Cost Of Pallet Shelters For Clare’s Place $348,000.00 Split Between Snohomish County & City Of Everett

At the City Council meeting in Everett, Washington tonight council members heard an administrative update on the cost of the Pallet Shelters that have been quickly erected at Clare’s Place following the revelation that 48 units inside the low-barrier housing facility had tested positive for contamination by methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Last week the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries ordered employees out of the building and set safety specific conditions for first responders like police and firefighters if they were called to enter the building.

Jennifer Gregerson, Governmental Affairs Director for the City of Everett told the City Council Snohomish County had provided $232,000.00 for twenty pallet shelters and the City of Everett has put up $116,000.00 for ten shelters. She told the council the City has been following their procurement procedures and have identified some funding sources.

Crews have been scrambling since Thursday to prepare a site at the north end of the building with 30 pallet shelters so residents had a place to be safe while the affected rooms and reception area were being professionally cleaned following an order from the Snohomish County Health Department. That order is below.
Clare’s Place Order unit numbers redacted by M-E-N

This afternoon crews were still putting finishing touches on the pallet shelters and Snohomish PUD was running power. It did not appear anyone had yet moved into any of the shelters.

City Council member Liz Vogeli expressed curiosity over the fact that the Administration hadn’t received Council approval for spending over $50,000.00. “I want people to go to a safe environment,” she said.

City Council member Paula Rhyne wondered what the City was going to do with the pallet shelters after 90 days as they have already purchased units for other upcoming projects.

Gregerson advised that there is just a 60-day temporary use permit for the 30 shelters that are on site and the property is the location of a major water reservoir project that will begin construction soon.

“We are having conversations and reaching out to Catholic Housing Services about their next steps,” Gregerson said. “I think we’re sort of at the brainstorming stage at this time.”

The $348,000.00 for the pallet shelters appears to be just the cost of the 30 shelters. No word yet on the cost of the dirt work, infrastructure, power, labor, overtime and other amenities that are underway. On Saturday Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin said the following, “The health and safety of our community, including the residents and staff at Clare’s Place, remains our top priority.”

The cost of the remediation inside the building is the responsibility of Catholic Housing Services.

MyEverettNews.com will continue to track the story and provide updates as information is made available.