Homeless Housing Program

The Homeless Housing Program (HHP) facilitates human services to support housing stability and individual safety. HHP administers and oversees funding for housing stability and services programs.

We fund community-based and governmental agencies that provide housing and services to people in King County who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Working together with public and private funders in our region, and with  All Home, we strive to make homelessness rare in our community, and should homelessness occur, that it is brief and one-time.

Our bodies of work:

Emergency Housing

King County Homeless and Housing Program funds organizations that provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, and rapid rehousing through a competitive funding processes.

Emergency Shelter

Emergency shelter is temporary housing for homeless individuals living outside or in places not meant for human habitation. In general, emergency shelters address the basic health, food, clothing and personal hygiene needs of the households and refer them to supportive services and permanent housing. Emergency shelters are indoors and may range from mats on the floor in a common space to beds in individual units.

Transitional Housing

Transitional housing is short-term or temporary housing for families needing intensive or deeper levels of support services to attain permanent housing. Length of stay in transitional housing is flexible and tailored to the unique needs of each household. Transitional housing comes in a variety of facility-types, ranging from congregate- style living to scattered site apartments.

Rapid Rehousing

Rapid rehousing is designed to help households to quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. Core components of rapid rehousing include housing identification, rent and move-in assistance, and case management services. Rapid rehousing assistance is offered without preconditions and services are tailored to the unique needs of the household.

Homeless Prevention

Preventing households from losing their housing is an important strategy for ending homelessness. The King County Housing Stability Program helps individuals and families who are at risk of becoming homeless. The program provides time-limited rental and mortgage assistance, and referrals to additional stabilization services to eligible households experiencing a short-term emergency that has placed them at risk of homelessness. The Housing Stability Program is operated by Solid Ground in collaboration with other non-profit service providers throughout King County.

Low and moderate income households located in King County who are at risk of losing their housing may call 211 to find out if they qualify. Please be aware that eligibility for the program does not guarantee that financial assistance will be awarded.

Learn more about Homeless Prevention

Permanent Housing (PSH)

King County Homeless and Housing Program funds organizations that provide permanent supportive housing and permanent housing with supports through competitive funding processes.

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)

Permanent supportive housing is permanent housing for a household that is homeless on entry, where the individual or a household member has a condition of disability, such as mental illness, substance abuse, chronic health issues, or other conditions that create multiple and serious ongoing barriers to housing stability.

Households have a long-term high level of service needs in order to meet the obligations of tenancy and maintain their housing. Tenants have access to flexible array of comprehensive services which are available and encouraged, but are not to be required a s a condition of tenancy. Permanent supportive housing projects may be facility-based or scattered-site.

Permanent Housing with Support Services

Permanent housing with supports is permanent housing for homeless households with a high to medium level of service needs. Services are needed in order for the homeless household to maintain housing stability. Services are individualized and targeted based on the housing stability plan. Programs and services may be available on or off-site and the tenant holds a rental agreement.

Special Projects

North King County Enhanced Shelter at the Oaks 

Photo: William Wright Photography 

View the North King County Enhanced Shelter at the Oaks SEPA Determination of Non-significance and the SEPA checklist here. Comments may be sent to valerie.kendall@kingcounty.gov until March 11, 2021. King County, the City of Shoreline, and  Lake City Partners are working  in partnership to turn the former Oaks Nursing Home at 16357 Aurora Avenue N in Shoreline into a 24/7 enhanced shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. The shelter will help address an unmet need in North King County for a 24/7 shelter.  Enhanced Shelter is a particular type of shelter that serves guests seven days a week around the clock. It recognizes that individuals need to have safe and stable shelter to effectively address the challenges preventing long-term housing stability. The Shelter will also provide case management, meals, hygiene, health services, and laundry. Local first responders; social service agencies in Shoreline and North King County; and outreach staff employed by the program will refer individuals to the facility. Lake City Partners will operate the enhanced shelter.  ​Posted 2/26/2021

The Human Services Bus Ticket Program provides subsidized bus tickets to eligible human service agencies serving persons who are homeless and/or low income.