Summary

King County has joined with Harborview Medical Center to repurpose Harborview Hall to serve as an 45-bed COVID-19 recovery site primarily focused on helping the most vulnerable in our community.

Story

In a continuing effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community and to preserve critical hospital beds for those with the most acute healthcare needs, King County has joined with Harborview Medical Center to plan for opening an isolation and recovery center in the county’s Harborview Hall building, located at 326 Ninth Avenue.

Harborview Hall, which is across the street from Harborview Medical Center, will be repurposed to serve as a recovery site primarily for people who do not have a home to rest and recover and who may have other health needs requiring a level of monitoring.

This location will offer a very vulnerable population a safe place to recover, with onsite clinical support provided by Harborview Medical Center staff. This may include people who are awaiting the result of their COVID-19 test result or a COVID-19 patient who has mild symptoms and doesn’t require  hospitalization.

“As we press every available county-owned property into the fight against this outbreak, we will convert our Harborview Hall enhanced shelter into a facility for COVID-19 isolation and recovery, especially for those without permanent housing. We will relocate the current shelter, while preserving critical hospital beds for those with the most acute healthcare needs,” said King County Executive Constantine. "We are grateful for the Salvation Army’s flexibility and partnership in making sure all the current shelter residents have a temporary new home just a few blocks away. This is truly a communitywide effort to help our most vulnerable, and prepare for all that may unfold."

“In collaboration with King County, this is a creative approach that helps meet the needs of our vulnerable populations while also helping to keep our communities safer," said Paul Hayes, R.N., chief executive officer, Harborview Medical Center.

The move to create the recovery site at Harborview Hall is possible thanks to the efforts of the Salvation Army, which is moving the 85-bed enhanced shelter at Harborview Hall to a temporary alternate location also in the Yesler area.

The 24/7 enhanced shelter operated by The Salvation Army and its residents will take up a temporary home in the former King County Records warehouse located at 1215 E. Fir Street in Seattle.

The warehouse was made available by the Seattle Housing Authority to aid in the COVID emergency response effort. Shower and laundry facilities have been added to the site and all services and supports provided at the Harborview Hall site will move to the Records site.

“When the County approached us about the move from Harborview Hall, Salvation Army teams worked around- the- clock to make it happen,” explained Lt. Colonel Bill Dickinson, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army in the Northwest. “The transition to a new space was successful because of our strong partnership with the County, and our shared commitment to serving homeless neighbors with respect and compassion.”

Harborview Medical Center and King County are addressing how to best care for all our population groups, and this move to establish recovery sites for people experiencing homelessness is an essential step in our community response.

Relevant links

• King County Public Health COVID-19 Resources

Quotes

As we press every available county-owned property into the fight against this outbreak, we will convert our Harborview Hall enhanced shelter into a facility for COVID-19 isolation and recovery, especially for those without permanent housing. We will relocate the current shelter, while preserving critical hospital beds for those with the most acute healthcare needs. We are grateful for the Salvation Army’s flexibility and partnership in making sure all the current shelter residents have a temporary new home just a few blocks away. This is truly a communitywide effort to help our most vulnerable, and prepare for all that may unfold.

In collaboration with King County, this is a creative approach that helps meet the needs of our vulnerable populations while also helping to keep our communities safer.

When the County approached us about the move from Harborview Hall, Salvation Army teams worked around- the- clock to make it happen. The transition to a new space was successful because of our strong partnership with the County, and our shared commitment to serving homeless neighbors with respect and compassion.

For more information, contact:

Sherry Hamilton, 206-263-9010