During the winter severe weather season, our first cold weather activation typically occurs around Thanksgiving and our last one is usually toward the end of March. Once we’ve wrapped up the last activation for the season, we can start gathering, refining, and analyzing data and information.
While we gather data as we go, the emergency response side of severe weather activation takes priority. Working across several municipalities within King County and engaging service providers throughout the community can make the process of gathering accurate data time-consuming.
Now that we’ve had some time to look back at the winter, we can paint a clearer picture of how our community collaborated to respond to the cold and severe weather last winter.
You can view or download a recap here or continue reading below to see some of the efforts and outcomes during the cold weather season from November 2024 – March 2025.
Top-Level Highlights:
- Last winter we spent 40 total nights activated
- On average, we added 497 beds/units to shelter capacity on the nights we were activated
- An average of 700 people sheltered on the coldest nights
- Our two longest activations were both 13 nights each
Family Shelter Intake Line
KCRHA worked with Mary’s Place to expand the use of the Family Shelter Intake Line to be available for anyone seeking shelter during severe weather.
Getting People to Shelter
KCRHA also received 300 free King County Metro bus tickets and 50 Sound Transit Link Light Rail tickets that we distributed to specific partners whose clients needed easier, faster access to transit in order to get to shelter. These were distributed to residents in need in the City of Woodinville, Bothell, Burien, and Seattle via the Unified Care Team. In addition, duty staff at shelters had contact information to nearby shelters to coordinate referrals and transportation of overflow guests by taxis in real time. KCRHA was able to secure support from KC Metro Access vans on some nights to expedite the relocation of overflow arrivals at The Seattle Center, ensuring that no one was left out in the cold if they came to the shelter late.
Regional Highlights
Seattle
Over 750 beds/units were available citywide through year-round shelters, eight additional severe weather sites and one hotel voucher program:
- SODO Bay A (The Salvation Army): 35 beds operating January 12–29 and February 2–15
- Exhibition Hall: 140 beds operating January 12–17and February 11–15
- Fisher Pavilion (Salvation Army): 120 beds operating February 2–10
City-owned properties were provided at no cost to KCRHA. People who showed up when the centers reached capacity got referred and provided transportation to nearby shelters that still had room including: Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) Lakefront (40 beds), YouthCare: Orion Center (4 youth beds), Seattle Indian Center (4 beds, men only), Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness (hotel vouchers for up to 14 families/couples), Mary’s Place Regrade (42 family members), Seaview United Methodist Church/Highline UMC (newly launched, 30 beds).
North King County
For the second year under an Interlocal Agreement (ILA), cities including Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell, and Woodinville jointly funded the shelter at St. Dunstan’s Church (capacity: 25), operated by the Urban League. This shelter was utilized by a dozen repeated clients each night, and up to 25 on the coldest nights.
East King County
Although KCRHA has no direct contracts here, we coordinated with cities and providers before the event and daily during activation. Severe weather shelters and hotel vouchers offered over 130 beds total.
- Bellevue: Sophia’s Place – The Sophia Way (10 beds for single adult women), Eastside Men’s Shelter – Porchlight (25 beds for single adult men – This shelter saw a 20-person overflow, those guests were referred/transported to Seattle-based shelters), Mary’s Place (up to 47 family members per night), Lake Washington UMC Safe Parking: 60 people in vehicles, hotel vouchers
- Kirkland: New Bethlehem Shelter – Catholic Community Services (Families with Children), Willows Youth Services Center – Friends of Youth (Young Adults age 18-24; 26 beds), City of Kirkland hotel vouchers at Baymont Inn (up to 20 rooms)
- Redmond: Muslim Community Resource Center-MAPS, Hotel vouchers for up to 14 families/couples
- Snoqualmie/Issaquah: Reclaim– 4 rooms + motel vouchers
South King County
KCRHA coordinated efforts with the cities of Auburn, Burien, Kent, Federal Way, and Renton. They opened severe weather shelters, adding 200+ beds—each at or over capacity.
- Auburn: YMCA Arcadia Youth Shelter – Year-Round Emergency Shelter (20 beds), Ray of Hope Resource Center Sundown Shelter (45 Year-Round Emergency Shelter beds & 16 Safe Parking spots), Ray of Hope Overnight Warming Center (room for 45-60 people to come inside and warm up (no beds/cots)
- Federal Way: FUSION (40 beds)
- Burien: Highline United Methodist Church (50 beds (frequently saw 70 each night), Mary’s Place Burien Family Shelter (up to 17 family members)
- Kent: Holy Spirit Catholic Church gym – volunteer staff (40 beds)
- Renton: St. Anthony’s Rec Hall – REACH Renton (40 beds (frequently saw 70 each night)
- SeaTac: YWCA of Seattle King County (Hotel vouchers for up to 55 families)
- Maple Valley: Vine Maple Place Year-Round Emergency Shelter, families with children only
Additional Resources:
- Warming Spaces: King County and Seattle Libraries, Sound Transit’s Union Station, The Armory at Seattle Center, and day centers
- Health Outreach: Seattle Fire’s Health One and Public Health transported individuals to shelters
- Daily Coordination: KCRHA hosted daily regional calls, updated info online, and printable outreach materials
More than 53,000 people experience homelessness in King County each year, with 9,810 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness according to KCRHA’s 2024 Unsheltered Point-In-Time Count.
While the need exceeds current resources, strong coordination during last winter’s activation season helped bring many inside.
KCRHA thanks all the partners who helped bring people in from the cold.
