King County has awarded $475,416 in Homeless housing funds to rehabilitate the Holly Creek Apartments, 1919 Kent Des Moines Rd. in Des Moines, to provide 18 units of permanent affordable housing for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.

The King County Housing Authority (KCHA) also has received a $588,674 grants from Homeless Housing and Mental Illness and Drug Dependency funds to rehabilitate a 32-unit unnamed apartment complex in Tukwila to provide permanent supportive housing for individuals with chronic mental illness.

The grants were among $21.3 million in grants and loans to create nearly 500 units of affordable housing and fund permanent supportive housing development across the county. The grants and loans were announced by County Executive Dow Constantine.

"These funds will create an estimated 600 family-wage construction jobs and boost the local economy, while providing safe and affordable housing to hundreds of local families struggling in this economy," said Constantine, who also serves as co-chair of the governing board for the Committee to End Homelessness in King County. "Thanks to the strength of our regional partnerships, we move one step closer to our goal of ending homelessness in King County."