Quick facts: On April 27, 2026, the City of Everett and Volunteers of America Western Washington (VOAWW) opened a 20-unit Pallet Shelter Village for women experiencing homelessness with their children, on city-owned land off Sievers-Duecy Boulevard in west Everett. Each unit houses one mother and up to three children. Residents can stay up to 12 months with wraparound recovery and job support. Funding: City of Everett ARPA dollars plus a $250,000 match from Snohomish County. Total capital and grant operational expenses: $2.7 million. This is Everett’s third Pallet shelter project and the first built specifically for families with children.
On April 27, 2026, a ribbon was cut on a piece of city-owned land off Sievers-Duecy Boulevard in west Everett, and 20 addresses came into existence. Not mailing addresses. Living addresses — places where a mother and her children now have a lockable door, a bed, a community kitchen a short walk away, and up to 12 months to work on what comes next.
This is VOAWW’s third Pallet shelter project in Everett. It is the first one built specifically for women and their children. Here is what is on site, how a family qualifies, who paid for it, and what this means for Everett’s broader effort to address homelessness among the most vulnerable households in Snohomish County.
What Is On Site at Sievers-Duecy
Twenty Pallet structures are installed on the enclosed, managed site. Each unit is a modular shelter built by Pallet Shelter, the Everett-based company whose structures have been deployed in more than 70 cities. Each unit is designed for one mother and up to three children — a sleeping space with climate control, secure storage, and a lockable door. The lock matters more than it might seem: most emergency shelter beds available to families in Snohomish County prior to this opening were in congregate settings with no private door.
- Detached restrooms and a separate shower facility — enclosed, year-round
- A community kitchen and gathering space — hard-walled, where residents can cook and meet with case workers
- A playground — the feature that signals most clearly who this village is for
The site is enclosed and access-controlled. VOAWW manages the site and provides on-site services.
Who It Serves and How Long Residents Can Stay
The shelter is for women and their children. Residents can stay up to 12 months — transitional, not emergency. The distinction matters: emergency shelter is measured in days or weeks. Transitional shelter at 12 months gives VOAWW’s case managers enough time to work with a family on housing search, employment, recovery support, and the practical paperwork that reconnects people to stable housing.
VOAWW provides wraparound services including recovery assistance and job support. Their 2026 service footprint includes more than 315,000 service requests annually across their full program portfolio. Referrals go through VOAWW directly or through the 211 system. For a broader look at VOAWW’s full Everett service map, see Where to Get Help in Everett in 2026.
Who Paid For It
Funded through City of Everett American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, with a $250,000 match from Snohomish County. Total capital and grant operational expenses as of end of 2025: $2.7 million. The city provided the land — city-owned property off Sievers-Duecy Boulevard. The ribbon cutting was attended by Everett City Council President Don Schwab, VOAWW Executive Director of Housing Services Galina Volchkova, VOAWW CEO Brian Smith, and Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin.
Everett’s Third Pallet Shelter: The Full Picture
Everett has now opened three Pallet shelter projects. The Sievers-Duecy village is the first built specifically for women and children. The Pallet company itself is an Everett story: founded here, with structures deployed in more than 70 cities nationally. The Pallet model — modular structures, enclosed sites, transitional time frames, wraparound services — has become a consistent component of Everett’s homelessness response strategy.
The Sievers-Duecy location matters geographically. West Everett — the corridor around Casino Road, Sievers-Duecy Boulevard, and the neighborhoods running toward Merrill Creek — has a significant concentration of low-income households and historically has had the highest demand for human services access in the city.
What This Means for Snohomish County’s Homelessness Response
Single mothers with children are among the most difficult households to serve in the existing shelter system. Congregate shelters frequently can’t accommodate families. Hotel diversion programs are expensive. Rapid rehousing requires affordable rental vacancy — which Snohomish County’s market, with its $750,000 April 2026 median and tight supply, frequently doesn’t offer. A 20-unit transitional village gives 20 families a stable enough platform to work on the next step.
For the broader network, the $30 million Everett Gospel Mission expansion underway adds 172 additional shelter beds. For NAVSTA Everett military families who may need these resources, see the Navy family housing resource guide. Also see the complete Everett Gospel Mission guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the VOAWW Pallet Shelter in Everett?
On city-owned land off Sievers-Duecy Boulevard in west Everett. The site opened April 27, 2026.
Who is eligible for the VOAWW Pallet Shelter?
Women experiencing homelessness with their children. Each unit accommodates one mother and up to three children.
How long can families stay?
Up to 12 months, in a transitional model with wraparound recovery and employment support provided by VOAWW.
How do families get referred to the shelter?
Through VOAWW directly (voaww.org) or through the 211 system — dial 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898-211.
How was the shelter funded?
City of Everett ARPA dollars plus a $250,000 match from Snohomish County, on city-owned land. Total capital and grant operational expenses: $2.7 million as of end of 2025.
What is the Pallet Shelter company?
An Everett-based company that manufactures modular shelter units deployed in more than 70 cities nationwide. The Sievers-Duecy units were built by Pallet Shelter and installed on the city-owned site.
Is this Everett’s only shelter for families with children?
It is the first Pallet shelter village in Everett built specifically for mothers and children. Other resources for families in Snohomish County include Everett Gospel Mission, Cocoon House (youth), and 211 for referrals to all available resources.
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