Page 28 - Demo

Sunday, November 30, 2025 | Special Advertising Section 28For Michael, who lives with ADHDand autism spectrum disorder, the consistency of having a home andaccess to care has allowed him to regain focus and purpose after years ofemployment challenges. Kim, another Eastside resident, found safety afterfleeing an abusive relationship and spending nights sleeping on sidewalks.Having a permanent home gave herstability; wraparound services helpedher rebuild her life.Plymouth%u2019s resident data from 2024 reflects a microcosm of the challenges that lead to being unhoused on theEastside %u2014 94% of those served had atleast one disability, 78% struggled withsubstance use disorder and 49% had a physical disability or chronic health condition. Each of these circumstancesmake finding and keeping full-timeemployment complicated %u2014 in a marketwhere the median price for a singlefamily home is $1.7 million and rentscontinue to rise, outpacing both stateand national trends.%u201cWe see that multiple systems areimpacted,%u201d says Glennon. Depression can lay the ground for socialisolation, which can result in losses ofemployment and income. To lessen thepain, a person might turn to substance use, which adds another layer of complexity. %u201cBut if we focus only onstopping the substance use, we miss all the other impacted systems,%u201d shesays of Plymouth%u2019s holistic model of care.That%u2019s where wraparound services %u2014the %u201csupportive%u201d part of PSH %u2014 comein. Residents can access medical care, counseling, substance use treatment,financial coaching, community mealsand activities designed to fosterconnection and self-sufficiency. The SPONSORED CONTENTPROVIDED BY PLYMOUTH HOUSINGIn 2024, an estimated 1,910 peopleexperienced homelessness in EastKing County %u2014 11% of the countywidetotal. As the Eastside%u2019s population and housing costs continue to grow, so toodoes the urgency to ensure that every neighbor has a place to call home.While Seattle has built a broadnetwork of services for people facinghomelessness, Eastside communitiesare still expanding theirs. Affordable housing options are limited, andlong-term recovery programs can be hard to find. Many organizations doextraordinary work meeting urgentneeds %u2014 food, shelter, safety %u2014 butlasting stability requires somethingdeeper.One solution is the model ofpermanent supportive housing (PSH),meaning there is no time limit placedon the housing people receive andon-site services are included as part of their residency. In 2023, Seattle-based Plymouth Housing expanded to the Eastside establishing Bellevue%u2019s firstPSH community, Plymouth Crossing.%u201cOnce the immediate crisis ofhomelessness is over, people canbegin to heal from the traumaexperienced before and duringhomelessness,%u201d says Mary Glennon,Plymouth%u2019s senior director ofpermanent supportive housing, whohas over 15 years of experience with unhoused communities.Supportive housing gives Eastside residents a foundation to thriveWith apartment buildingsthroughout King County, Plymouth Housing providesadults who experienced homelessness with the stable housing and support they need to thrive. Learn more at plymouthhousing.org. Plymouth Crossing (Plymouth Housing)Having a permanent home gave Kim stability; wraparound services helped her rebuild her life. (Vivian Hsu / Plymouth Housing)goal is to %u201cwrap%u201d people in support that not only stabilizes their housingbut helps them thrive. The results arepromising: nearly 95% of Plymouth residents have remained in permanenthousing, and King County%u2019s HealthThrough Housing initiative also showeda 95% success rate in 2024.%u201cMany develop relationships withtheir neighbors in the building, getto know the neighborhood outside, and get care systems set up,%u201d says Glennon. She adds that a permanentsupportive housing model offers residents more than just shelter; it%u2019s achance for a new beginning to form community and a sense of belongingafter periods of insecurity. When theessential needs of Eastsiders are met,it creates a bedrock from which tomove forward, letting people catch a breath and look to what%u2019s next.