Hope Church access on Evergreen Way.
Mayor Cassie Franklin
“I’m very supportive of increasing the amount of shelter and services available to our community, both within Everett and throughout Snohomish County. We know that there are a lot of people in our city that are living unsheltered, and I think it’s important for our city and our county to work together to address this challenge. We do need more shelter options, but we do need to be sure they are suitable sites.
I’ve connected with my team on the County’s interest in purchasing the Hope Church. We are going to be reaching out to our county partners to get more information and also spend some time talking to our own internal expert staff to ensure we understand the full picture.
Recently, I’ve received many emails from very passionate people sharing their thoughts about this potential location for a shelter and first, I want these community members to know that I’m hearing their worries. I want to ensure that any concerns are appropriately addressed by the County before this project moves forward any further. I will also be working to make sure that we, as a city, are working more in tandem with our county partners to prevent any further confusion.
My team will have more to share on this soon.”
On 04/06/2023 MyEverettNews.com sent out questions via email to members of the Everett City Council regarding the process and what they knew. We received written response from Councilmembers Liz Vogeli, Judy Tuohy and Brenda Stonecipher and a phone call from Don Schwab. We have not heard from Councilmembers Fosse, Rhyne or Zarlingo. The responses from the councilmembers are in bold type.
Response from Everett City Councilmember Liz Vogeli – Council District 4:
Greetings Leland,
Embedded below is the email I received February 21, 2023:
Councilmember Vogeli:
Snohomish County appreciates the City and County’s ongoing partnership to address issues related to homelessness. In the last year alone, we’ve partnered to: increase the number of Pallet shelters in Everett, increase emergency housing capacity through the purchase of the Days Inn, transition cold weather shelter operations to a new location, increase funding for helping professionals serving vulnerable residents, support expanded refuse management capacity and security services throughout the downtown area, and conduct an extensive cleanup along Highway 99 in Everett.
Related to this work, last year, the City of Everett provided the County with an initial real estate lead for a facility to serve as a new location for the year-round shelter operated by the Everett Gospel Mission currently located in the United Church of Christ (UCC) in downtown Everett. The UCC has been a critical partner in meeting this community need. However, there are several challenges with the current location, including the fact that it is not well-designed for shelter, lacks important facilities including hygiene supports, and requires considerable maintenance as a result. The lease at UCC expires this summer, and it’s critical we find a new location for this shelter or else 40 additional individuals will once again become homeless on Everett streets.
We would like to schedule a 30-minute briefing with you to discuss the facility, potential uses, and planned community outreach. If you’re interested in this conversation, let us know, and we’ll get something scheduled.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Ken
I met with Ken and MJ on March 6, 2023 virtually.
At that time they spoke of Hope Church as a possibility but it hadn’t been cemented yet. They wanted to understand how I felt about it.
I was/am thrilled. I’ve attended EFIA meetings there and I think it has great possibilities as well as it probably is more recently built than the UCC.
It’s centrally located, on a bus line, big, and has a fenced off parking lot partially surrounded by trees.
They told me that if they chose to move forward they would have multiple neighborhood outreach events. I concurred that it would be in everyone’s best interest to reach out and I didn’t want another Norton fiasco as NIMBY ism is alive and thriving in Everett/Snohomish County.
I told them I hoped they would move forward, and when the initial 40 people from UCC were comfortable and management was working I hoped they would expand at HOPE as well as open another location in my district. Goodness knows we need safe shelter for everyone.
I was given a basic timeline for outreach but was not notified of exact meeting times and locations.
There are very specific rules regarding outreach and I believe the County is following those rules.
Here I pasted your email and answered in bold.
Greetings:
I’m trying to get some clarification on the timeline for outreach and engagement on the plan by Snohomish County to purchase the Hope Covenant Church for use as an Emergency Shelter to replace the shelter that is operating at 2624 Rockefeller. At their Tuesday night outreach meeting Snohomish County staff said they reached out to every single Everett City Council member in March individually to inform them of the program. I’m trying to make sure I have things straight so if I could ask you a couple quick questions…
Were you contacted by someone from Snohomish County about the purchase of the shelter and when did that contact happen? Yes ^
During that contact were you advised of specific details of the purchase (no) and what the shelter would be used for (yes)?
