(WSB file photo of shelter/American Legion building at 3618 SW Alaska)
If you were at last week’s SPD “Our City, Our Safety” meeting, or watched the video in our coverage, you heard Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Krista Bair say she had been told of a management change at the Westside Neighbors Shelter, which has been closed since June. We followed up with the shelter board, which isn’t disclosing specifics, but provided this statement to WSB:
The Westside Neighbors Shelter is in transition at this time. The shelter board, American Legion Hall, and case management teams are working hard to coordinate and formalize West Seattle’s only access to resources and case management for people without housing. The board is revamping programming and leadership roles, and will reach out to the community when we have solidified our plan for our new direction.
Even with the shelter pause, case management through Anything Helps and REACH has continued to help people served by the shelter and others who frequent the area. Anything Helps provides individualized support for health and employment needs through Medicaid‘s Foundational Community Support program, and REACH helps connect people to referrals and housing options. The roughly 60 people we have been serving receive weekly access to resources, and many have been connected to housing and shelter options, or reconnected with family.
We look forward to a stronger, more transparent relationship with the neighborhood and business community when the shelter reopens.
No timeline for that yet.