The City of Seattle announced it has reached an agreement with Nickelsville residents of the Northlake Tiny House Village that will allow residents to stay in place through June 1. The City and Nickelsville have agreed to continue operations of Northlake under conditions that will allow site access for the City’s public health, safety, and service providers. This builds on the City’s work to create hundreds of new spaces to both add capacity and de-intensify shelters during the COVID-19 outbreak.  

This announcement follows weeks of negotiations between City departments and Nickelsville organizers. Last year, the City announced that it was suspending the Northlake Tiny House Village program out of performance and transparency concerns. Earlier this week, the City hand-delivered a letter to Northlake residents offering a June extension—which includes maintaining hygiene services during the COVID-19 outbreak—in exchange for an agreement from Nickelsville that they would leave the property in June. Today, Nickelsville organizers agreed to these terms.  

“I’m relieved that—during this extraordinary public health crisis—our Mayor is able to provide more time for those experiencing homelessness at the Northlake ‘tiny home village,’ so they may remain for additional months on the property they have called home during the past two years,” said Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who represents District 4. “I look forward to the folks there – many of whom I have met personally – staying safe and eventually transitioning to permanent housing, and I commend their Wallingford neighbors for being so welcoming and compassionate.” 

The City recently planned for Nickelsville organizers to leave the property by April 1, which was the original permit expiration date for the village. The City will be replacing the hygiene facilities and will return the existing hygiene facility to the owner, the Low Income Housing Institute. There will be no gaps in hygiene services.