Were you made aware that this shelter will simply replace the shelter at UCC on Rockefeller and those 40 people would simply be moved from one area of Everett to another? Yes but I hoped for more.
Were you made aware the only entrance and exit would be from Evergreen Way – a six lane stretch of roadway with a history of serious injury accidents? No
Did you have any questions of the person who contacted you and have those questions been answered as of this date? Yesterday I asked for the date/time/location of next meetings
If you’d be willing to share those questions that would be appreciated?
During that time were you advised of the public meetings that were called this week and were you invited to attend? No
Will you be attending the meetings scheduled for Friday afternoon and Monday evening? Maybe
Is there anything you want readers of MyEverettNews.com to know about your position on the shelter and the way this process has been handled? As far as I can tell the process is playing out as it should. There will always be fear of change and this is no different.
Since the planning director is the one who issues and approves the conditional use permit and the city council no longer needs to approve the plans is there anything the Everett City Council can do to affect the outcome of this transaction or shape the future of the site? I suppose we could try but I will not support any slowing down of this process. I learned my lesson in 2018.
The attached slide (008) says there will be public hearings in front of the Everett City Council. I’ve heard talk of a briefing but what public hearing is set to go before you? What are you deciding? I’m not sure. Maybe a resolution of support?
Tenants in the two houses on the property were served with end of tenancy letters back on January 12th that they had to be out by April 30th as the property owner was going to sell the property. When did you know this transaction was happening? I did not know of the houses.
Is there anything you want residents and business owners in the area to know about your position on the shelter and the way this process has been handled thus far?
I welcome more shelter in all shapes and sizes and at ALL price points. There you have it. I hope it helps. You can remind people my email is evogeli@everettwa.gov not Lvogeli ‘cause I’m sure I’d like to read all the hate mail.
Here is the response from City Councilmember Judy Tuohy – Council District At Large
Were you contacted by someone from Snohomish County about the purchase of the shelter and when did that contact happen?
I was first contacted by Ken Klein on 2/16 asking for a meeting to go over this potential project. We met virtually on 2/28.
During that contact were you advised of specific details of the purchase and what the shelter would be used for?
I did not get any specific purchase information but his team explained that the site would replace the UCC site on Rockefeller, be managed by the Everett Gospel Mission and could also be used as a cold weather shelter.
Were you made aware that this shelter will simply replace the shelter at UCC on Rockefeller and those 40 people would simply be moved from one area of Everett to another?
Yes
Were you made aware the only entrance and exit would be from Evergreen Way – a six lane stretch of roadway with a history of serious injury accidents?
They said they wanted to limit the access to Rucker and said they would fence the Rucker side and have Evergreen Way access.
Did you have any questions of the person who contacted you and have those questions been answered as of this date?
Yes, I had questions that day and subsequent questions and I asked to have a briefing at a council meeting to answer those. Ken emailed us back on 3/31 that he was on vacation and would schedule that when he returned.
If you’d be willing to share those questions that would be appreciated?
I would like a comprehensive briefing on the management plan, a rendering of what their vision is for the exterior, and plan on mitigating the effect on the neighborhood. To start.
During that time were you advised of the public meetings that were called this week and were you invited to attend?
I was informed that they were happening this week, however I was not given any specifics nor invited to attend.
Will you be attending the meetings scheduled for Friday afternoon and Monday evening?
Yes, I plan on attending Friday at 11:30.
Is there anything you want readers of MyEverettNews.com to know about your position on the shelter and the way this process has been handled?
While I understand the need for shelters I also know they need to be placed in the best possible location for the shelter and the surrounding neighborhood. I would like to know if there are other possible sites or renovations that could be made to the current site that would fill this need.
