Housing Instability

Having a safe, stable home is absolutely a basic need. Unfortunately, many victims and survivors of sexual exploitation have experienced homelessness and struggle with housing instability. Even after a survivor decides to leave the sex trade, issues such as criminal history, eviction history, poor credit or lack of credit, or missing personal documents can contribute to difficulties finding stable homes. It is not uncommon for an abuser or trafficker to steal a victim’s identity, destroying their credit, and withhold the victim’s personal documents as a control tactic.

As survivors stabilize, they often move from emergency housing solutions like shelters, into temporary housing situations such as long-term recovery programs, then into more permanent housing solutions—their own apartment or home. 

At REST, we provide services along this entire continuum through our low-barrier emergency shelter, the REST House, and housing assistance and support in finding long-term, safe, and stable housing—including financial support for deposits and rent.

Emergency Receiving Center

Our low-barrier Emergency Receiving Center is a shelter with individual rooms for seven women to stay for up to 90 days. This is a place for women to rest, stabilize, and identify the next steps on their healing and recovery journey. For our shelter guests, we provide food and hygiene supplies, and assistance in accessing resources like medical care, mental health, and chemical dependency services. Shelter guests also have access to Community Advocates and services offered through the Pathways Services Center, including the Integrated Health Clinic and Drop-in.

• In our last fiscal year, the REST Shelter provided 2,329 bed nights to 57 unique guests. 

• On average, guests stayed 43 days, up from 35 days in FY20.

We know that with increased time in the shelter, the likelihood of transitioning out to safe and stable shelter increases, too. 

The REST Shelter has remained open throughout the pandemic, with safety protocols in place, and contingency plans for if there is an exposure. 

The REST House

The REST House is a two-year  transitional living program, serving up to six adults at
a time of any gender, ages 18 and older, from any human trafficking background (sex trafficking or labor trafficking) in a recovery-oriented, safe environment. Guests still have access to all of REST’s services including Community Advocacy and intensive case management, employment services, and more. While income is not required to participate in the program, residents who do have income contribute 30% of their monthly earnings to a fund that will be returned to them when they move out for a future deposit on their next safe and stable home.

In FY21, the REST House provided safe and stable housing to seven residents with a 96% occupancy for the year. 

Two of those residents were Sincere and R, whose stories you’ll read in this Annual Report. You’ll also read Ronisha’s story. She was a resident prior to FY21. 

This fall, we’ll also be opening a second REST House in North Seattle, thanks to a partnership with Compass Housing Alliance and a generous grant from the Jensen Project.

Housing Assistance

Between the REST Emergency Receiving Center and the REST house, we have 13 beds available for victims and survivors of the sex trade—but we know that thousands are exploited in our community every day. Every single one of those beds is crucial, but 13 is insufficient. 

That’s why we also provide housing assistance, including our Transition-in-Place (TIP) program. It allows us to help clients gain permanent housing and increase success rates for remaining stably housed. 

Our TIP Program gives survivors an opportunity to live in their own apartment while they build economic independence, enhance life skills, and continue to make progress toward their personal goals with the support of a Community Advocate. TIP housing provides one year of graduated rental subsidies where REST pays 100% of the survivors’ rent for the first three months, 75% for the next three months, 50% for the three months after, and 25% for the final three months. When a participant graduates, they can remain in their home, allowing them to transition-in-place and continue to move forward with their life outside of the sex trade. 

In FY21, REST provided over $86,000 in housing assistance funds to 41 unique clients.