Shortly after students returned for the 2025-26 school year, Lynnwood housing advocates celebrated the groundbreaking of Scriber Place. Developed by Housing Hope in partnership with the Edmonds School District, this special property will serve as safe and affordable housing for previously unhoused families in the school district for years to come.
This partnership was made possible with a combined $5 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce through the state’s Housing Trust Fund and the federal HOME program.
Scriber Place will provide 52 units for low-income families earning between 30% and 50% of the Area Median Income who are unhoused at entry. Housing Hope will also supply Family Support Coaches to help build stability for everyone in the household and promote educational attainment for K-12 students.
In Washington, K-12 students who have been identified as unhoused have access to McKinney-Vento services, funded by a federal statute and disbursed through public school districts.
When unhoused students and their families qualify for federal McKinney-Vento program services, school district personnel support students with transportation, educational accommodations, and family referrals that limit further barriers to accessing education.
In the 2024-25 school year, 820 students in the Edmonds School District were eligible for McKinney-Vento services, according to Francisco Gonzales Robles, the school district’s McKinney-Vento liaison.
“Scriber place is a one-of-a-kind housing project, and it comes at a perfect time, as we are seeing rising rates of homelessness in our community and a shortage of available resources,” said Robles. “This project will provide safety and stability to some of our most vulnerable students, allowing them to fully engage in school without worrying about where they will sleep at night or whether they will be able to return to school the next day”.
Read more about school district responsibilities from the National Center for Homelessness Education.
The Scriber Place partnership takes it a step further by providing a direct referral to high-quality housing in the heart of Edmonds School District. The combination of these services serves as evidence-based intervention for these students.
Students experiencing homelessness are at risk of chronic absenteeism due to health challenges, lack of school readiness, and transportation barriers.
According to SchoolHouse Connection, unhoused students are absent twice as often as the general student population, which can increase the likelihood of dropping out and experiencing homelessness as an adult.
Read more about barriers to attendance on the SchoolHouse Connection website.
Thanks to Housing Hope, the Edmonds School District, and the Washington State Department of Commerce for bringing vital supports to stabilizing families in Lynnwood!