Since the planning director is the one who issues and approves the conditional use permit and the city council no longer needs to approve the plans, is there anything the Everett City Council can do to affect the outcome of this transaction or shape the future of the site?
A land use application, which has not been submitted yet, and a management plan would be required and would be approved by the Planning Director. Council would not take a vote on those matters. I am sure we would express our thoughts on the management plan and the project.
The attached slide (008) says there will be public hearings in front of the Everett City Council. I’ve heard talk of a briefing but what public hearing is set to go before you? What are you deciding?
Since we would have no action on this there would not be a public Hearing on the process. The County is asking the City Council for a Resolution in support of the project. The Council could vote on that, but I do not believe that requires a public hearing.
Tenants in the two houses on the property were served with end of tenancy letters back on January 12th that they had to be out by April 30th as the property owner was going to sell the property. When did you know this transaction was happening?
I only knew that they were working on the purchase but had not finalized the purchase and sale.
Is there anything you want residents and business owners in the area to know about your position on the shelter and the way this process has been handled thus far?
I empathize with the neighbors when they find out about a project and it feels like a “done deal” before they can give input. I am not sure how far the County is in this process, but I hope the County listens to the neighbors. I have more questions than answers at this point.
Here is the response from City Council President Brenda Stonecipher – Council District At Large
Were you contacted by someone from Snohomish County about the purchase of the shelter and when did that contact happen?
I met with Ken Klein, Mary Jane Brell-Vujovic, and one other person from the County on February 28th.
During that contact were you advised of specific details of the purchase and what the shelter would be used for?
Yes. They provided an overview of the intended use of the church as a temporary shelter.
Were you made aware that this shelter will simply replace the shelter at UCC on Rockefeller and those 40 people would simply be moved from one area of Everett to another?
Yes, it was my understanding that the downtown location, operated by Everett Gospel Mission, would be closed and moved to this location, which is better equipped to be used for the purpose of providing a dedicated bed and wraparound services. EGM would likely continue to operate at this facility.
Were you made aware the only entrance and exit would be from Evergreen Way – a six lane stretch of roadway with a history of serious injury accidents?
Yes, though I was told in my meeting with the County that the plan would be for larger deliveries to access the site from Rucker, where there will be an operable gate. Your questions leads one to assume you believe it is not a good idea to force access to the site from Evergreen Way, but this seems preferable to pushing cars out onto Rucker Ave, which is a gateway to the residential neighborhood. I am not a traffic engineer and I suppose that is a factor for our City Administration to consider in issuing the Conditional Use Permit.
Did you have any questions of the person who contacted you and have those questions been answered as of this date?
If you’d be willing to share those questions that would be appreciated?
I requested to see the management plan for the facility, including staffing, security, and hours the facility would be staffed. I understood they were still working on the management plan and it was not yet ready. To my knowledge, I have not received this yet, though it is possible that they have submitted this to the Planning Department and I just haven’t seen it.
I also inquired, and was told that there would be onsite staff and security 24/7.
I also asked about their outreach plans to the neighborhood, and was told they were working on that but wanted to gauge support from “the City” first. At the time I met with them, they did not mention any outreach scheduled.
I asked whether they would be providing outdoor gathering spaces on the site and was told that they may, but did not have any firm plans at the time.
During that time were you advised of the public meetings that were called this week and were you invited to attend?
No, as stated above, I understood that the public outreach was not happening yet. I was not advised of the meetings that were called this week.
Will you be attending the meetings scheduled for Friday afternoon and Monday evening?
I have a work conflict on Friday but I have registered to attend the meeting on Monday evening.
Interesting to note that I still have not been invited to any of these meetings. I only know about them because of your publication notifying of the meeting times and providing the registration link.
Is there anything you want readers of MyEverettNews.com to know about your position on the shelter and the way this process has been handled?
