home at last: Erica’s three-year journey to affordable housing

For most of her adult life, Erica didn’t think of herself as homeless. A Seattle native, she grew up in South Seattle and always found a place to stay—whether with family or friends. But as she later realized, not having a place of her own meant she and her children were without a true home. 

That realization hit hard in 2020. Erica was pregnant with her second child, and the uncertainty of bouncing from couch to couch was no longer sustainable. “It just wasn’t how I wanted them growing up,” she said, “never having a permanent, stable home, or a room that was theirs.” Housing not only an additional adult, but a small child and a newborn, was something friends and family could no longer accommodate, but the shortage of affordable housing in Seattle made finding something stable extremely difficult. Waitlists were long, and the process slow and complex. With family and friends no longer able to help, Erica began searching for shelter. 

Erica and her children

That search led her to Catholic Community Services in Renton, and after nearly two months of sleeping in a communal space in a church, she was finally connected to transitional housing in Kirkland. Transitional housing provides temporary, supportive living arrangements designed to help people move from homelessness to stable, permanent housing. It wasn’t easy—Kirkland was unfamiliar territory at the time, far from the community she knew—but it was a start. 

Before this housing solution, Erica and her children had lived in two motels and then in the church shelter for two months. Their new living situation gave them some breathing room and hope —Erica immediately joined the waitlist for an affordable apartment in the building across the street. Erica’s kids started attending the Kindercare close by and Erica found a new job at the same day care. They stayed in transitional housing for just over two years. When the time limit expired, however, they were still on the waitlist for permanent housing and were once again facing homelessness. 

Unfortunately, Erica’s situation is not unique. Seattle is experiencing an affordable housing crisis, and it’s hitting families especially hard. The cost of living and rent has risen far faster than wages, especially for low-income families supporting children, and there aren’t enough affordable homes to meet the need. Larger apartments with enough space for kids are even harder to find and waitlists for these units, if they’re even accepting new names, can stretch on for years, just like they did for Erica. Overburdened homelessness and housing assistance systems and lack of affordable units leave many families living in cars or tents, sleeping in shelters, or bouncing between temporary spots while they wait for something affordable to become available. This is especially tough on parents trying to keep their kids in school and hold down jobs. 

With nowhere to go, Erica began calling every shelter and housing assistance organization she could find. That’s when she got a call back from Mary’s Place. 

“They said they had space for us at their emergency shelter. I was worried about it being far from work and I didn’t know anyone in the area—but we once again gathered our belongings and brave faces and went somewhere unfamiliar in search of help.” 

The moment she walked into Mary’s Place, her fears started to melt away. “I saw families supporting each other, kids playing together. The staff were so kind and helpful. We truly got help in every shape, fashion, and form.” 

Mary’s Place Housing Specialists helped Erica apply to additional affordable housing waitlists and guided her through the complex process. “They even helped me pay off a past utility bill from my time in transitional housing to make sure it wouldn’t be a problem when my name was finally called,” she shares. 

Her children, too, found a sense of belonging. “They went on field trips in Kids Club, had movie nights with other kids, and we got help with school supplies, clothes, pull-ups—everything,” Erica said. “They felt safe and supported.” 

After more than three years on the waitlist, Erica got the call she had been hoping for: a three-bedroom apartment was available in Kirkland, in the very building she had been hoping for all along. 

“We’ve been in our apartment for over a year now,” she shares. “My kids finally have their own rooms, I’m still working at the daycare nearby, and we just recently got our own washer and dryer. Most importantly, my kids no longer have to worry about where they’ll sleep next.”  

Reflecting on her journey, Erica credits Mary’s Place and its supporters for the stability she and her children now enjoy. 

“I really appreciate all of the staff at Mary’s Place and the people who donate to make sure this organization can continue helping people. There just isn’t enough affordable housing in Seattle, and until that changes, we need people like them to bridge the gap.” 

Erica and her children have visited Mary’s Place a few times since moving into their permanent home—just to say hi and let everyone know they’re doing well. And now that her family is settled, Erica is hoping to give back by volunteering to support others going through what she once did.