Heron Haven Kenmore Senior Women’s Shelter

What is the Heron Haven Kenmore Senior Women’s Shelter?

A pilot shelter program tailored for women 50 and older who are seeking shared housing solutions – e.g. renting rooms together in affordable/low income apartments or houses. Target shelter census is 28 women. For information on referrals please see our Referral page. This shelter opened in January 2025.

For a deeper-dive into the underlying landscape of a growing crisis of unsheltered homelessness for very low-income seniors, review this paper by our Executive Director, William Towey and this shelter design approach document.

Residents

The target population is senior women who are community-minded, socially-stable, and at or close to retirement-age with very low fixed income. These women:

Have few or no behavioral health barriers to housing
Primary driver of homelessness usually due to being on average just $200-300 a month shy of affording market-based housing
Are not candidates for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) (Read sidebar as to why they are not eligible)

Client Profiles

Join us in supporting elder women at the Heron Haven Kenmore Women’s Shelter because getting older shouldn’t mean a life on the streets.

Ms. McArdle

She was never going to have enough money to make it work.

Ms. McArdle, born in 1942, began working as a typist to help support her growing family. Her job lacked benefits like a 401k or pension, but it provided a steady income to supplement her husband’s wages. For decades, they lived comfortably, though her husband managed their finances, and Ms. McArdle never opened her own bank account.

After her husband’s passing, Ms. McArdle faced financial strain and had to downsize. Despite her frugality, rising costs around Puget Sound eventually led to the loss of her home. Today, she receives $1,088 monthly in Social Security and $142 in food stamps, but with limited options. She doesn’t qualify for Permanent Supportive Housing, senior housing has years-long waitlists, and local “affordable” apartments—costing about $800 monthly—would leave her rent-burdened at over 80%, with little left for essentials like medication.

Mrs. McArdle may not be a real person, but her story is.

Ms. Williams

She worked hard her whole life and it still wasn’t enough.

As a young girl, Ms. Williams watched her mother struggle to pay rent and provide for her and her sister. Determined to secure a better future, she found full-time work as a school bus driver in the early 1960s, a steady job that allowed her to be self-sufficient, though it didn’t leave room for large savings or retirement. Health issues eventually reduced her to part-time work, and she retired in her late 50s on Social Security Disability Insurance.

After retirement, housing challenges mounted. Rising costs forced her out of apartment after apartment, and today, she relies on a $1,200 monthly Social Security check. After covering basic bills, medication, and food, rent is unaffordable. With no connections in less expensive areas, Ms. Williams now lives in her van with her dog, facing an uncertain winter and reflecting on how it came to this.

Mrs. Williams may not be a real person, but her story is.

Ms. Gonzalez

Portrait of a cheerful senior woman standing

She worked hard for her family but now they’re gone

At age 14, Ms. Gonzalez left school to work under the table and support her family, as her parents needed her help at home while her brothers finished school. She was told her future husband would provide for her, so she needn’t worry. After marrying, she left her job to care for their family since her husband, a truck driver, was often away.

Years later, her husband left, and as the region grew more expensive, her children moved away, unable to offer her a home. Now, at 70, Ms. Gonzalez has no income or safety net. The work she did didn’t qualify her for government entitlements, leaving her with just $189 per month in food stamps and healthcare but no stable housing. As her health declines, she spends nights on a park bench, homeless for the first time in her life.

Ms. Gonzalez may not be a real person, but her story is.

More Details

Heron Haven is a hybrid enhanced/congregate shelter with a structured, shared-living approach. We screen for entry and require participation in self-managed daily shelter operations to guide our Participants with the practice and experience needed for successful share-living.

This shelter site is operated and fully integrated with the Lake City Partners Shelter Services program based in Shoreline, providing participants with access to our Client Services team for case management. Fully integrated with our 24×7 shelter monitoring, Participants experience a balanced living environment with the benefits of enhanced shelter services with a high degree of autonomy, trust, and independence. Food Service is self-managed and supported by Hunger Intervention Program and North Helpline.

This project is made possible thanks to the support of King County.

Address

18118 73rd Ave NE
Kenmore, WA 98028

How you can help:

How to welcome these retirement-age women:

Donate Items: Visit LCP’s list of needed in-kind donations.
Social Engagement: Contact us to help our Participants connect to the community through participation in social activities, clubs, and walking groups.
Contact: office@lakecitypartners.org for more information.

Why aren’t Heron Haven Participants eligible for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)?

Heron Haven Participants have often worked their entire lives but their retirement plans haven’t kept up with cost-of-living increases, and they do not have chronic mental or physical health issues or substance abuse issues.

More information: kingcounty.gov – homeless housing