This is an age-old issue of neighbors being surprised by land use matters in their neighborhood. Our land use notification processes don’t work as well when the property is zoned for the intended use and/or the City does not have an application that would trigger a notification requirement. Engaging with the community in these early stages is the work of the property owner. I think that is what the County is trying to do and the neighbors are doing what they should be doing – i.e., engaging with the County to find out the plans for the site and give input.
Since the planning director is the one who issues and approves the conditional use permit and the city council no longer needs to approve the plans is there anything the Everett City Council can do to affect the outcome of this transaction or shape the future of the site?
We can and will listen to the ideas and concerns of our city residents and we will encourage the County to hear and address those concerns as best they can.
We can also urge Mayor Franklin to ensure our Planning Director looks at all potential impacts from this project and considers carefully the conditions on the use of the building.
The attached slide (008) says there will be public hearings in front of the Everett City Council. I’ve heard talk of a briefing but what public hearing is set to go before you? What are you deciding?
None that I am aware of. The land use decision is an administrative one.
Tenants in the two houses on the property were served with end of tenancy letters back on January 12th that they had to be out by April 30th as the property owner was going to sell the property. When did you know this transaction was happening?
At my meeting on Feb 28th I was told that the County was looking at purchasing this property. I do not know anything about the timeline of the purchase/sale agreement.
Is there anything you want residents and business owners in the area to know about your position on the shelter and the way this process has been handled thus far?
[See response to similar question, above]
Again Everett City Councilmember Don Schwab – Council District 3 made a phone call to me
In that call he stated that he had a zoom meeting in March and that he was advised the County was looking to find a place for 40 beds. He said his biggest concern was not the people in the shelter but those loitering and that the services should only be for the occupants of the shelter. He advised that this was not expressed as a done deal and said, “These things take time. I don’t know why the planning process wasn’t started sooner. Doing it right is much more important than speed.”
On Friday (4/7) MyEverettNews.com asked Kelsey Nyland who is Communications Director for Snohomish County’s Office of Recovery and Resilience for a copy of the the Memo of Understanding between Hope Church and Snohomish County mentioned Wednesday night by Mary Jane Brell Vujovic during the public meeting and received the following response by email:
Thanks for reaching out! Because this is an active real estate transaction (“active” in this case meaning we have not closed), I am unable to release any documents related to the negotiation, of which the MOU is one.
Megan Dunn -Snohomish County Council position 2
Reader Comment from Steve Winnie:
Megan Dunn Thank you for responding. Many people have legitimate concerns about drug use that is associated with the homeless, rightly or wrongly. If folks were sure that the shelters’ users were clean, sober, and not engaged in crime then most of the concerns would be addressed. Is there any way of providing that assurance? Nobody wants to be the next crime victim.
Megan Dunn
Steve Winnie I completely understand. If this were to move forward (and that is not decided) a program like this would have a code of conduct for residents. That would include behavior like crime and drug use. If they violate that code they would be removed.
The question we have now is would this bring a community benefit? We did hear that there is crime and pressures from homeless and drug concerns without a shelter. The church wanted to give back to community, so is a shelter welcomed in this space? (Hearing a resounding no)
We needed to conduct due diligence and determine what mitigation would be needed and if this is a fit for current needs and benefits. No decision has been made and we do want to hear from the community but I’m not seeing a good fit.
Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson speaks at a low barrier housing roundtable with Governor Inslee in Everett, February 2016.
“I apologize…we got over our skis,” said Stephanson. “We didn’t communicate like we wanted and we’ll make it up.” The city is working on the first of what the Mayor says he hopes to be many low barrier housing facilities. He told the council he’d like to see one thousand units of low barrier housing in Everett over the next decade. “I want the public to embrace this,” he said. “I pledge to do my best to answer the questions.”
MyEverettNews.com will continue to follow developments regarding location of services and assistance for those experiencing homeless, mental health issues and substance abuse in Everett, Washington which are complicated, have no easy answers and we hope will be dealt with in a very public manner so as many people as possible can be involved in the process.
April 9, 2023
Everett