Villa Esperanza

Owned and operated by Consejo Counseling and Referral Service, Villa Esperanza (Villa of Hope) is a 23 unit newly constructed two- and three-bedroom apartment complex providing transitional housing for homeless Latina survivors of domestic violence and their children. The overall facility is 26,000 square-feet with two residential buildings and a common building. Within the common building there is a children’s play room that will be stocked with therapeutic, educational, culturally relevant, non-violent toys. The community room is a setting for trainings, peer support, social activities, and group meetings. There are three counseling and administrative offices plus a laundry facility. Security at Villa Esperanza is very important and ensured by a variety of design elements.

Villa Esperanza residents come to us with income levels below 30% of the King County Area Median Income. Many are unemployed and have very limited income. The typical household at Villa Esperanza is a mother with three children. The mother is a monolingual Spanish speaker, or speaks little to no English. Consequently, all Consejo services are in Spanish and English. Mothers receive domestic violence advocacy and case management services and two onsite Children’s Behavioral Health Therapists will serve nearly eighty children annually.

Latinos are the fastest growing ethnicity in Washington and this population remains underserved because of the lack of available culturally competent services in Spanish. Villa Esperanza addresses a critical need for a growing number of Spanish-speaking women and their children who are victims of domestic violence in Washington. It is the only transitional apartment complex of its kind in King County or Washington State. Some of our families will be fleeing their perpetrators in other counties and migrate to King County for safety and services that are non-existent where they lived previously. Although focused on Latinas, Villa Esperanza will support families requesting services who are victims/survivors of domestic violence in accordance with Consejo’s non-discrimination policy. Consejo will place an emphasis on services to children and youth at Villa Esperanza, including onsite implementation of a promising practice intervention program for children who have been exposed to domestic violence.

Villa Esperanza is located at a confidential site in South King County, and referrals will be accepted from across the state.