Additional downtown Seattle shelter beds open for the cold weather

Temperatures well below freezing hit Seattle over the weekend, and on Sunday night a snowstorm knocked out power, broke windows, and put King County Metro buses on snow routes It’s also made sleeping outside dangerous, although more than 6,000 people spent the night outdoors around this time last year—prompting both the City of Seattle and King County to open additional shelter.

So while most county government is taking a snow day, extra resources are going into additional shelter beds through Wednesday at the King County Administration Building in Pioneer Square, the county announced Monday. 50 new beds will join 50 year-round beds in the facility. Those in need of shelter can enter at Fourth Avenue and Jefferson Street—the closest bus routes to get there are Metro routes 3 and 4.

50 more beds, also year-round, are located across the street in the county-owned Fourth and Jefferson Building, which is also home to a day center. The shelter beds are open 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.; the day center operates on opposite hours, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. A county spokesperson also pointed to 100 shelter beds currently being operated at Harborview.

The City of Seattle is also expanding its shelter offerings. A cold weather shelter is operating through Tuesday night at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall on Mercer Street from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The entrance is on the lower level of the hall, accessible by Metro route 3 and the Rapidride D Line.

Both shelters are operated by the Salvation Army and are open to adults 18 and over of all genders on a drop-in basis.