KIRKLAND, Wash. — More than 2,700 people live in their cars in King County, according to the most recent data from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. Many of them don’t have a safe place to park their cars.
Lake Washington United Methodist Church in Kirkland has had its safe parking program running for over 10 years. They say in the past few years, and even in just the past few months, they have seen an increase in the number of people needing a safe place to stay. This program is for women and people with children.
“We’re seeing more and more people come in,” said Karina O’Malley, the Safe Parking coordinator for Lake Washington United Methodist Church. “So, we've had, you know, ten new folks join us in the last two months.”
O’Malley said many families are finding themselves in dire situations due to a lack of housing options in King County. She said more housing options and resources are needed. The church has staff who help people staying in the parking lot apply for housing.
“It used to be that a family would come in and they would be able to get a spot in a shelter or housing in a few weeks. Now they are waiting months,” said O’Malley.
One of those families is Nicole Bowser and her 9-year-old daughter, who are currently living in the parking lot.
“There's actually a bed on this side for her, and then I just kind of keep all of our things right here, and then I sleep in the front seat,” said Bowser as she showed KING 5 her living setup in her car.
Bowser fell on hard times after not being able to keep up with paying the rent of her Seattle apartment she had been in for 16 years and losing her mom, who had been living with her. Her apartment was also off Aurora Avenue, which she did not feel was safe. When she had to move out of her apartment in October, she came to Lake Washington UMC shortly after.
“We stayed at an extended stay for a few days and then looked around for places and then found this place,” said Bowser.
Bowser works a remote job and is thankful for the access she has to the church, where she can have Wi-Fi and a workspace. She is getting help from the church to find transitional housing but says there is no current availability for what she qualifies for.
“We call every day to see if there's shelter and there's not,” said Bowser.
Bowser said she is hoping to have housing for herself and her daughter soon.
“I want my daughter to have a place and to feel secure and to walk around and to have space,” said Bowser.
The church also has food available for people and access to bathrooms, showers, a laundry room, a workspace, and more.
O’Malley said that, on average, 20 to 40 people stay in the parking lot each night. That number has been up to 55 during the summer months. During the winter, they supply people with blankets, sleeping bags, insulation for their cars, and hand warmers.
One woman, Louise McFadden, who recently became homeless in October, just started staying in the church parking lot about a week ago. McFadden said she did not feel safe in her camper van in other locations, especially being a woman in her 60s.
“You always have to have your guard up anywhere you are,” said McFadden, “But here, I sleep through the nights. I eat, I have hot food, I have showers.”
She said having people at the church who care about her and the community has been important, too. She said they started helping her make a plan to find housing right when she got to the church.
“I'm working on housing and I know that while I am here, I'm safe,” said McFadden.