Homelessness in our Community

The Seattle/King County area has the third largest population of homeless people in the United States according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Only New York and Los Angeles had more people experiencing homelessness than Seattle among cities providing information. The 2020 Point in Time Count reported that 11,751 men, women and children were experiencing homelessness in King County on January 24, 2020, of these, 3,902 were women.

Going Beyond Homelessness

Transitional housing programs work because they address the root social and economic problems that contribute to homelessness. There are only about 100 transitional housing beds available for single women in the Seattle area – not nearly enough for the number of homeless women needing safety from the dangers of the streets. The transitional housing provided by Elizabeth Gregory Home, which allows women to stay from a few months to two years, is an important step along the path to independence for homeless women. It gives them time to heal from the physical and emotional exhaustion of living on the streets and in emergency shelters. Transitional housing provides women who need it with the opportunity to access supportive services to address trauma or mental health issues, and to continue their recovery from drug and alcohol abuse. Our transitional housing program provides women with the opportunity to become self-sufficient by finding work, or attending school or job training programs.