An empty industrial lot located at 7201 Second Avenue Southwest in West Seattle could soon be transformed into a transitional housing hub for people living in recreational vehicles and tiny homes. According to city records first reported by King5, early filings submitted on January 16 outline plans for a religious-controlled emergency housing site that would include space for 20 tiny homes and parking for up to 72 RVs.

The scale of the proposal reflects a significant need in West Seattle's District 1, which currently faces the highest concentration of RV encampments in the city. Councilmember Rob Saka noted that his district has roughly three times the number of RV encampments compared to the next closest council district. Saka has expressed strong support for the project as a way to address the growing crisis.

“This new site strikes me as being a common-sense solution to help bring people indoors,” Saka said regarding the proposal. He added that he hopes many of the unhoused neighbors currently living in RVs across the district would be able to utilize this new space.

While the plans are moving forward, city officials emphasize that the project is still in its preliminary stages. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections confirmed that the current filings are part of a pre-application process, and a formal permit has not yet been submitted or approved. If the project proceeds, the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) is identified as the organization that would manage and operate the site.

The property has a long history of being considered for municipal use; it was previously a candidate for a city jail in 2008 and was proposed as a safe lot for vehicles by former Mayor Ed Murray in 2016. Saka indicated that he has been directly engaged at a high level with the Mayor’s administration and the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) to coordinate these efforts.

Before any changes can occur at the site, a formal permit application must be filed, which will trigger a public review process and community outreach.

For more details on this developing story, visit King5: https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/empty-lot-west-seattle-hub-tiny-homes-rvs/281-014e8588-499a-4aa2-a34e-953c95bd382d