King County purchases hotel in Seattle for supportive housing for homeless population

King County Executive Dow Constantine announced Tuesday that the county has purchased a hotel in Seattle's Uptown neighborhood and plans to buy more properties in the coming weeks to serve as permanent supportive housing for 1600 unhoused people by the end of next year.

The county purchased the Inn at Queen Anne on First Avenue, which it had been formerly leasing as supportive housing, for $16.5 million. The hotel includes 80 rooms and services provided by Catholic Community Services.

"In this one action we will permanently house more than one third of today's chronically homeless residents," Constantine said during his State of the County address. "Purchasing existing buildings means we can get housing ready that much quicker."

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the county to find housing solutions beyond traditional congregate shelters since the virus is spread more easily indoors when people are close to each other for extended periods of time. However, the decline in tourism to the region led to ample empty hotel space, and the county began moving people into hotels in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton and SeaTac as early as last April.

A University of Washington study touted by Constantine showed the success of the intervention program in slowing the spread of the virus and also reported increase feelings of stability as well as improved health and wellbeing for those living in the hotel shelters. The research also found that the program lead to higher exits to permanent housing.

While the first announced location is in Seattle, Constantine emphasized that other locations will be spread throughout the county, although those locations have not yet been disclosed. 

"Because this homeless crisis is countywide and well beyond the borders of the county, there will be probably at least one other hotel in the short-term in Seattle," Constantine said.

The county is aiming to spend approximately $350 million with funding coming from the Health Through Housing initiative passed by the council last year which imposed a 0.1% sales tax.

In addition to purchasing hotels, Constantine also announced that the county will distribute $150 million in rental assistance to keep as many as 27,000 families in their homes.