a powerful partnership built for families

For families experiencing homelessness, getting inside is an important first step. But the ultimate goal is a safe, stable home where parents and children can put down roots and build toward the future.

In a recent Mary’s Place Moments conversation, Mary’s Place CEO Dominique Alex sat down with Joe Thompson, President of Mercy Housing Northwest, to talk about a shared vision taking shape in Burien: a new campus that brings emergency family shelter and permanently affordable housing together in one place.

Meeting today’s needs while investing in long-term solutions

Mary’s Place addresses family homelessness through three-pronged approach: emergency family shelter, mobile outreach to families living unsheltered, and prevention services that help families remain in their homes.

The new campus reflects that same approach. A new 200-bed Mary’s Place family shelter will provide a safe place to come inside and supportive services, while permanently affordable housing from Mercy Housing Northwest will create a pathway toward a long-term home.

The need for both is growing. The 2026 King County Regional Homelessness Authority Point-in-Time Count found that unsheltered family homelessness has increased since 2022, from an estimated 1,253 people in 415 family households to 2,224 people in 647 households in 2026.

We see that need every day at Mary’s Place, where our Emergency Family Shelter Intake Line receives 40-50 calls each day from parents searching for a safe place for their children to sleep, and typically there is only room for one or two to come inside. At the same time, a shortage of affordable homes makes it harder for those already in shelter to find somewhere they can afford to live.

As Dominique described it, the Burien campus gives us an opportunity to do “both and”: respond to the immediate crisis while adding more of the affordable homes our region needs.

Creating homes that actually work for families

Finding an affordable home can be especially challenging for larger families. Mary’s Place serves multigenerational households and families that sometimes include 10 or even 12 people, yet larger rental units can be difficult to find.

Mercy Housing Northwest designed the Burien development with those needs in mind. The majority of apartments will be family-sized, including two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes, for households earning at or below 60% of the area median income.

At least 30 homes will be reserved for families transitioning out of homelessness, creating a unique opportunity to move from shelter into permanent housing while maintaining connections to schools, neighbors, services, and the community they already know.

And the vision extends beyond the apartments. Shared spaces will give neighbors places to gather and cook together, children room to play, and residents access to programs and services.

A place to put down roots

Homelessness can disrupt nearly every part of a child’s life, from school and routines to friendships and other important relationships.

That’s one reason Joe is excited about the chance for families to “sink roots” in Burien rather than face another disruptive move.

For families moving from Mary’s Place shelter into housing on the campus, that could mean keeping the relationships and connections they’ve already built while beginning their next chapter.

It also means Mary’s Place and Mercy Housing Northwest will have the chance to see what comes after that initial moment of crisis: children growing up, parents pursuing new opportunities, and families thriving in a place they can truly call their own.

A place to dream big

Ultimately, the vision for the Burien campus isn’t simply about new buildings. It’s about what becomes possible when families have a home they can afford and a strong network around them.

The project partners hope those who eventually live there will have the foundation to pursue their goals and “dream big dreams.” They also hope the partnership can demonstrate an approach that could be replicated in other communities.

When the doors open, it will be more than the first day in a new building. It will be day one of a new neighborhood — a place to connect, celebrate, grow, and dream big.