SEQUIM — Serenity House officials reached a milestone mid-month when they opened a single-family shelter in Sequim.
“It took a little while to find a unit to put the shelter in, but it’s a perfect location,” said Kim Leach, Serenity House of Clallam County executive director.
The three-bedroom shelter on North Fifth Avenue is near the Housing Resource Center, the bus route and other services.
Although it is intended for a single family, under certain circumstances, the shelter might be able to house two small families, Leach said.
To discourage families from bringing additional belongings, the shelter is fully furnished and livable.
Limiting the amount of personal furniture helps ensure a timely transition between families in need, Leach said.
“There were four homeless families but only one unit available, so the turnover needs to happen very quickly,” she said.
“We want them to shelter there, but we also want them to hit the ground running and be proactive about getting into permanent housing.”
Homeless families may stay up to 45 days rent-free, according to the Serenity House website at www.serenityhouseclallam.org.
For more information, call 360-477-4918 or go to the Housing Resource Center at 583 W. Washington St.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with closure from noon to 1 p.m. each day for lunch.
