Getting Help

Application Process
Applicants to the HomeStep program are referred by a case-manager from an agency that works directly with those that are homeless.  We are not a "referral" agency.  If you are experiencing homelessness currently, please have your case-manager contact us directly to get an application process going.

Traditional Housing
Case-Management
Training and Resources
Mental Health Services
Follow-up
Program Eligibility
Families Program
Children's Program
Single Adult Program

Transitional Housing
HomeStep offers transitional housing in two types of settings. For individual men, women, and young adults, HomeStep offers communal living built on the concept of self-management in which each participant plays a part in running the home, supporting the program and working towards his or her personal self-sufficiency objectives. The houses consist of a youth house for those between the ages of 18 and 24, two all-male houses, two co-ed houses, and a duplex with male and female sides. Families are housed in individual units, often clustered together, throughout King County.

Case-Management
HomeStep offers a comprehensive program for those willing to develop and commit to a self-sufficiency plan. Each person has his or her own individual needs, but we see many common concerns including: difficulty navigating benefits systems; a lack of job and life-skills training; the aftermath of domestic violence and abuse; troubled children; difficulty readjusting to society and parenting after incarceration; mental health needs; drug and alcohol recover; and problems overcoming language and cultural barriers. Utilizing a strengths-based model, our staff helps program participants build upon all assets within their reach. We help them access vocational training; higher education; financial support; transportation; childcare; food assistance; parenting classes; and medical, emotional and legal assistance. A key goal is to develop a strategy to increase income as well as manage a household on limited funds. Finally, each individual develops a housing stabilization plan for finding permanent housing, either through applying for Section 8 vouchers or through other low income housing opportunities.

Training and Resources
In weekly meetings, our client advocates help program participants recover emotionally; learn about community resources; connect to educational, vocational, or employment opportunities; and attend life-skills trainings. We may be required participants to attend classes on parenting (if applicable), financial literacy, navigating the transportation system, and nutrition. Recognizing that housing and the resolution of other life troubles go hand in hand, we have developed significant partnerships with other community providers listed above and many others for health care, mental health, substance abuse, job training, parenting, and other support needs.

Mental Health Services
On top of the stress associated with being homeless, many of our program participants are coping with underlying mental health problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from domestic violence or other crises. To respond to this significant mental health need, we added mental health expertise through our Clinical Services Manager. The Manager assists in the screening of all program participants so that potential mental health issues can be addressed immediately upon move in. Early intervention significantly contributes to the success of each person’s self-sufficiency plan.

Follow-up
Program participants who have graduated from our program into permanent housing are allowed to access our services at any time for additional support. If they do not contact us, we conduct quarterly check-ins for two years to ensure they have maintained their housing, are accessing local resources as needed, and continue to progress in increasing income opportunities and in overcoming the issues that led them to homelessness.

Program Eligibility
HomeStep provides housing for single individuals, young adults, and families who are homeless. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

All applicants must verify that they are over 18, currently homeless, have income at or below 30% of the median income, and agree to comply with the following program requirements:

On-time Payment of Monthly Rent
Participants pay 30% of their income to rent a month. Those enrolled in Seattle Jobs Initiative or Farestart are not required to pay rent during their job training and placement.

Commitment to Clean & Sober Living Environment
Alcohol and illegal drugs are absolutely forbidden on the premises. Drug use or possession at any time during a participant’s stay is grounds for immediate removal.

Work toward Self-sufficiency
Each participant completes an initial assessment of their housing stability scale upon move-in to identify immediate, short-term, and long-term goals. Participants meet regularly with their advocate who will provide assistance and referrals in areas of medical, dental, food, clothing, mental health counseling & case management, credit counseling, job training, financial & legal assistance, drug and alcohol treatment, and permanent housing.

Participation in Self-Management (Single adults and youth only)
Participants contribute to the management of their housing by participating in regular house meetings, keeping up the yard and house and enforcing program rules. For more information please email us at homestep@thechurchcouncil.org

Families Program
  • Families are housed in apartments and homes scattered across King County for up to 24 months
  • Units are provided through partnerships with low income housing providers, congregations or market rate property owners
  • Families participating pay 30% of their income toward rent with the remainder subsidized through government voucher programs, private and government grants or congregation donations
  • Participants work intensively on a weekly basis with family advocates to stabilize their lives. Together they establish goal plans and measure progress in multiple areas including financial management, parenting, health care, legal issues and other basic life skills such as transportation and employment work toward the ultimate goal of permanent, affordable housing.
  • The average length of stay in our program is 13 months. Upon graduation families may move to a different affordable home or stay and pay full rent at their current location. Families may access follow up care and support for an additional two years.

Children’s Program
The Children’s program aims to address and decrease the negative impact of homelessness on the children and youth in our program. We are committed to providing all children in our program, especially those most socially, academically, psychologically and physically vulnerable, a youth advocate.

The advocates help our young clients deal with the barriers that contribute to generational poverty and homelessness. Each family is given a comprehensive assessment to identify all strengths and internal resources of each family member and then provide resources and support directly to the young client.

Single Adult Program
The Singles Program uses a “self-managed approach” to transitional housing.

The self-management approach empowers participants to effect change in their own living situations by contributing to the overall management of the house. Participants in the Single’s Program live in shared housing with other single adults transitioning out of homelessness. Participation in house meetings, advisory meetings, and daily house management, helps participants develop life skills such as negotiation and leadership, critical thinking and decision-making, group problem solving and conflict resolution.

Our self-management approach is cost effective because it requires minimal staffing, relying on participants to create their own rules and manage their own houses. Self-managed housing is successful because it gives participants the opportunity to take charge of their own lives and living environments, places them in situations and neighborhoods that model traditional permanent housing, and teaches them cooperation and community values.