SEATTLE — An affordable housing complex for women and families is now open in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood along Denny Way.
"When it comes to housing, we've got to go big so people can go home and we're doing that right here today," said Gov. Jay Inslee at the building opening event on Tuesday.
YWCA staff will be onsite to provide wraparound services for residents. According to the City of Seattle, wraparound services are meant to support children and families in all aspects of their lives. These services will include referrals to employment training, job search support, transportation resources, food bank vouchers, assistance with applications for benefits and access to health care services, including mental health counseling.
Inslee said the project is an example of using available resources to create more affordable housing across the state.
"I think it's the perfect solution to our problem," Inslee said. "We took an existing building, instead of taking 10 years to build one and we've started a rapid acquisition program that I've asked the legislature to fund so we can get into existing buildings."
The YWCA operates more than 1,000 affordable housing units across the Puget Sound region.
According to the YWCA, half of the units in the building will be for households earning 30% or less of area median income (AMI), and half for households earning 50% or less of AMI. Fifty-four units will provide permanent supportive housing (PSH), which combines housing placements without time limits. PSH residents will receive individual case management services from a Resident Life Coach.
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