Health Through Housing
A Regional Approach to Address Chronic Homelessness
The Health Through Housing (HTH) Initiative is an innovative approach that accelerates our region’s response to chronic homelessness.
King County is partnering with host cities to create up to 1,600 units of emergency housing and permanent supportive housing for people experiencing or at risk of chronic homelessness.
Through innovative partnerships and close collaboration with city governments, service providers, and local communities, HTH acquires former hotels and other existing buildings and converts them into apartments that are dignified, affordable, and service enriched. HTH offers two types of housing, Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Emergency Housing (EH), both of which feature 24/7 staffing and supports such as:
- Case management
- Employment navigation
- Transportation access
- Connection to physical and behavioral health services
Since its inception, King County has worked with local leaders to identify suitable properties and conduct project planning and community engagement together.
For general questions:
Permanent Supportive Housing is a housing type that pairs subsidized housing with case management and supportive services. It offers wrap around services to foster housing stability, which may include case management, counseling, behavioral health supports, medical services, and meals. The types of services an individual receives will vary.
Emergency Housing is a housing type where a chronically homeless person or person at risk of chronic homelessness can reside temporarily while seeking permanent housing. While intended to be temporary, there is no time limit on housing. Emergency housing offers housing-oriented services, case management, and other necessary services and supports to assist households in stabilizing.
Hotel Locations
As of March 2023, there are 15 buildings in the HTH portfolio. Explore our HTH map to learn more about each location.
How HTH is funded
The Health Through Housing initiative, first announced by Executive Constantine in 2020, receives one tenth of a cent (.1%) of sales tax revenue for the purchase and operation of hotels and other single room settings for use as Emergency and Permanent Supportive Housing for people experiencing or at risk of chronic homelessness in King County.
The sales tax was made possible by the passage of HB 1590 during the 2019-2020 Washington State legislative session. The King County Council adopted the initiative by ordinance in 2021 and implementation officially began in 2022.
Learn more by reading our Frequently Asked Questions updated 4-21-2023.
