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Heron Haven shelter for older women reports steady start; Lake City Partners seeks community-backed exit strategies
Summary
Lake City Partners reported that Heron Haven, a Kenmore shelter for older women, has reached roughly half occupancy and is serving women with very low fixed incomes; staff described operational challenges including higher-than-expected care needs for some residents and proposed a ‘close-the-gap’ community fund to support exits to market housing.
Lake City Partners executive director William Towey updated the Kenmore City Council on the Kenmore Senior Women’s Shelter, known as Heron Haven, reporting that the program is operational and mid‑startup with about 50% census (roughly 15 residents) and that the organization expects to be full by late second quarter or into third quarter as referrals and placements increase.
Towey said the shelter is intended to serve older women with very low fixed incomes — he cited typical monthly incomes in the range of $400 to $1,600 for residents in this cohort. He told council members that this population often becomes unsheltered later in life for economic reasons and that a congregate shelter model for this “narrow band” of residents requires different outreach and service practices than traditional shelter models.
The shelter has not yet asked anyone to leave for behavioral reasons, Towey said, and overall the program has experienced strong community support. He also flagged operational challenges: some residents present higher needs related to aging and cognitive impairment that make congregate shelter living a difficult long-term match. Towey said Lake City Partners hopes to pilot a community-driven “close-the-gap” fund that would help bridge the difference between what participants can afford and market-rate housing by pooling small contributions from community members to support exits into shared or market housing.
Council members asked about the residents’ eligibility for benefits, the role of Housing Connector and case management, and whether the program planned to rely on existing referral pathways. Towey said many residents rely on Social Security or SSDI, and that Housing Connector and landlord engagement would be part of exit strategies, while emphasizing the need for community participation in creating shared-housing solutions.
No formal council action was taken; the item was an informational update and council members thanked Lake City Partners and the community for supporting the shelter.
Context and next steps: Staff and Lake City Partners will continue to monitor occupancy and service needs; Lake City Partners said it will pilot the community fund concept and coordinate with Housing Connector and other programs to seek exits to stable housing.
