SEATTLE — With so many places closed during the coronavirus outbreak, it's become difficult for some people to find a public restroom. The city of Seattle and nonprofits are trying to provide some relief.
The city recently deployed hygiene stations at six locations in public parks. They include toilets, sinks, and soap. They are in addition to several city-owned public restrooms that remain open.
Sharon Lee is executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute, which runs three Urban Rest Stops, where people can bathe, wash their clothes, and stock up on toiletries.
“We are overwhelmed with people who want showers,” she said. “We provide free laundry as well as restroom use.”
Due to social distancing limits, they are not able to serve as many people as they did before the coronavirus outbreak, Lee said.
“When something as basic as hot water to wash your hands is not available to them, we think that's a tremendous health risk for homeless people, people living in their cars, and people who are unsheltered,” Lee said.
Urban Rest Stop recently came close to running out of toilet paper, which they avoided thanks to some generous donors, Lee said.
She said hygiene services are especially limited on nights and weekends when most facilities are closed.
The city said it’s in the process of acquiring four hygiene trailers, which will have showers, toilets, and handwashing stations.
The city said navigation teams have handed out more than 735 hygiene kits and coronavirus warning flyers to homeless people since the outbreak started.