Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House
Any Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center patient, caregiver or family member of a patient is welcome to stay at the Behnke Family House (formerly South Lake Union House), or Pete Gross House while the patient is undergoing active treatment and if temporary local lodging is medically necessary. Additional eligibility requirements may need to be met.
For More Information
If your questions aren’t answered here, please contact our lodging department at 206.606.7263 or lodging@fredhutch.org.
Pete Gross House gives priority to people who need extended stays of more than one month. Only patients with a verifiable home address can be housed during treatment. A patient experiencing homelessness must first acquire an address where they can relocate to, once treatment is completed.
Patients in active treatment at Fred Hutch Cancer Center may be eligible to stay at the Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House. This temporary lodging is for patients who are required to stay locally and have medical necessity. Patients needing greater isolation may want to consider the Pete Gross House as it offers private apartments with full kitchens and washer and dryer in units. Pete Gross House requires a minimum of 30 days stay and has additional eligibility requirements based on appointment frequency. The Behnke Family House has shared spaces, communal kitchen, laundry and media rooms. The Behnke Family House has a one night minimum stay.
Lodging and COVID-19
Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House staff work closely with our Infection Prevention team to protect residents from the spread of COVID-19.
Learn more about Lodging and COVID-19
Patients With Care Challenges or Limited Mobility
Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House are not medical facilities. There are no aides to assist you with walking, bathing, getting up from a chair or toilet, or transferring from bed to chair. Strict rules forbid lodging staff from any lifting activities with guests, for liability concerns. Please keep that in mind when arranging for a caregiver during your stay.
Some rooms have been designed to accommodate guests with mobility issues, but not ALL rooms are accessible units. If you require mobility assistance, such as a wheelchair or walker, discuss your challenges with your medical team and staff at the Behnke Family House or Pete Gross House.
Housekeeping
The Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House are not hotels. Because our goal is to keep the costs as low as possible for you, we do not provide hotel amenities or housekeeping on a daily basis. We do fill toilet paper when readying a unit for a new guest, but during your stay we do not refill toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
The shuttle vans make a grocery run daily to help you in outfitting your new home.
We do have items available for loan from the front desk in the Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House, including an iron, ironing board, hair dryer, smaller vacuum cleaner, extra chair and blow-up bed.
Paying for Lodging
Contact your insurance carrier directly and ask them for details on your policy’s lodging and travel benefit. If your insurance company requires a letter of medical necessity to approve lodging, contact the Fred Hutch Lodging Department at 206.606.7263. The Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House can bill private insurance directly if you provide written authorization.
Financial Assistance for Housing
Some community organizations provide financial assistance for lodging. You may want to speak to a social worker or patient navigator for a financial assistance consultation. Contact 206.606.1076 to be referred to a social worker or patient navigator.
Medicaid
Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House can bill Medicaid directly for residents from Washington and Idaho (for lodging only). Montana doesn’t accept direct billing; clients must pay up front and get reimbursed by Medicaid for a portion of their lodging costs. All three states require pre-approval before move-in.
Washington State Hotel Tax Exemption
Behnke Family House is exempt from the Washington state hotel tax (15.6%). Pete Gross House is also exempt for stays of 30 consecutive nights or longer.
Wait List and Other Concerns
The Behnke Family House and Pete Gross House often have a waitlist due to the high volume of use. The houses have frequent cancellations and changes to availability.
Pete Gross House often cannot confirm the availability of a room until a week or few days before your arrival. We know it can be worrisome to not have lodging secured in advance. You may want to make a reservation at the Behnke Family House, or a local hotel for the interim period, while you wait for a spot to become available (be sure to ask about cancellation fees). You may also want to have a second lodging option in mind just to be prepared.
Your health is very important. Immediately contact the property manager or owner with any cleanliness or safety concerns. If you are concerned about talking with them, or remain unsatisfied, call the Fred Hutch Lodging Department at 206.606.7263.
Remember you have other options. The most common reason people choose outside apartments or condos is because of pets they bring, or the size of the party they wish to accommodate. Some patients prefer a different area of town, or a more private setting that a condo or private apartment can provide.