Tiny houses will be part of two new villages set to open this fall in partnership with the Low Income Housing Institute
Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that the City will add more than 100 new tiny houses through two new tiny house villages in partnership with the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI). Each village will have comprehensive onsite supportive services geared toward chronically homeless individuals and those with complex behavioral challenges.
“Addressing homelessness is a top priority for Seattle, and we’ll continue to invest in proven solutions to help our unhoused neighbors heal and get on a path to permanent housing and long-term stability,” said Mayor Harrell. “Expanding available shelter is part of our broader, multilayered strategy to meet urgent needs while simultaneously tackling root causes and increasing affordable permanent housing. I want to thank LIHI for making these new tiny house villages possible and Councilmember Kettle for his efforts to advance this solution.”
The City included $5.9 million in its 2025 budget to fund the startup and operation costs for these two new villages, and the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) awarded the contracts to LIHI.
The new tiny houses will be located across two new villages, each providing onsite security, hygiene facilities, storage, and laundry, along with a full range of tailored supportive services offered by specially trained staff — many of whom have successfully exited similar programs.
- The larger village will include approximately 60 tiny houses and will be available through a new partnership between LIHI and CoLEAD, a service provider that specializes in addressing physical and behavioral health needs.
- The second village will include approximately 44 tiny houses and will be operated solely by LIHI.
With these two new villages, LIHI will have 13 City-funded tiny house programs in Seattle.
“From day one, a key pillar of our strategic framework has been public health and how it goes hand and hand with public safety. In collaboration with key stakeholders like the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) and service providers, we developed a solid plan to combat increasing homelessness – by investing in additional shelter capacity,” said Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7). “The CoLead program model – offering temporary lodging and intensive case management – shows that protecting public health also strengthens public safety by focusing on high impact areas.”
Both of the new tiny house villages will be reserved for individuals referred by the Unified Care Team (UCT) and its outreach partners as they offer people living in tent or RV encampments the opportunity to come indoors while working to keep public spaces open and accessible to all.
UCT’s efforts have led to record shelter referrals and about an 80% decrease in tent encampments from 2022 to 2024. UCT data also shows that offering shelter with private, secure space — such as a tiny house — can help people say “yes” to moving indoors, which can lead to long-term stability.
For 2024, KCRHA reports that 46% of individuals exiting City-funded tiny house programs transitioned to permanent housing, and just 4% returned to homelessness within six months. By comparison, the latest published national data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2023) shows a 32% average for successful placement to permanent housing from emergency shelter, transitional housing, safe haven, or rapid re-housing projects.
Each village will include a Good Neighbor Agreement and Community Advisory Committee to ensure open communication and collaboration between LIHI and the surrounding community before opening and throughout each village’s operation.
LIHI will conduct community outreach in potential village locations through mid-August. Pending the success of those efforts, both villages are set to be built and operational by this fall.
What People are Saying:
Sharon H. Lee, Executive Director, Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI)
“Two new tiny house villages will serve hundreds of people in the years to come. We are thrilled to find vacant land and hope to establish these villages as quickly as possible. Our goal is for vulnerable people to be able to move out of living in cold, wet tents and into heated tiny houses this winter. We thank the City for funding these two new villages.”
Lisa Daugaard & Tara Moss, Co-Executive Directors, Purpose. Dignity. Action. (PDA)
“We’re delighted to be joining forces with LIHI to bring the CoLEAD model to a tiny home environment, which has been a goal for several years. People who are chronically homeless accept CoLEAD services and are retained in shelter and achieve permanent housing placements at a high rate, with strong retention there with CoLEAD aftercare support. CoLEAD has sent most of the nominations to Lakeside Milam in the City’s immediate access to treatment pilot (10 participants since December). The City of Seattle’s investment in non-congregate shelter, and the approach taken by KCRHA in making this award, will more than double CoLEAD capacity to work with people with complex behavioral health needs who require intensive case management (and sometimes legal assistance) in order to stabilize and progress with recovery goals.”
Kelly Kinnison, CEO, King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA)
“Tiny House Villages aren’t solely interim shelter — they’re an environment where our unhoused neighbors have a stable place to stay and receive critical services that help them rebuild their lives. I’ve met with many unhoused individuals who see tiny homes as a valuable resource while they work towards moving into permanent housing. By investing in a resource that meets their needs, it benefits not only our unhoused neighbors but the community as a whole. I’m looking forward to hearing about the positive outcomes these new villages will help foster.”
Shannon Braddock, King County Executive
“Our region’s homelessness crisis demands bold investment, and I applaud Seattle’s new partnership. This is the type of action we need – more shelter and more services. I’m grateful for Seattle’s work to add the housing and supports people need to stabilize and thrive.”
Steve Woolworth, CEO, Evergreen Treatment Services
“Expanding the footprint of tiny home villages in Seattle is an important and timely investment from the city and critical to the overall goal of moving people inside. Onsite care management will ensure residents receive the support they need and deserve, which will increase the probability of residents moving toward permanent housing and long-term stability.”
Jon Scholes, President & CEO, Downtown Seattle Association
“The scale and associated contributing factors of our homelessness crisis require a multilayered approach, combining housing with services and treatment. These new tiny home villages will help get people inside and off sidewalks, into a more stable and supportive environment.”
Barb Oliver, Director of Operations, Sound Foundations NW
“Sound Foundations NW is proud to provide the majority of tiny transitional homes for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. This is the first, best solution to homelessness. Tiny home villages is one of the most economical and pragmatic ways to get Seattle to Functional Zero. Homelessness is solvable.”