Seattle's City Council announced on Monday that it had completed the $48 million purchase of three buildings in the fashionable Capitol Hill neighborhood, to provide homes for some of the city's 12,000 homeless people.
Seattle has the third highest homeless population in the country - only New York City and Los Angeles have more, according to the City Mayors Association.
In June, the Seattle City Council and Mayor Jenny Durkan signed a joint proposal that included $28.5 million from the COVID relief funds, officially titled the American Rescue Plan, for the acquisition of housing.
The Capitol Hill deals are part of the first round of acquisitions, with more announcements expected in the coming weeks, the city says.
The buildings are due to be ready before Christmas.
Jenny Durkan, the mayor of Seattle - who will step down after November's election - announced on Monday the purchase of three buildings where 165 apartments will be constructed for homeless people
Homeless encampments are pictured in Seattle in March. The city has the third highest number of homeless people, nationwide - only New York and Los Angeles have more
The current situation with informal tent encampments in Seattle has been termed a 'humanitarian disaster'
Durkan said that they had acted quickly to secure properties for a good price, and that Seattle could serve as a model for the rest of the country.
'Seattle's current real estate market presents unique opportunities to acquire newly constructed market-rate apartment buildings and quickly convert them to affordable housing,' she said.
'Our homelessness crisis has always been a housing crisis.
'The City of Seattle continues to make bold investments to address our homelessness crisis as quickly as possible.
'With this latest investment, we are building on a completely new approach that has the potential to become a national model for rapidly creating affordable housing.'
A rendering of one of the three new homes - 420 Boylston Avenue. The building will provide 58 homes for
