In line with its participation in the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County, Seattle Housing Authority is looking into new ways to serve Seattle residents who are homeless. One possibility under consideration is re-programming Jefferson Terrace on First Hill to be used as a supportive housing facility for people exiting homelessness.

The Housing Authority has provided hundreds of Housing Choice Vouchers to nonprofit organizations that house people transitioning from homelessness, but has typically not used public housing units for this population. The Ten-Year Plan seeks to create units under a "housing first" model that places homeless people in permanent housing (rather than in shelter settings) with appropriate services to support their transition out of homelessness.

Jefferson Terrace, the largest of SHA’s Low Income Public Housing buildings, is an attractive candidate for this use, where chronically homeless people would benefit from a living environment where intensive services are provided 24 hours a day. The building, which has 283 studio apartments and 16 two-bedroom apartments, is close to Harborview Medical Center and to downtown service providers.

According to Tom Tierney, Seattle Housing Authority executive director, the agency has made "no decision about changing the way that Jefferson Terrace is operated ….The Housing Authority is simply discussing this possibility with other agencies."

If, after considering the pros and cons of changing the way the building is operated, SHA decided to move ahead with making changes, Jefferson Terrace would probably be managed by a nonprofit organization that’s experienced in providing supportive housing to people who have been homeless, Tierney said.

"Regardless of how management might change, we are definitely planning to keep the building in the public housing program. There are no plans to sell it," Tierney said. "Our goal is to maintain Jefferson Terrace as a safe and comfortable environment for its current residents."

To help achieve that goal, Seattle Housing Authority is forming an advisory committee of Jefferson Terrace residents who can identify residents’ concerns and issues. In late August, Tierney addressed a meeting of building residents to tell them about the changes being considered.

According to Tierney, "There are many people in the social service community who are very supportive of this idea. However, much difficult planning work and coordination is yet to be done before we can be confident that such a change might actually take place."

SHA has hired Ellen Kissman, a former Seattle Housing employee who now works as a consultant, to work with existing and possible future partners to explore possibilities at the building.

For more information about what is being considered for Jefferson Terrace, please call Seattle Housing Authority’s Communications Director Virginia Felton at 206-615-3506, or e-mail her at vfelton@seattlehousing.org.