Held in the very early hours of the morning, the annual One Night Count of Homeless People in King County took place on Friday, January 27th.  2,594 men, women and children had no shelter that night. This is an increase of 152 people over last year’s total, which is especially hard to note given that we have had an increase of about 60 available shelter beds in Seattle and some in other parts of the county as well.

Since 1980, the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness (SKCCH) and Operation Nightwatch have organized the One Night Count of people who are without shelter.  The One Night Count (ONC) is the largest community-organized count in the United States.

Over 800 volunteers went out with 125 trained team leaders to prearranged areas in parts of Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Shoreline, Kenmore, Bothell, Woodinville, Kent, Federal Way, Renton, Auburn, and White Center. The Count is only possible through the dedicated support from hundreds of individuals and dozens of community organizations, congregations and government agencies.

Compass Housing Alliance in Pioneer Square will again be headquarters for the Seattle count teams.  Our Shoreline Veterans Program will be home base for the counters in Shoreline, Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville.

Mike Gregoire and Mayor Mike McGinn were among the volunteers counting this year in Seattle.  Another notable guest counter was Dr. Robert A. Petzel, the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  Dr. Petzel helped count in Shoreline, spoke with some of the veteran residents there, and stopped by for breakfast later at the Pioneer Square headquarters.  Anthony Love, the Deputy Director of the federal body charged with coordinating national work to end homelessness, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness also joined in counting. Mr. Love came all the way from Washington, D.C. to participate in our One Night Count.

The Count gives people an opportunity to see the scope of the problem of homelessness in King County.  They are often very moved by the people they witness trying to survive in the cold at night.

Compass is proud to be a part of the ONC and to support the Count’s organizers and volunteers.  More results can be found on SKCCH’s website.

Compass Housing Alliance staff did an amazing job last week keeping all of our programs open, and even extending hours at many of the shelters.  The snow and ice made it difficult to get around town, but our dedicated teams made everything run smoothly.

Out of concern for the safety of our clients during the cold and wet weather, we opened our Day Center five hours early each day and our four overnight shelters were kept open all day long for most of the week.   We wish we could provide this service year-round!

A huge part of the successful response to the snow and ice is due to planning that began months ago.  Our shelter and day services team worked out their snow plans ahead of time.  We would also like to give thanks to the Millionair Club for their continued partnership and their willingness to turn their space into a day shelter during the snow.

To gear up for future inclement weather, we are looking to stock up on canned soup.  Large Costco-sized donations are best, so that we can provide a warm meal to 100+ people at once.  If you would like to donate, contact 206-357-3138 or just drop it off at 2015 3rd Ave (our Day Center) in downtown Seattle.

The Seahawks rookies volunteered at the Adult Service Center on November 15th.  They served food, talked with guests, and handed out backpacks containing hygiene items, a blanket and hats and gloves.

Check out the video here!

Wondering why construction hasn’t yet begun on the Nyer Urness House in Ballard?  Here is an update:

The opponents of the Nyer Urness House filed a law suit in King County Superior Court seeking to halt the issuance of a permit required for construction of the Nyer Urness House Apartment Building at 1753 NW 56^th Street in the Ballard Neighborhood of Seattle.  On July 5, 2011 Superior Court Judge Michael Heavey ruled that the petitions and lawsuit filed by the opponents were without merit and dismissed all of their claims.  Judge Heavey ruled that the City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) had acted correctly in issuing its interpretations and determinations; that the Hearing Examiner who had heard the testimony of the 4 opponents and Compass Housing Development Team and reviewed the Compass Housing Master Use Permit process had from a factual and legal basis correctly decided the issues presented.

This decision is a significant step forward in the development process. The opponents do have the right to appeal the Hearing Examiner/Superior Court Decision to the Washington Court of Appeals.  If the opponents elect to appeal the decision they must file a Notice of Appeal on or before August 6, 2011.  We will keep you informed.

Thank you for your ongoing support for the work of Compass Housing Alliance and the development of the Nyer Urness House.

Check out this great story about The Church of Steadfast Love.  It appeared in the Spring 2011 issue of Luther Seminary’s “The Story” magazine.

See what the Bishop of the NW Washington Synod of the ELCA says about Compass Housing Alliance as a Lutheran Ministry!  Taken from April’s “The Spirit” newsletter.

Novogradac & Company awarded first place for their Developments of Distinction Awards in the category of “Major Community Impact” to Compass Housing Alliance for our Compass Veterans Center – Renton.  Read more about this national award here.

The Renton project also won Honorable Mention in the category of “Financial Innovation.”  You can read more about this award here.

Our newest project, the Compass Veterans Center – Renton will open in September.  You can help us welcome these veterans and their families to their new home by providing household goods.

Each of the 58 apartments needs linens, kitchen items, and cleaning supplies.

We are gathering these items to furnish apartments for families and individuals.  We have registered at the following places:

Macy’s – Look under the wedding registries
First Name: Compass Veterans
Last Name: Renton

Target
Search under “Lists” then type in Compass Veterans Renton in the organization section.

