81 permanent supportive housing units coming to Ballard

Meghan Walker Ballard

There will be 599 new permanent housing units for people experiencing homelessness added in Seattle, 81 of which will be in Ballard.

Seattle’s Office of Housing will commit about $60 million from the Seattle Housing levy along with state and federal resources to build and operate the housing, which will be distributed amongst six buildings around the city. Ballard’s site will be at 6400 15th Ave NW at the former Corry’s Fine Dry Cleaning and Fuzzy Wuzzy Rug Cleaning location.

The Inland Group will be operating the 10,000-square-foot site, which will be five stories with 81 units and ground-level retail, according to the Seattle DJC. The architects will be Clark Barnes.

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) offers non-time limited affordable housing and voluntary supportive services that may include counseling, behavioral and physical health support and alcohol and drug treatment, according to the City.

Other areas to receive PSH units are Greenwood (66 units), Green Lake (124 units), Bitter Lake (100 units), and Lake City (125 units).

Rendering by Clark Barnes

49 thoughts to “81 permanent supportive housing units coming to Ballard”

    1. Was thinking the same thing. What could possibly go wrong building high-rise affordable housing units? Maybe nobody on the Council was alive in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s and don’t understand the colossal failure that has always been high-rise affordable housing.

      We know from countless and conclusive studies that mixed income housing is the only way to make this work (if at all). Moving Ballard Commons to a high-rise is a disastrous waste of money with very well known consequences.

      1. 4 floors of housing isn’t exactly a “high-rise”. It’s also mixed with market-rate housing on all of the plots of land adjacent to it.

      2. I recall reading that one factor that pushed historical housing projects into disrepair was the eventual politically-driven defunding. That doesn’t seem necessarily tied to the format of the housing, but maybe it’s easier to stop investing in necessary maintenance when it’s a centralized project like this?

  2. Is this better than living at the Ballard Commons or 17th St triangle?
    Am I allowed to cook meth and inject heroin into my body?
    Can I sell stolen bikes for drugs?
    Am I allowed to yell profanities at the Senior Center all night?
    Is shoplifting still enabled?
    Will my RV still get special treatment for no parking tickets?
    Can I still stand up pee in public parks?
    Can I throw my trash anywhere around Ballard?
    …
    If not, then I REFUSE to go to this place. You can’t make me! I have rights that have been enabled by activists and the City Council to live on the streets “homeless” as long as I want by choice. Ballard Commons is my home. Forever!

    Remember the hobo activist enablement checklist anyone?
    – Defund SPD – Complete
    – Remove SPD Chief – Complete
    – Lower SPD headcount – Complete
    – Eliminate Navigation Team – Complete
    – Eliminate Homeless camp sweeps – Complete
    – Tax businesses that provide jobs – Complete
    – Takeover downtown with my druggie and addict friends – Complete

    You see? I can live on your streets by choice as long as I want. Hahahahahaaaa!!!

  5. This is fantastic. We need these units and about 10 times as many, given the number of mentally ill and drug-addicted people on our streets and in parks, etc. The location is arguably better than Nyer-Urness in that it’s directly at the cross-roads of two major arterials. I’m a little concerned about the proximity of Ballard High students to this.

    Everyone, including me, complains about the Ballard Commons and Leary Way situations. My hope is those people can go into this housing and that the city will insist on that versus the usual “pretty please.” This could be a big help and until it turns out not to be, I’m going to look at this positively.

    1. Please see Cabrini Green, SF’s recent efforts to lease hotel rooms or any number of other failed attempts at this. It doesn’t work without requiring treatment and the City Council has delusionally told themselves, despite multiple consultants stating otherwise and their own eyes, that it is simply a cost of housing issue.

      1. The Council knows it’s not just a housing issue, but, as with everything else the Council does, they’ve boiled the solution down into one easily-digestible soundbite that all the sheep can rally behind – ‘more affordable housing’ is the mantra, it’s the cure, it’s the panacea. We all know it’s not going to solve the problem, but, if it does help those couples/families who really are trying to stay together and restart their lives, it’s worth a shot.

        1. Actually, this isn’t an “affordable” housing project at all. This is supportive housing, meaning they really don’t expect residents (chronic homeless) to work. Affordable housing projects are intended for the working poor. This is for lost souls to finish out their lives indoors.

    2. So by putting mentally ill and drug-addicted people in a room, it changes their behavior?
      Only if you lock them in. Maybe the $$$$ should be spent on Hospitals for them, that DO have locks on them until they are cured of their disease. Assuming you want to cure them and not just move from one corner to another.

  6. How exciting! Can’t wait to meet the new neighbors…

    ” Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) offers non-time limited affordable housing and voluntary supportive services that may include counseling, behavioral and physical health support and alcohol and drug treatment, according to the City.”

    Will people be required to go to these supportive services? Or is nothing required and we just need to take care of everyone until they make the choice that things are pretty bad living in the new condo and they need to move up. Maybe somewhere with waterfront view…

    1. No, no, no. Homeless drug addicts like me have no reason to join this housing with counseling whatever at all. No Nav Team, no law enforcement, no rational people in the City Council, no worries at all!!

