Kirkland's Homelessness Continuum of Care

Homelessness prevention provides resources to keep individuals and families housed when experiencing an unexpected financial event or crisis that can lead to housing instability. The goal is to prevent a household from losing its housing by providing direct assistance to support the household remaining housed. The most common services include financial assistance or legal support that can help with eviction prevention, rent, utilities, medical bills, car repairs, and childcare.

Prevention has been a top priority for the City Council and its advisory Kirkland Human Services Commission during the last few human services grant cycles. Review the Human Services dashboard to learn more about investments. In 2021, the City Manager earmarked new funding sources, including state House Bill 1406 dollars and one-time pandemic funding to support prevention programs.¹ Investments have included:

• Funding a full-time attorney dedicated to eviction prevention for low-income Kirkland residents in partnership with Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) since 2020.
• Over $1 million in federal funding to support Residential Rent and Utility Relief Programs administered by the City and community partners in 2021-2022.
• Awarding over $700,000 in grant funding to agencies providing rent, utilities, and financial assistance to support low-income, families with children, and Limited English Proficient households in 2023-2024.

Other actions supporting prevention include:

• Adopting legislation concerning tenant protections as recommended by A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) in response to significant rent increases and fees.
• Extended eviction moratorium to support residents during the pandemic.
• Kirkland Rental Risk Assistance Fund to support households facing barriers to obtain stable housing.
• Kirkland Cares Low-Income Support Program to support households with discounts on utility rates and other City services and charges.
• Funding a 1.0 FTE Human Services Coordinator position starting in 2021 focused on Community Wellbeing, which includes connecting residents to resources. Rent assistance and legal assistance have been the most requested resources since 2021.

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_{¹House Bill 1406 allows local jurisdictions to impose a local state-shared sales and use tax to fund affordable housing or rent assistance activities. The funds were earmarked for human services grants beginning in 2021.} 

 One-time pandemic funding references the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding received in 2020 and 2021.  

Outreach focuses on building relationships with people experiencing homelessness by connecting them with immediate resources and services to foster trust. Outreach work includes basic needs distribution, food, water, and referrals to services like shelter, housing, treatment, and healthcare.

In 2020, the Human Services Commission recommended a Homeless Outreach Coordinator position in the 2021-2022 grants budget to contract with an agency for street outreach services in Kirkland. The contracted agency was unable to consistently provide the service and, combined with the increased demand for services for people who are unhoused, it was determined that contracting with an outside agency did not meet the current need. City Council added a City Homeless Outreach Coordinator position during the 2023-2024 budget process. This approach to outreach, which is aligned with a similar approach used by other Eastside cities (including Bellevue, Redmond, and Issaquah), increases collaboration, capacity, and coordination at the City level among first responders, Human Services staff, and community partners in addressing homelessness compassionately and responsively. The first Homeless Outreach Coordinator (HOC) was hired in April 2023, leading to the development of the Homeless Assistance and Response Team (HART) described here.

Other investments to support outreach work include: 

• Hotel vouchers during cold weather events for first response teams and the HART team to distribute, a program that began in 2021.  
• Flexible assistance fund to assist outreach staff with purchases like food or coffee, document replacement like identification or social security card, transportation, and other small barriers that can hinder a person’s ability to access housing. 

Emergency shelter services are programs that offer 24/7/365 shelter with wraparound support to households who have lost housing, including case management, employment, and behavioral health support. On the Eastside, there are 8 year-round shelters serving men, women, youth, families and domestic violence survivors, totaling over 700 beds. The majority are near or at capacity on any given night. Best practice models for shelter focus on population type, so access points for shelter vary based on household composition.

