In response Everett Police met with the managers, increased patrols around the stores and just last month conducted a 4 hour emphasis centered in the area of the Evergreen Way Fred Meyer that resulted in more than a dozen arrests for a variety of offenses of Everett’s Municipal Code including:
• Loitering for the Purposes of Drug Activity
• Trespassing in the Second Degree
• Outstanding warrants
• SODA Violations (Stay Out of Drug Areas)
• Blocking the Sidewalk / Disorderly Conduct
• Unlawful Transit Conduct
Everett Police tell MyEverettNews.com that more emphasis efforts are planned this year. Still, problems persist near both stores with daily Everett Police activity at one location or the other.
Now the QFC store at Everett and Broadway (which is owned by the same parent company as Fred Meyer) has applied for a variance to allow an 8-foot-tall fence put up around the majority of their store to remain. In a letter written to justify their request the contractor stated the following:The reason for the request is the store is experiencing the following health and safety issues:
1. Employees face homeless persons sleeping and/or occupying the back areas behind and on the side of the store;
2. Employees face unsanitary conditions with human feces and urine left behind by the homeless;
3. Employees are having to deal with the health hazards of needles and drug paraphernalia left behind from drug use;
4. Currently the store’s requests for help from the city to remove the safety and health hazards of homeless people loitering around the store and sleeping at the store have not been met;
5. After meeting with the city’s representatives, nothing was offered by the city to stop the homeless issue nor was a solution provided to protect the store’s employees or customers from the safety hazards present at the store.
Below is a link to the project and the Variance request letter sent to the City of Everett by Western Construction.
Here’s the question we sent to the City of Everett about the letter and their response received Friday afternoon from Simone Tarver, Project Manager in the Mayor’s Office:
Question: My question is given that the parent corporation is Kroger who also owns the Fred Meyer stores in town and whose managers have come directly before the City is Everett at risk of losing these major stores due to the homeless issue and have solutions been presented to the QFC on Broadway?
City of Everett Response: The City of Everett continues to deploy strategies, in partnership with local service providers and other jurisdictions, to alleviate homelessness in our community and to address the challenges associated with untreated, severe behavioral health conditions, including the associated criminal behavior. We are working to increase shelter options as well as the availability of treatment services, at the same time we are trying to support businesses to address the challenges of negative behavior. Regarding the request received from QFC, the Planning Department is currently reviewing their application for the fence variance and staff are certainly available for strategizing for new solutions. In addition, the Everett Police Department continues to respond to calls received regarding emergency situations and suspected criminal activities.
In another development regarding the City of Everett and Snohomish County’s response to issues faced by the homelessness crisis MyEverettNews.com was contacted by business owners and others in the area of the Hope Church at 4502 Rucker Avenue. They advised that the location of the church was under consideration by first the City and then Snohomish County to purchase the site for use providing services to those experiencing homelessness.MyEverettNews.com asked Everett City Council member Paula Rhyne who serves District 2 that contains the area about the issue and she told us she knew nothing about it and to contact the City of Everett Administration. Here’s our inquiry to the City and the response again from Simone Tarver:
Question: I have received reports from multiple business owners regarding the apparent pending sale of the Hope Church at 4502 Rucker to Snohomish County which was reportedly facilitated by the City of Everett for use as a homeless shelter. Given its location in a residential area, just two blocks from the YMCA and surrounded by business owners who have already had issues with those experiencing homelessness including employees assaulted, property damage and theft along with garbage and needles on their properties why would Everett facilitate such a facility at this location and why has there been no outreach to the business owners and residents?
City of Everett Response: The Hope Covenant Church site is being considered by Snohomish County and it is our understanding they are in the very early stages, including making plans for alerting their Council of their interest, developing an outreach plan and working with the City through all required land use process.
The City of Everett is just one piece of the puzzle in alleviating homelessness and addressing the impacts of behavioral health conditions like substance use disorder. We are supportive of new strategies and efforts to increase shelter and provide services to those in need, as long as they are ensuring that our businesses’ and our residents’ needs are also taken into consideration and any potential negative impacts are mitigated.
MyEverettNews.com reached out by email to the pastor of the Hope Church but have not received a response. We were referred by Simone Tarver to Kent Patton at the Snohomish County Executive’s Office for an explanation of what is happening with Snohomish County. We sent several questions on Friday and will provide an update when we receive a response from the County.
February 14, 2023
Everett