Will a new emergency shelter and a permanent supportive housing location open before the next severe cold season in Federal Way?
Two projects are moving along to transform former hotels in Federal Way, but the latest update from King County is that opening dates have been pushed back from the last estimates shared in March, which initially gave estimates of a fall 2025 opening for both.
One property will be transformed into a permanent supportive housing location and operated by the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. The property is located at 1400 S. 320th St. in Federal Way and has officially been named Booker House. King County confirmed that “construction is nearing completion” and is it expected to open first.
Booker House is still expecting to provide some relief before the end of the year. The site operator is aiming to “welcome residents on the ground floor mid-October,” according to King County. Residents interested in living above the ground floor will need to wait until scheduled elevator upgrades are completed, which are expected to be done in November.
Booker House is not an emergency shelter. Instead, it is a permanent supportive housing location with wraparound services and supports to help residents address urgent physical and mental health needs and gain stability while in a safe environment — and off the street.
This program is part of King County’s Health through Housing initiative, which focuses on goals of helping people experiencing chronic homelessness maintain stable housing and improve their quality of life.
The Health through Housing initiative focuses on both permanent supportive housing like the Booker House and emergency shelters like the former Red Lion property on South 348th Street, which will be managed by Catholic Community Services (CCS).
That emergency shelter is now expected to open in early 2026, according to King County.
“This timing is subject to the city’s permitting approval process and the completion of essential repairs that will ensure the facility is safe, accessible, and ready to serve the community,” Eloise Harris of the King County Department of Community and Human Services told the Mirror.
These essential repairs include work on “electrical and fire safety system upgrades, plumbing improvements, and other safety-related enhancements that must be made before the shelter can begin operations.”
City documents show that the building permit process and review is expected to be completed around Sept. 21, which will allow the last phase of construction to begin.
The current goal is to begin operator occupancy before the end of the year, then CCS staff will need to complete further tenant improvements before opening.
“We are moving with urgency to complete these repairs while upholding the highest health and safety standards. Once this work is finalized, the shelter will open and begin providing critical support and stability to the community,” Harris said.
Until then, there is still no overnight shelter for single adults in Federal Way who are experiencing homelessness, except in the case of extreme weather.
For those especially dangerous cold nights, local nonprofit FUSION will continue to partner with the City of Federal Way to provide emergency shelter until the former Red Lion is able to take over. FUSION currently operates the Pete Andersen Family Center on South 328th Street.