• Catholic Community Services manages New Bethlehem Place in Kirkland, offering 52 beds for approximately 10 families experiencing homelessness. They also have a hotel program in Kirkland to support an additional 10 families. The City played a significant role in the siting and opening of the first year-round shelter for families on the Eastside in 2020.
• Friends of Youth provides shelter to young adults between 18-24 years at the Willows Youth Services Center (formerly The Landing). The agency recently moved from Redmond to Kirkland, expanding capacity to serve up to 25 youth each night.
• Friends of Youth offers shelter to youth ages 7-18 at the Youth Haven shelter in Kirkland. Three types of beds for a total of 10 are available based on household need: four emergency shelter beds, four extended shelter beds, and two transitional beds for long-term stays.
• The Sophia Way provides two shelter programs for woman experiencing homelessness. Helen's Place is co-located in Kirkland with New Bethlehem Place, serving up to 48 women at a given time. For women requiring additional support, Sophia's Place in Bellevue offers extended stay shelter for 21 women up to six months.
• Mary's Place provides 260 beds for families experiencing homelessness in Bellevue.
• Porchlight Eastside Men's Shelter, located in Bellevue, has 100 beds for men experiencing homelessness. Porchlight also manages a hotel and rotating shelter program, totaling an additional 20 beds. The City funds the main shelter and rotating shelter.
• Hopelink manages the Avondale Park shelter for families experiencing homelessness using an apartment model in Redmond. Up to 32 beds are available.
• LifeWire provides shelter to survivors fleeing domestic violence, with 55 beds available at a safe, confidential location.

Most of these programs can provide expanded capacity during severe weather events, including cold, heat, and smoke. Shelters serving families and domestic violence survivors participate in a regional network of shelters throughout King County to manage regional capacity in an attempt to not turn a household away from services. Currently, there are wait times to access both family and domestic violence shelters throughout King County. Families must call the regional family shelter intake line, 206-245-1026, daily to see if there is bed availability and domestic violence survivors call the Hopeline regional line, (206) 737-0242.

Several shelters also offer day center services. Despite day center services being provided at the same location as shelters, the services are distinct and are not impacted if a shelter is at capacity, meaning that the drop-in services are available to more people. Day centers offer hot meals, showers, laundry, mail services, case management, and other resources based on population type. Day centers on the Eastside include:

• New Bethlehem Day Center, serving families in Kirkland.
• Willows Youth Services Day Center, serving young adults 18-24 in Kirkland.
• Porchlight Day Center, serving men in Bellevue.
• Sophia's Day Center, serving women in Bellevue.
• Overlake Church Day Center, serving individuals and couples in Redmond.

Human services grants support shelter capacity, day centers, and expanded services to meet the increasingly complex needs of shelter and safe parking program participants. Funding has increased over the years to include a focus on staffing and new programs focused on behavioral health support and employment assistance. In 2023-2024, the City invested over $1 million through various funding sources, including 2018 Police and Community Safety Prop 1, American Rescue Plan Act, Community Development Block Grant funds, and Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) dollars.

Temporary shelter and emergency housing programs vary in service model but are often time-limited, providing an interim step toward securing permanent housing.  

Sanctioned Encampments  

Sanctioned Encampments are temporary shelters for people experiencing homelessness that are legally sanctioned and located on public or private property. In Kirkland, sanctioned encampments can be hosted up to 92 days before they are legally required to move as outlined in Kirkland Zoning Code 127. Most sanctioned encampment or ‘tent cities’ do not provide case management or on-site services. The City has supported sanctioned encampments, most recently, Camp United We Stand in Fall 2023, and previously supported Tent City 4 and Camp Unity.4 No sanctioned encampment has been hosted on City property but instead encampments have been managed and supported by a local faith-based organization in Kirkland.  

Safe Parking Programs  

Safe Parking Programs offer a safe place for residents living in vehicles or recreational vehicles to park and receive services to support transition back into housing. On the Eastside, there are four programs:  

• Lake Washington United Methodist Church (LWUMC): serving single women and families in Kirkland in vehicles only with up to 60 parking spaces. On-site services include case management, showers, laundry, and community meals. In 2023, approximately 140 households were served through LWUMC safe parking.  
• City of Bellevue Safe Parking Pilot: opened in Summer 2024, the program provides parking for 20 vehicles and RVs. The program is currently prioritizing families and hosts on-site services, including community meals and case management support.  
• Overlake Christian Church: serving individuals and couples in vehicles only with up to 15 parking spaces. On-site services include support from outreach staff, showers, and laundry located in Redmond. In 2023, 35 participants were served by and transitioned out of the OCC safe parking program.  
• St. Jude’s: serving individuals and couples in vehicles only with up to 15 parking spaces located in Redmond.  
• Newport Presbyterian Church in Bellevue: serving single women and families in vehicles only with up to 8 parking spaces from March through November located in Bellevue.  

