From Hellhole to Safe Haven?

How did a Seattle non-profit raise $27 million and reinvent one of the most notorious public housing complexes in the city?

1 minute read

January 14, 2006, 1:00 PM PST

By David Gest

Just a few years ago, some homeless people considered the Morrison Hotel, run by the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to be more dangerous than living on the streets. "...after a crescendo of complaints from activists and social service providers, SHA turned the building over to the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), a veteran nonprofit organization that has long run a shelter in the building and which manages an array of buildings serving homeless individuals with the toughest problems, mainly chronic addiction and severe mental illness. DESC launched a $27 million renovation of the entire building, including the shelter, while residents continued to live there. It was paid for mostly with city, state, and federal funds." Today, few would recognized the new Morrison. How was the success achieved?

FULL STORY: It's Morning at the Morrison

Wednesday, January 11, 2006 in Seattle Weekly

Housing Washington

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