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Sound Families: Providing Transitional Housing for Families In July 2000, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation made a $40 million grant to establish the Sound Families program - the largest private foundation gift ever provided to assist the homeless. As a partnership between the Gates Foundation, local city and county governments, and the University of Washington, the gift is being used to fund grants to construct 1,500 supportive housing units for families in transition out of homelessness in the Puget Sound region of Washington state. The supportive housing units provide services such as childcare and job training. The Devastation of Homelessness Homelessness is a problem that has devastated the lives of thousands of Americans and has become a regular feature of the human landscape. The Seattle metropolitan area, like many urban centers, first suffered a loss of affordable housing from the demolition of thousands of units during the skyscraper building boom of the 1980s. Following this reduction in affordable units, the housing market tightened further as a result of rapid increases in housing prices in the Puget Sound region. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the hourly wage required to afford a 2-bedroom apartment in the Seattle metropolitan area (King County) is $16.25-more than three times the federal minimum wage of $5.15. As a result, in 2001 there were more than 9,000 homeless individuals in the Puget Sound region. Sound Families Awards Grants Since the pilot round of awards in late 2000, Sound Families has awarded grants for 24 projects that will help fund the development of 293 supportive housing units. Three examples of funded projects are Housing Hope, the Low Income Housing Institute, and the Auburn Transitional Housing for Families. Housing Hope is building an 11-unit housing facility. Four of the units will house eight small families in transition. The remaining seven units will serve as permanent housing. The target population for the project is extremely low-income, homeless, pregnant women or new mothers and their infants. Housing Hope has developed a learning curriculum designed to strengthen the ability of the residents to work and care for their families. Together with its partners, Housing Hope will provide case management, employment training, and child-care for one year following the completion of the transitional program. The Low Income Housing Institute is building Meadowbrook View, a mixed-use structure with 51 units of housing affordable to families earning 30 to 60 percent of the area median income and 15 transitional apartments including eight 3-bedroom and seven 4-bedroom units. In addition, families will be able to take advantage of substantial on-site services and case management, including a food, clothing, and housewares bank; access to daycare for young children; an after-school and summer school program; medical services, mental health, and substance abuse assistance; employment services; and a youth counselor. The Auburn Transitional Housing for Families project has rehabilitated a 12-unit apartment building, converting 2-bedroom units to low-income, transitional family housing. St. Stephen's Housing Association, a small faith-based service organization, has partnered with Catholic Community Services and the developer Common Ground for this housing project. Progress in the Provision of Housing and Services Thus far, nine of the 24 Sound Families programs have completed 126 units that are either occupied or in the process of being rented. Many of the housing projects have been able to use a portion of the rental income for property management, including some supportive services. As Paul Carlson, Homeless and Supportive Housing Specialist with Sound Families said, "The provision of services is critical to the success of supportive housing programs for the homeless or very low-income." The housing units being built through Sound Families fill a gap that the Gates Foundation saw in the Puget Sound region's continuum of care approach from shelter to permanent housing for families in transition out of homelessness. By significantly increasing the amount of supportive housing available, Sound Families hopes to relieve much of the pent-up demand that is now overwhelming the emergency housing system.
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