ave W will offer safe housing and 24/7 onsite services for about 45 people currently experiencing homelessness. The opening is part of King County’s efforts to reduce density in existing congregate shelters that could pose a danger for COVID-19 infection.

“The homelessness crisis is not new in King County, but the advent of the coronavirus in our communities has intensified the struggle and challenge of living without shelter,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement about the opening. “The Elliott Avenue modulars will offer safe housing, access to health and behavioral health care and other onsite services that will not only help residents keep safe now, but also begin to build a pathway out of homelessness.”

The first people to use the shelter will be men, mostly over the age of 55, who are at higher risk of infection due to existing health conditions. A press release from the executive’s office says that the modular shelter will allow the residents constant access to health and behavioral health care. Showers and laundry facilities are onsite, and pets are welcome. Meals and counseling sessions will be staggered in order to ensure safe distancing and disease prevention.

The modular shelter, built on King County land by Emmons Design and Whitley Evergreen, includes housing, a combination meeting and dining room, and offices for case management consultation. There’s also an outdoor area for guests to get outside and move around or rest.

The first guests will move in later this month.

Image: King County

22 thoughts to “County launches Interbay modular shelter for COVID-19 response”

    1. yup. i’m sure they’ll have to practically beg dudes to get off the street and stay there – then they will also require cigarettes, booze, and weed brought to them, etc.

    2. Mr President has been “experiencing homelessness” for 20 years in Ballard.

      At this point I think we should say “happy campers”.

    1. I don’t think anyone is that naive. The City Council needs the homeless so they can keep driving new taxes. The last thing they want is to end the gravy train they’ve enabled.

  7. “Experiencing homelessness” is nothing more than verbal gymnastics. We must put a happy face on these created shreds of human debris. Chaos and a permanent underclass are 2 big requirements of this city. They seem to be the pets of our fearless leaders. Sad. All this largess comes from YOUR back pockets too. Perhaps, just perhaps it’s time to re-think things here and maybe elect a different type of ideology. Just a thought. That, or just keep the insanity.

  8. $62,000 per resident just to create it. This doesn’t count on going costs that are likely to be in excess of $25,000 per resident per year.
    A project like this can only happen when you have no oversight and no accountability. A city tax cut would be far more effective in helping the poor than this cronyism.

  12. Implied in this is people who want to get out of homelessness. That excludes pretty much every meth\heroin addict in the city. The same ones that decline services year after year while injecting heroin into themselves at the Ballard Commons and elsewhere.
    Great for those who want help outta their homeless situation but does nothing to address vagrancy.
    Nice try Seattle. Property crime, public safety, mental health and addiction not addressed in this one. And still more homeless will arrive and taxes will go up to build infrastructure for the more homeless that arrive…. cycle repeat… cycle repeat….
    – 5 years later = “We’ll have to build more than the 100,000 public units we have already to handle the homeless crisis so property taxes are going up again.”

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