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00000181-fa79-da89-a38d-fb7f2b910000KUOW is joining forces with other Seattle media outlets to highlight the homeless crisis in the city and region on Wednesday, June 29, 2017.The effort was modeled after a collaboration by more than 70 San Francisco outlets to focus a day of news attention on the issue and possible solutions.Read more about the Seattle project and check out our coverage below. Follow the city's coverage by using #SeaHomeless.HighlightsThe Jungle: an ongoing coverage project going into the notorious homeless encampment under Interstate 5.Ask Seattle's Homeless Community: KUOW is launching a Facebook group where anyone may ask a question about homelessness, but only people who have experienced it may answer. This was inspired by a recent event KUOW co-presented with Seattle Public Library and Real Change, where residents of the Jungle answered audience questions. No End In Sight: an award-winning investigative project from KUOW about King County's 10-year plan to end homelessness.

Amazon Building Now Open To Homeless Families

Amazon plans to put offices next year in this former Travelodge in downtown Seattle. Until then, it will act as a shelter operated by Mary's Place.
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Amazon plans to put offices next year in this former Travelodge in downtown Seattle. Until then, it will act as a shelter operated by Mary's Place.

Homeless families in Seattle will start moving into a building owned by Amazon on Monday.

The old downtown hotel is a plush space for a shelter, according to the nonprofit that will run it.

Amazon plans to build offices on the site in one year, but until then it has offered it for free to Mary's Place to run a shelter. It's located at 2213 Eighth Avenue.

That's great news to the nonprofit's Executive Director Marty Hartman who said they were "over the moon."

"We kind of had to pinch ourselves," Hartman said.

Mary's Place has a history of turning empty buildings into shelter sites.

Hartman says the former Travelodge hotel is exciting because people get a mix of personal and community space.

"There are 63 beautiful rooms where families can come in," he said. "We have community space where we can all eat together. There's a great kids club room that's being built out by our partners at Amazon for toys, and great play time, computer space to maybe do some homework."

The City of Seattle will help pay for the shelter.

Mayor Ed Murray says this is a good example of how the private sector can help with Seattle's homeless crisis.

Hartman has reached out to notify businesses in the neighborhood and says people are glad the building is going to a good use.

Mary's Place focuses on helping people find permanent housing and jobs.