information from the City of Seattle

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan today announced her proposal to move hundreds of people living unsheltered into safer spaces as part of her 2021 budget. By using COVID-related, one-time funds, Mayor Durkan is proposing to open 425 short-term shelter beds then surge investment in housing support programs like diversion and rapid-rehousing. Next year, the City also expects an additional 600 units of permanent supportive housing to come online next year. The Mayor’s 2021 Proposed Budget also continues supporting approximately 2,300 spaces, investments in hygiene, support for permanent supportive housing, and resources for diversion and rapid rehousing.  

“With new one-time federal funding, the City can surge short term emergency shelter and ensure individuals then have connections to housing. This record investment means hundreds of people will come in from the street over the coming months, protecting them from COVID-19,” said Mayor Durkan. “From deploying hygiene resources to adding new and safer shelters that accommodate public health guidelines to expanded testing, our actions have saved lives and limited the outbreak among people experiencing homelessness compared to other major cities. As we enter the second year of the pandemic, we will continue to make the necessary investments to protect our most vulnerable communities, especially as we continue our current resources and bring permanent supportive housing online.” 

Surge to Housing Plan  

Since 2017, the City has worked to add additional investments for 24/7 spaces and tiny home villages. In 2017, the City had 964 basic shelter beds, 749 enhanced shelter spaces, and 255 spaces at sanctioned encampments. In 2020, the City now has 514 basic shelter spaces, 1518 enhanced and 311 tiny homes. During COVID-19, the City has taken a series of actions to create new safety and health measures including physical distancing at its shelters.   

Since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, the City has been able to secure critical one-time COVID-specific funding resources from Federal and State sources to address housing and homelessness during COVID-19. Understanding this funding is a one-time resource, Mayor Durkan is proposing a surge to housing plan to bring individuals inside then transition to housing through increased investments in rapid rehousing and diversion.  

During 2021, the City will invest over $31 million in one-time COVID-19 funding and an additional $2.75 million in ongoing funding to sustain existing and stand-up new emergency shelters geared towards reducing the spread of COVID-19, and to assist people to move from shelter to permanent housing through increased funding available for rapid rehousing and diversion. 

These resources are in addition to the City‘s recent announcement of $11.6 million to help service providers defray costs incurred in the early days of the pandemic and sustain existing shelters during 2020. This builds on the City‘s efforts this spring, when HSD and partners opened 95 new units of shelter at tiny house villages and enhanced shelter and created additional redistributed spaces at Seattle Center. The 2021 budget builds on that work by expanding the City’s ability to respond to the pandemic through increasing shelter by as much as 425 beds and creating new opportunities for 360 households to move from homeless to housed: 

• Leasing up to 300 hotel units 
• Making 125 units of enhanced, 24/7 shelter available 
• Increasing Rapid Rehousing to exit 231 households from homelessness 
• Increasing Diversion to support 130 more households find safer places 

The Mayor’s proposal will need City Council approval as part of the 2021 budget process. In addition, Mayor Durkan recently announced new investments to create 600 units of permanent housing - in record time - by 2021.