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Key takeaways:
- Site operators for the New Start Centers in Snohomish County can now hire staffers and prepare to open
- County councilmembers discussed eligibility criteria outlined in the contracts
- The County plans to mark the New Start centers’ opening with an event
The Snohomish County Council during its Jan. 28 general legislative session unanimously approved moving forward with the contracts for the Edmonds and Everett New Start Centers.
The New Start Centers are emergency bridge housing for people experiencing homelessness. The centers will provide medical and mental health assistance, job resources and other services.
YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish will operate the Edmonds New Start Center at 22127 Hwy 99, which used to be America’s Best Value Inn. The Salvation Army will operate the Everett New Start Center at 1602 S.E. Everett Mall Way, formerly Days Inn.
The New Start centers have a combined budget of about $37 million. Federal American Rescue Plan Act funds and money collected from the county’s 0.1% affordable housing sales tax are paying for them.
County Communications Director Kari Bray said the New Start Centers’ site operators can work on hiring staffers and preparing to open now that the Council approved the contracts.
The contracts outline a management plan, code of conduct, and referral and eligibility, as well as safety and security. During the Jan. 28 general legislative session, two items in the referral and eligibility portion sparked a discussion among the Council.
The two eligibility criterias the Council discussed are that residents have no recent conviction for manufacture or distribution/delivery of a controlled substance and they haven’t been convicted of a violent crime.
County Councilmember Strom Peterson proposed adding some language to the two criterias so that an eligible client doesn’t become ineligible based solely on one or more convictions of a drug offense or a violent crime.
“The idea that somebody who’s doing everything right – has served their time in prison and is now out, putting their life back together – can be rejected from this very critical piece of housing infrastructure solely for that conviction I think is ill-advised,” Peterson said.
Peterson’s proposal failed.
County Councilmember Nate Nehring said he wasn’t comfortable with the proposal, and that he thinks the New Start Centers should exclude those with prior convictions of violence or drug trafficking.
County Councilmember Jared Mead also said he didn’t feel comfortable with the proposal, but that he is open to the conversation later if providers say they are turning away too many people or have trouble filling beds.
“I’m open to being wrong later,” Mead said.
Council Chair Megan Dunn said she supports the intent of Peterson’s proposal, adding that it’s really important for her to give people a new start.
County Council Vice Chair Sam Low said he is open to the proposal, and that the county can make some changes going forward as it renews the contracts.
County staff said Peterson’s proposal would have further delayed the opening of the New Start Centers because the County hasn’t had the chance to consult with the providers about it.
Councilmembers did pass a proposal that requires all contract extensions to go to Council for approval. The Council also passed a proposal that requires evaluation of the referral and eligibility requirements, as well as a presentation recommending necessary changes to those requirements, vacancy rates and program implementation.
Bray said the New Start Centers are not yet fully complete. Crews are still wrapping up construction, including furnishings, fixtures, fencing/gates and security.
The county is planning to mark the New Start Centers’ opening with an event this spring, but no date has been set, Bray said.
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.
Things had better not change our neighborhood,with this opening
What neighborhood is that? If your from Everett than you know that this can only be a win getting the homeless off the street.
What will it do to Everett Mall? I’d be pretty upset if I was renovating the mall and this moved in. Lots of reasons to star away from Walmart, but this cannot help them. Poor paint store next store. Nice and close to Trader Joe’s. This an absurd idea. Salvation Army accommodated this, but they have rules so people stay on the streets. Libs have no common sense. Spent a fortune on this place, and it is our newest ghetto.
I think its pretty sh—y that a delivery charge could keep someone from getting the help they need to overcome homelessness. I know from experience that a delivery manufacturing charge could be something as minor as burnt residue on someone else’s foil but because you gave them a small piece of heroin to get well you could be excluded from this housing/ medical/job training resource. You want people to get out and do better then treat them better give them a a second chance. You condemn them to their past don’t be surprised when history repeats itself. Sometimes all someone needs is for someone to see past all they’ve been and have faith in whom they are becoming. I understand the violence criteria but at the end of the day you give folks a good enviroment with room to go there shouldn’t be too many people acting out. And about the comment about the neighborhood going to sh–. What about the neighborhoods that have had to deal with these folks being homeless. That’s part of being part of a community and part of society in this day and age. Try being part of the solution. Assuming the worst isnt going to bring about any good.
And this is the problem.
People are too selfish to help.
But when homelessness happens to you, you’re going to want all the help you can get!
You’re literally lucky to have a house and a neighborhood, and it may not last. There are thousands of Seniors and disabled folks out here on the street.
I do not agree with transitional housing for inmates when we have thousands of people with no records of any kind that need help!
Finally something tangible and visible! I for one think both locations are a perfect choice given the history of both places. Definitely needed by all means. I’m excited finally a real solution.
Homelessness and addiction are two serious issues that in many cases are linked. It is difficult to maintain housing when you are addicted and spending all of your money on your addiction. Sooner or later foreclosure or eviction results. Once stable housing is no longer available, getting clean and sober is more difficult. It is a vicious cycle. Hopefully these facilities will help homeless individuals break the cycle and work towards recovery. The alternative is likely a lonely, cold death on the street.
This is a step in the right direction. Although I think they need to rethink the eligibility a bit. Sometimes all someone needs is a chance. Most don’t realize how quickly one bad illness, injury or heaven forbid being the victim of a crime can take everything, leaving them with no option but to try to survive on the streets. They also do not realize that many addicts weren’t addicts before homelessness happened to them and a significant number of homeless aren’t on drugs, they’re disabled, elderly or victims of extreme trauma. I help those I can, a hot meal, blankets, etc. and have talked to so many of them. It’s actually easier to get help as an addict than a sober person and next impossible if they don’t have children or theirs are grown up and gone. A lot of them have no family left and have suffered numerous losses of their loved ones. There are tons of them that have no police contact prior to being homeless but because they tried to find somewhere relatively safe to sleep, (e.i cars and parking lots), they end up with trespassing charges, ordinance violations or tickets they cannot pay. We act like they are invisible until they cause us problems and then they get swept away like garbage. I hope this is the chance they need.
I’m very concerned about the lack of oversight of the spending of this tax money. As the Chairman of the Snohomish County Chemical Dependency Mental Health Board we were told that any spending of the housing tax, if it dealt with addiction issues would be brought to our board. There was nothing brought to us to inform us of these decisions. As far as what they have done so far, I agree 100%, I’m not complaining about what they have done, but this is about being open and transparent to the community. I’m very excited about how this can help those that need a hand up.
It requires full transparency, zero tolerence fraud and waste ouf tax payers money. Needs to find out the what the cole issues of homelessness at first than began treating any addictions to those who are willing to change there lives frim any kinds of addictions. I am sure it takes lot of efforts and it wont be easy. Also require full back ground checks for hiring phycologist ,drs , nurses ,staff members of employees to treat men and women of patients for who are willing to help the needy with the compassion.