Nonprofit DESC is continuing its work serving the most vulnerable in Seattle with the opening of DESC Burbridge Place at the end of 2023.
The development provides 124 studio apartments and 24/7 on-site staffing and case management for chronically homeless and highly vulnerable individuals.
“Clients are receiving tiered levels of care to make sure that they are able to be successful in our primary mission, which is keeping people housed,” says Sondra Nielsen, director of facilities and asset management at DESC. “It’s really important when people are exiting homelessness to meet them where they're at. So, we have a pretty significant structure of staff that supports people being where they’re at.”
Nielsen says this population has more physical and behavioral health issues, with residents getting help with basic life needs and clinical case management all the way up to seeing nurses and doctors on staff. Another key support is that on-site staff seeks to talk or see each resident every 24 hours to make sure they are not having any difficulties.
The design of the five-story building also plays a role in the residents’ well-being and health. It features open-air corridors; a window wall that brings light into the space; wet-room bathrooms with a central drain; low-voltage lighting; and low-voltage meters that track the electricity and the water use in the units and can send alerts. Materials that are more durable and easier to maintain than typical drywall have also been incorporated into the development.
In addition, the $56 million permanent supportive housing development is touted as the first of its kind to be designed and built using Sustainable Living Innovations’ panelized building system. This patent-protected technology creates durable and sustainable buildings that are predicted to cost less to operate, use less energy, and produce less waste during construction.
