A Seattle nonprofit that serves the city’s homeless Indigenous population has completed its first permanent housing development, and plans more. The Chief Seattle Club, founded in 1970 to combat homelessness among Seattle’s Indigenous people, says its "?ál?al" housing development in Pioneer Square is ready to welcome nearly 100 residents in 80 units. Executive Director Derrick Belgarde said "?ál?al", which means “home” in Lushootseed, is the city's only housing project geared toward low-income and chronically homeless Indigenous people, who make up about 15% of the area’s homeless population although being only about 1 percent of the city’s total population. “This is really just scratching the surface on what our community needs, our Native community,” he said. “We have a lot more development to do and a lot more units to build to make sure our community is safe.”

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