April 26, 2023
70 New Homes for Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors: Martha’s Place Opens Its Doors
Catholic Housing Services of Western Washington, the City of Mount Vernon, and Skagit County are excited to announce the grand opening of Martha’s Place located at 1925 E. College Way in Mount Vernon, Washington. An opening ceremony occurred at 10:00 am today, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, to celebrate this long-sought homeless housing project.
Martha’s Place is the first Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) development in Skagit County, providing 70 units of low-barrier housing to people experiencing homelessness and low-income households at risk of homelessness. Catholic Community Services of Western Washington will provide 24/7 supportive services to help residents build community, find belonging, and live more stable lives.
“Homelessness affects every community, big or small. Martha’s Place will serve as a safe haven and provide a strong support network to help ensure residents have long-term success, a vision the city has worked with partners toward since 2016,” said Mayor Boudreau, City of Mount Vernon. “What a gift it is to provide hope, healing, and stability to our most vulnerable neighbors.”
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is a proven, cost-effective solution to end chronic homelessness, increase housing stability, and improve health. Research shows that PSH helps lower public costs associated with the use of crisis services such as hospitals, law enforcement, jails, and emergency shelters. PSH is one of the central strategies embraced by city and county leaders as part of the North Star Project to end chronic homelessness and address behavioral health issues in Skagit County.
Will Rice of Catholic Housing Services of Western Washington said, "We believe every person has the right to a safe, affordable place to call home. We built Martha’s Place for some of our most vulnerable community members – people who are experiencing homelessness with behavioral health issues, chronic health conditions, and/or histories of trauma. Martha’s Place will provide needed assistance for housing stability, and we are proud and honored to provide a safe and supportive place for our residents to call home."
Martha’s Place was made possible with funding provided by Catholic Housing Services and Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, the cities of Mount Vernon and Burlington, and Skagit County. The Washington State Housing Trust Fund low-income housing tax credits awarded by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission rounded out the funding to bring Martha’s Place to life.
"It is so exciting to see Martha’s Place come to fruition," said Skagit County Commissioner Lisa Janicki. "It serves as a great example of how a non-profit provider, our cities, and county can successfully work together to house people experiencing homelessness. I am honored to be a part of collaborative efforts to effectively serve our community and make a bigger impact than if we were operating in silos. I look forward to what we do next!"
For more information about Martha’s Place, please visit https://ccsww.org/get-help/housing/permanent-housing/marthas-place/.
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