The City has collaborated with safe parking programs on the Eastside for years but has recently expanded its investment with the hiring of the Homeless Outreach Coordinator. The City recently entered into its first agreement with Lake Washington United Methodist Church to co-offer resources for participants working with the Homeless Outreach Coordinator and the Human Services Commission is recommending funding Overlake’s Safe Parking Program in 2025 due to increased demand for services at the location.  

Transitional Housing  

Transitional Housing focuses on temporary housing with supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness that is time limited, usually up to two years. The objective is to prepare households with the skills to successfully move into permanent housing. This includes having a lease or occupancy agreement and paying a small portion of rent, but a household is still defined as homeless using the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition. The City funded several transitional housing programs through 2016 until adjusting human services grant priorities to align with recommendations outlined by HUD to prioritize investments in prevention and permanent housing programs.

While the City currently supports two transitional housing programs for single women and families currently experiencing homelessness, the majority of funds have shifted to other areas along the Continuum of Care. The City did support the preservation of 37 transitional housing units for families experiencing homelessness earlier this year through a $168,000 grant to support Attain Housing’s transition of assets to another nonprofit organization in partnership with ARCH.

Temporary Housing  

Temporary Housing is a type of emergency housing for individuals or families experiencing homelessness that often is non-congregate, which provides private space or accommodations for individuals or households. This type of housing has become increasingly popular in response to emergency shelter programs being at capacity. In recent years, non-congregate models have become more trauma informed with faster positive outcomes, especially for families experiencing homelessness. One example is hotel programs, where an individual receives services to address basic health, food, clothing, and personal hygiene needs. Most models offer case management services and residents stay between 90 days to two years. Participants do not enter into a lease or occupancy agreement for these types of programs. There are no temporary housing programs in Kirkland or funded with human services grant dollars.

Permanent affordable housing is subsidized housing that ensures households pay no more than 30% of their monthly income on rent and utilities. These types of units provide stable, rent restricted housing for low- and moderate-income households. Permanent affordable housing units are often created through local housing incentive and inclusionary programs, including mandatory inclusionary zoning, voluntary density bonus, and multifamily tax exemptions. In Kirkland, these types of programs have generated additional housing projects throughout the City. Recent projects include:

• 315 affordable units of 442 units at Polaris in Totem Lake
• 170 affordable units for seniors at Ardea in Totem Lake
• 125 affordable units at Grata in Totem Lake

Participation in ARCH has allowed the City to invest over $3 million in Community Development Block Grant funds to support the preservation and development of affordable housing on the Eastside. Example projects include King County Housing Authority properties, like Kirkland Heights, which is currently under redevelopment to expand capacity for the 76 units serving low-income families. For a comprehensive list of affordable housing units located on the Eastside, review the apartment list on ARCH’s website.

Permanent Affordable Housing with Services

Permanent affordable housing with on-site case management services supports long-term stability for low to moderate income households. Imagine Housing is the leading developer and provider of affordable housing with services on the Eastside. Imagine Housing supports households with incomes between 0-60% of King County Area Median Income, with the high end being approximately $88,440 for a family of four in 2024. The agency provides units for families with children, households exiting homelessness, veterans, people living with disabilities, and seniors. The City supports Imagine Housing with grant funding that supports case management and community building events, supporting over 250 low-income households at four properties.

Permanent Supportive Housing

Permanent Supportive Housing pairs subsidized housing with onsite case management and wraparound services that can include behavioral health, medical services, employment navigation, transportation access, and food access. This type of project supports the lowest income and most vulnerable populations, specifically residents experiencing chronic homelessness and living with a disability. The former La Quinta Inn, purchased by King County for the Health through Housing Initiative, is an example of this type of housing and will provide housing with services for 100 residents beginning in 2025. To date, the City has not allocated funding to the project but is an active partner in supporting success of the project, including development of the good neighbor agreement, safety and security plan, and code of conduct in partnership with King County and the operator, Plymouth Housing.