William enjoys the colorful community space at Plymouth on First Hill

There is no shortage of gratitude emanating from Plymouth on First Hill resident, William. “If it wasn’t for my awesome medical team at Harborview working with all the good people at Plymouth Housing, I don’t know if I’d be sitting here today,” he says. “They’ve given me a second chance.”

Twelve years on the streets is an endurance test that few can win. William was no exception. The physical and emotional toll of chronic homelessness culminated in a stroke at the age of 56. While in recovery, the Harborview and Plymouth teams worked in concert to arrange a safe and stable home for William in the recently completed Plymouth on First Hill apartments at Seventh & Cherry. “I was one of the first to move in,” he says proudly. “I thank God that they came to my rescue.”

William gets teary-eyed when he talks about his three grown children and the shame he felt when he was homeless. “I didn’t want them to see how I was living, to come visit me in my tent,” he reflects, then catches his breath and adds, “I cannot go back and create a new beginning for myself, but I can create a new ending,” he said. “This is more than just getting me off the streets. I’m getting a new foundation.”

Plymouth’s core beliefs revolve around housing first, a key component of which is to reduce the barriers that prevent people like William from accessing stable housing and keeping it. It’s about meeting people where they are and making physical and mental health services available—such as the on-site care at Plymouth on First Hill provided by Harborview Medical Center.

William’s apartment is bright and filled with personal art and healthy food. When asked what words of encouragement he would give to his friends who are still experiencing homelessness, his face becomes serious and his voice grows soft. “I would tell them to hang in there and to not lose hope because there are people out there who really do care.”

Written by Gretchen Lauber