SEATTLE — When Joshua Harris first became homeless, he didn’t know that young adult shelters like Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets existed.
The 24-year-old slept outside. He slept in adult men’s shelters. There were always people doing drugs in those shelters, Harris said, and getting into fights. He didn’t feel like he could relax or sit his stuff down and trust that it would be there when he got back.
So when Harris arrived at the shelter, known as PSKS, in Capitol Hill about a month ago, he found a home for his shoes, one that catered specifically to young people like himself. Because PSKS is an enhanced shelter, with more services than many facilities, Harris was given a permanent bed and no longer had to wait in line for a place to sleep every night. He was given a black, plastic trunk, labeled lucky No. 13, to store his things. A crack in the top of his trunk revealed swatches of colors, pieces of clothing that finally had a place to stay.
However, Harris’ stay at PSKS was short-lived: After nearly 25 years in operation, PSKS closed its doors for good on Tuesday.