MyRegistry.com
Search for Compass Veterans Renton in the “organization” tab

Veterans Center Renton - about one month from completion

Dear Neighbor:

We are writing to you to introduce The Nyer Urness House, a new project of Compass Housing Alliance to be built at 1753 NW 56^th St, in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. Compass Housing Alliance is an affordable housing and homeless services provider that works throughout the Puget Sound region to develop and operate affordable housing and to provide shelter, housing and services to homeless individuals and families.  Please look for us on the web at www.compasshousingalliance.org.

Despite what you may have heard from others, Compass Housing Alliance has not tried to sneak this project into the Ballard neighborhood.  In 2008, when we acquired the property, Compass informed property owners in the vicinity of the property about this project via letter to the owner of record, presented at the Ballard District Council and spoke to a variety of community leaders.  The management of Compass and the Nyer Urness House staff are committed to being good neighbors to Ballard. We continue to meet with our neighbors and welcome questions, comments and suggestions that will help us serve the Ballard community better.  Compass Housing Alliance will create a Nyer Urness House Community Advisory Board that will provide neighbors a forum to make suggestions and to advise Compass about concerns.  The Advisory Board meetings will be coordinated and facilitated by the Nyer Urness House Manager as the project is developed.

¨      The Nyer Urness House is to be built at 1753 NW 56^th St, in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.  Nyer Urness House will be an 80-unit mixed-use building which will provide permanent, supportive housing and services for formerly homeless individuals.

¨      The project is a 7 story, 51,664 square foot mixed-use building designed by Rumi Takahashi, a wonderful architect with a quality local firm Weinstein AU.  She has extensive experience designing buildings that enhance the community.

¨      The proposed building will contain: 80 individual studio apartments, 7,507 square feet of office space and 949 square feet of medical services space.

¨      The 80 apartments are small furnished studios that contain a full bathroom and galley kitchen.  Residential amenity space will include a community kitchen to provide one nutritious meal each day to the residents and a roof top deck to enjoy the building’s green roof.  Only one tenant will live in each unit.

¨      The residents of Nyer Urness House will be formerly homeless men and women who need on-site case management and related supportive services to help them stabilize their lives. Potential residents will be identified from many programs within Compass Housing Alliance, from other homeless shelters, from Homeless Medical Respite, from outreach service providers such as the REACH program, and from the Ballard neighborhood itself.

¨      As a requirement of our funding from the City of Seattle, King County and United Way, Compass Housing Alliance staff will work with the Client Care Coordinated Entry Process to identify and prioritize those most in need of the housing and services offered at Nyer Urness House.  People currently homeless in Ballard will certainly be part of this applicant pool.

¨      Many of the residents in this project will have medical, mental health and substance abuse issues.  Compass staff will work with each resident to complete an individual service plan to treat their illnesses and improve their social support. The project will be staffed 24 hours per day to provide support to residents.

¨      The bulk of the first two floors of the building will be dedicated human service uses provided by other social service agencies and medical providers.  These areas include offices for social workers, addiction counselors, mental health professionals, healthcare providers and employment specialists who will primarily, but not exclusively, serve the residents in the building.  There are also group meeting rooms for support group sessions.

¨      Eleven parking spaces are proposed.  Our experience serving homeless and formerly homeless individuals indicates that car ownership by residents of Nyer Urness House will be extremely rare.  Compass provides free ORCA passes to our employees as part of its benefit package.  Parking will be adequate for the other human service providers in the building and there are ample transit options in the immediate vicinity.

If you would like to speak to someone to find our more about Nyer Urness House or other Compass Housing Alliance Housing projects, please contact MJ Kiser, Program Director, Compass Housing Alliance at 206-357-3124 or via email at mjkiser@compasshousingalliance.org.

Thank you in advance for your constructive comments and helpful suggestions.

MJ Kiser

Program Director -Compass Housing Alliance

On April 17th, Men’s Emergency Overnight Shelter (First Church) is moving to the new Urban Outreach Space provided by First United Methodist Church.
This move is exciting, as it is both a renewal of our relationship with First United Methodist and an opportunity to work alongside our neighbors.

In 2002, the Compass Center first began its partnership with First United Methodist Church.  We opened a 40-bed shelter in the lower level of their church that has provided safe sleeping quarters, showers, warm meals, and case management options to men who are homeless.  The program, originally known as “Men’s Inn,” has been called First Church Shelter ever since.  But the congregation of First United Methodist had changing needs and decided to rebuild and relocate.  In 2008, First Church Shelter moved to our Third Avenue location in Belltown.  We expanded capacity to 60 beds the following month.

First United Methodist Church has now finished their new church on Denny Way, complete with an Urban Outreach Space that was designed and built specifically with social services in mind.  In mid-April we will continue to provide basic services such as meals, hygiene facilities, storage and laundry in the new facility, but it will now operate in a space that is larger, brighter, and more inviting and usable than the spaces the shelter has occupied in the past. The new space is equipped with a commercial kitchen (perfect for volunteer meals), individual shower rooms, a laundry room and space enough to accommodate real beds for shelter guests.

Compass Housing Alliance is pleased to be partnering with First Methodist.  We look forward to the benefits it will bring to our organization, First Church Shelter’s guests, and those looking for volunteer service opportunities.