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 DESC clients, for the most
part, are not homeless solely due to economic circumstance or the
affordable housing crisis in our region. Over the years, we found that
simply placing people in housing was unlikely to be effective as a
long-term strategy.
Instead, DESC has developed a variety of housing
options, all of which include case management and/or on-
site coordination of support services. With these services, our clients
are much more likely to successfully maintain long-term tenancy.
DESC has over 130 units of supportive housing currently under development. Learn more about our newest projects:
DESC manages 650 units of stable, affordable housing with 24-hour on-site services:
The Union Hotel
 DESC's first supportive housing building, opened in 1994. At The Union, 52 formerly homeless,
disabled tenants live in their own apartments. The building is staffed
24-hours a day, and an on-site Service Coordinator maintains close
contact with tenants and coordinates their access to supportive
services.
The Union Hotel has consistently demonstrated turnover rates
significantly better than the national average for Single Room
Occupancy programs, despite having residents with the greatest
disabilities.
The Lyon
Building
 Opened in 1997, this building was purchased
and renovated by AIDS Housing of
Washington, and DESC was selected to manage the project.
The Lyon
Building has 64 units of permanent housing for homeless adults with
multiple disabilities, including HIV/AIDS, mental illness and chemical
dependence. Project staff, including four clinical specialists, provide
intensive support and coordination to ensure that residents' service
needs are met and housing is successfully maintained.
Kerner-Scott House
This is the site of a DESC
shelter for mentally-ill women and contains 40 units of housing.
Twenty-five units provide "Safe Haven" housing for homeless mentally
ill
people who are not currently receiving services. The units themselves
serve as tools to help engage clients into receiving services.
The
residential setting helps facilitate clients' movement toward permanent
housing and increased self-sufficiency. The 15 units located on the top
floor are occupied by chemically dependent formerly homeless adults in
recovery. This house opened in December 1997, and was named
to memorialize two former DESC clients who would have benefited from
such housing.
The Morrison 
Containing 190 units of permanent supportive housing
for formerly homeless adults with serious disabilities, this is DESC’s largest
housing project.
December 2005 marked the end of a three-year comprehensive
rehabilitation of this historical building located in the Pioneer
Square neighborhood.
The $26.8 million renovation replaced all
major building systems including elevators, electrical systems,
plumbing and heating; completed a seismic retrofit; and enlarged and
improved the building's 190 residential units to include full kitchen
and bath features.
1811
Eastlake 
In December 2005, amidst one
of the coldest and rainy winters in Seattle history, 1811 Eastlake
opened its doors to 75 homeless men and women with chronic alcohol
addiction.
It is the first
housing program of its kind in Washington to use this innovative
housing model for addressing the needs of chronic homeless
alcoholics. Residents benefit from 24 hour - 7 day a week support
including mental health and chemical dependency treatment, primary
health care, meals and counseling assistance. The project aims to
improve the lives of its residents through reduced alcohol consumption,
better health care, and increased stability.
1811 Eastlake provides ready access to services, on-going encouragement
and hope for an improved future.
Evans House
Named for a former DESC employee, Evans House opened in 2007 to provide permanent supportive housing for 75
of our community's most vulnerable homeless adults. Residents
include men and women recently released from psychiatric
hospitalization who are working with DESC's PACT Team, and individuals who are both mentally ill and developmentally disabled.
Scattered Site Housing
DESC also has housing
subsidies which case managers
use to place their clients into rental
properties throughout Seattle. Last year, DESC received an award from
HUD which expanded the program by approximately 60 units. By using
HUD Supportive Housing Program leasing funds, DESC leases units
directly from private property owners and in turn subleases to our
residents at 30% of their income. The key to making this project work
is integrating DESC’s case management services to provide the necessary
support for people to succeed and stabilize.
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