Shelter and Housing

Stable housing provides the foundation for stable living. The City of Seattle funds a variety of shelter transitional housing and housing support services for homeless and low-income individuals and families.

In addition, as part of its commitment to implementing the Ten-Year Plan to End Homeless in King County, the City has adopted a “housing first” strategy, which provides homeless people permanent housing with immediate access to services critical to stabilizing their lives. This includes education, job training, and finding treatment for a medical, mental health or addiction problems.

Shelter and Housing Support Services funded by the City of Seattle:

• Temporary shelter and assistance with long-term housing
• Service centers where homeless persons can meet their basic needs and find other supportive services
• Short-term transitional housing that includes a range of services such as searches for long-term housing, counseling, job training and employment, education, life skills training, health care, child care, transportation, and referrals to other services
• Homelessness prevention and housing stabilization programs
• Jobs, bus tickets, voice mail and furniture services
• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
• McKinney Homeless Assistance federal funding
• Homeless Youth Shelter, Housing & Services
• Rapid Re-Housing and Housing First Services
• Affordable Housing

Need Help?

If you’re in need of shelter, basic human services or assistance, please contact the 211 Community Information Line at 2-1-1 or 1-800-621-4636 or 206-461-3200 or visit 211 Community Information Line.

Seattle Human Services Department
Street address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5800, Seattle, WA 98104
Mailing address: PO Box 34215, Seattle, WA 98124-4215

Phone: 206-386-1001
Fax: 206-233-5119
TTY/TTD: 206-233-2778

Accommodations for people with disabilities provided upon request.