      Seattle is the Outback Steakhouse for mentally insane drug addicts –
      No rules, just right!

      And we can’t wait until Discovery Park is made into a huge area dedicated to the homeless. Hahahaaaa!!!

  7. The current situation in Seattle is insane and I hope this helps. My only fear is that this might lead to a less family-friendly atmosphere at the street park on 14th. Currently it’s a great place to bring children, would hate for it to end up like the Commons.

    1. So you’re saying there is a park in Ballard not taken over by me and my junkie friends?
      Hey Hobo Joe and Mayor of Ballard! Grab your shoplifting bags, hookers and pee jugs and meet me at St. Luke’s sidewalk (formerly a campsite but now an oppressive irrigation project). Let’s investigate the park on 14th. Bring the meth! Sounds like there is some new real estate available!! Hahahaaaahaa cough cackle, cough…

  8. Thankfully they are building new, elevator served, air conditioned units instead of buying existing buildings. Their neighbors wouldn’t want the drug addicted whackjobs to feel uncomfortable…

    1. Not sure if you’re aware, but 97% of Plymouth Housing residents have some kind of disability. Often these disabilities are what lead to them experiencing homelessness in the first place, and having an elevator to accommodate many of them is not a luxury, it is a basic need.

  10. This is literally right across the street from the high school. This is insane. If you’re reading this and you voted for anyone on the existing City Council you’re a complete moron.

    1. nah, something more “shopliftable” – to deny these bums an opportunity to shoplift within walking distance of their free/tax payer paid apartment would be cruel. don’t perpetuate the hardships of “people experiencing difficulty shoplifting”.

  12. perfect place for it right? why wouldn’t it be next to a high school…hoo boy this city is screwed.

    at least it will serve as a simple example for parents – “see that meth head tweeking out, Madysynn? don’t do drugs, stay in school…”

  15. “Voluntary supportive services that MAY include drug + alcohol treatment”. Really? Is this then another “wet house” like 1753 NW 56th? As in giant enabling centers. Every night there are already empty beds in this city NOT being used due to people not being able to follow a couple of simple rules. Wouldn’t want to pass judgement, would we. But to liberals, spending others hard earned money makes them happy, feeling good about themselves, and we did something. “Compassion” is always spending somebody else’s $$. Will this place soon become another area we have to avoid, like the Commons? BTW, most have NOTHING in common with that dump. BTW, the cartels are here and growing and loving these places. Don’t worry though, Dow is working on closing jails too. No need for them, right folks.

    1. Shhh!!! We junkies love the progressives that are enabling homelessness and drug addiction. Cartels know there is no law enforcement for narcotics trafficking and usage. Go downtown and you’ll see junkies passed out with needles in their arm. Same thing at the Ballard Commons too. It’s legal. Thanks voters of Seattle!! Hahahaaaaaaaa!!! cackle cackle cackle Aahhhhh!!!

    1. Well we could take to the streets and burn some businesses down. Maybe shoot a couple of people. Run out onto I-5. But does that actually do any good?

      2. How surprising that the guy who doesn’t understand the basics of the Constitution doesn’t understand the difference between peaceful protesting and violent riots!

        That’s not just classic, that’s coryclassic™!

  18. This of course will be a good test of the efficiency of the nationwide homeless communications network.

    I recall talking to a homeless couple living on the street in the U-District. The couple stated that they had come from the midwest to Seattle as they heard it had good weather and people were generous with their giving (not to mention High Times listing northern California to Vancouver, BC being a great place for MJ…both individuals looked like they were high. ) I also recall other states and municipalities sending their homeless on Greyhounds to Seattle. Apparently, the homeless really like us. Warms the cockles of my heart knowing that people love me…so validating.

    Will the free apartments, lack of accountability, legalization of drugs, lax prosecution by Pete Homes and legal system, support from City Council, and ‘caring’ attitude by ‘loving and understanding” Seattleites lead to an influx of homeless rather than a decline? I’m guessing ‘free stuff’ and great weather acts as an incentive? Is my home fully tax deductible if I declare it a homeless shelter?

    This town is full of head cases. Gotta get out of here.

    1. I worked for an agency that served people who are homeless a couple decades ago. Back then many people living on the street said they purposely moved to Seattle because of the climate and social services. Can’t do much about the climate, but we coulld stop shooting ourselves in the foot in terms of offering so much assistance. Our “caring attitude” is doing just the opposite of reducing homelessness in this area.

  20. I’m as disgusted as the next guy by the 20 & 30 year-olds who have embraced the “homeless lifestyle” and our city government which plans on having the rest of us support their food, medical, dental needs for the next 50 years while they steal anything not nailed down. That said–this is a good project. Let’s face it . . . some of the homeless are lost for good. Too many years of mental illness and drug addiction. Get them a room. And then Seattle City Council should get some spine and make sure that those 30 year-old perfectly-capable-of-getting-a-job don’t end up the same way. That is not compassion. the clink or drug rehab . . . your choice. Yeah, drug rehab only works a small % of the time, but “compassion” works not at all.

    1. Psychopath: a person having an egocentric and antisocial personality marked by a lack of remorse for one’s actions, an absence of empathy for others.

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