Raise our concerns about the Redmond homeless hotel directly to Redmond city council members. Pack the room. Show up on 8/17.
Ever since the news about the Redmond homeless hotel broke out, City of Redmond has not made any attempt to hold a meeting and communicate with the community. Tuesday, August 17th, is Redmond City Council meeting. Please show up, pack the room and give public comment. Meeting starts at 7:00pm. We’ll gather outside at 6:30pm with signs.
Meeting Time: Tuesday, August 17th, 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Location: Redmond City Hall Council Chambers, 15670 Northeast 85th Street, Redmond, WA 98052
How to sign up: Sign up via EventBrite .
Who is the most to blame for having a hotel permitting drug and/or alcohol use in City of Redmond?
25 Comments
Jessie li · August 13, 2021 at 8:25 pm
For the safety of our kids and communities, we have to work together to against this radical government decision.
Vivian Jiang · August 14, 2021 at 12:13 am
I strong oppose having a shelter and drug injection site near this area. This hurts the local community and presents risks to young kids in this area.
Alannah Raitt · August 15, 2021 at 4:19 pm
The way you talk about homeless people shows that you don’t see them as equal people to you. Safe injection sites save lives, help reduce addiction, and having shelter is a basic human necessity. I want to be very clear that what you’re doing here is saying that you think homeless people should be left to die to the elements because of your own biases. If a single one of you ever bothered to volunteer in a homeless shelter or worked closely with low income people/households, your opinions on this would change. Instead, you’ve decided to treat homeless people as subhuman and made an entire campaign to push for killing them off through the elements. I would also challenge you to consider how much more traumatizing it is for fast food employees and baristas who stumble upon people who have OD’d in our bathrooms. Safe injection sites and homeless shelters save lives, save communities, and make a positive difference.
Editor · August 15, 2021 at 8:42 pm
First of all, we do NOT oppose helping homeless people get back on their feet and transition out of homeless. Secondly, aren’t sending substance addicts to rehab are much better solution than feeding them drug? Even Redmond Mayor Angela Birney thanked the criminal justice system for forcing her substance addicted daughter into treatment and recover from addiction. Getting treatment, and recovering from addiction should not be the privilege of rich and powerful.
Jason Shaw · August 29, 2021 at 12:31 pm
Not all homeless people are the same. The most troublesome are drug addicts, mentally ill, those who willingly choose to live free of obligation at the expense of others, or any combination of the three. Those are indeed not equal to me, are not productive members of society, and should either be coerced to become such (through carefully monitored treatment which I’d fully support), or not allowed anywhere near neighborhoods where normal people live.
Gina Austin · August 16, 2021 at 4:47 pm
I want to note this argument about homeless people needs to be more specific. Some homeless are down on their luck, need assistance and want it.
Then there are STREET PEOPLE, those that do not wish to participate in society. To give money, free housing etc to those that wish to live wherever they want and do whatever they want is just stupidity.
There are so many programs for those that need help and more importantly WANT it. Lets not continue to do what doesn’t work.
Katherine · August 16, 2021 at 9:32 pm
Alannah,
Your intent to stand up for homeless people is admirable, but no one said homeless people should be left to die in the streets or that they want them killed them off through the elements and it’s probably not fair to base an argument off of your false projections onto others. People have a right to their opinion regardless of how you feel about their opinion. For how much people spend and sacrifice to live where they chose, they have a right to oppose very serious changes to their communities, if they want to. Also, I have *bothered* to volunteer with the homeless and have worked first hand with the homeless population in the mental health field making a smeasley 12$/hr as a Healthcare worker, I’ve also volunteered in 3rd world refugee camps on my own student dime and I STILL beleive and will defend any resident’s right to oppose this housing. Perhaps you should take your own advice and challenge yourself to think differently as well. Cheers to the day the world is all sunshine and rainbows.
Micky · August 17, 2021 at 2:38 pm
I just spoke with King County’s contact re: the Redmond hotel. Apparently there’s misinformation being spread; it will not be a safe injection site &, as part of the Health through Housing initiative, will house people who’ve been chronically homeless who’ll have to show income/pay rent & are: veterans, domestic violence survivors, seniors, unaccompanied youth, & families with children.
FAQ can be found on the website below. Of note: one FAQ states that “specific success measures will be proposed in the Health through Housing Implementation Plan, due to KING COUNTY Council & the Regional Policy Committee on August 30, 2021.”
https://kingcounty.gov/…/documents/EPRAP/HtH_FAQs.ashx… Since proposed measures from the Health through Housing Implementation Plan aren’t due to King County Council til 8/30, I’m not sure that Redmond City Council will be able to answer questions/address concerns.
Micky · August 17, 2021 at 2:39 pm
https://kingcounty.gov/~/media/depts/community-human-services/department/documents/EPRAP/HtH_FAQs.ashx?la=en&fbclid=IwAR2PVMlMfWODQb1Srs5zVIhT_j-QFA41zENnlWT2DBgz3d1EOI1T_eLwf_U
Editor · August 17, 2021 at 11:25 pm
Hi Micky, since you referred us to the King County FAQ, I am wondering why you conveniently omitted several statement in that FAQ.
#1) The claim that “as part of the Health through Housing initiative, will house people who’ve been chronically homeless who’ll have to show income/pay rent ” is false. Below Q/A from KC clearly states that “they have little or no income”.
Q: Why is this focused on people experiencing chronic homelessness?
A: People experiencing chronic homelessness have the greatest barriers to housing. They have little or no income, by definition have at least one disability, and have lived the longest without housing. Many have health and behavioral health issues that make housing stability a challenge. The comprehensive services available onsite make this an ideal home for these individuals.
#2) We would have no objection if the Redmond homeless hotel is to help “veterans, domestic violence survivors, seniors, unaccompanied youth, & families with children.” However, below King County Permanent Supportive Housing definition suggests otherwise:
Permanent housing for an individual or a household that is homeless on entry, where ammember of the household has a condition of disability, such as chronic health issues, mental illness, substance use, or other condition that creates multiple and serious ongoing barriers to housing stability.
#3) On the same FAQ, King County states that ” drug and/or alcohol use will be permitted in individual units. ”
Q: Will drug and/or alcohol use be permitted in the individual units?
A: Providers will use a harm reduction approach, within which drug and/or alcohol use will be permitted in individual units. Staff will provide supportive services to promote housing stability and will work with residents that have substance use disorders in-house and also connect them to resources in the community. Staff working in a harm reduction setting work in partnership with tenants, and are expected to respond directly to unacceptable behaviors, whether or not the behaviors are related to substance use.
BTW, King County health.through.housing@kingcounty.gov has been ignoring ALL of our inquries.
Editor · August 24, 2021 at 12:40 am
Krista Camenzind, chief of staff for King County Council chair Claudia Balducci, confirmed that the Redmond homeless hotel would house mentally ill and drug abusers.
Editor · August 25, 2021 at 8:31 pm
And confirmed with Leo Flor Leonardo.Flor@kingcounty.gov at King County, the Redmond homeless hotel would be an adult only facility. No family or youth would be living there, with the exception of couples.
Jd · August 17, 2021 at 10:53 pm
How much time and money goes into putting those crap signs up in the city of Bellevue ? I enjoyed taking them down.
Editor · August 17, 2021 at 11:33 pm
IP: 174.204.70.57. It is a 98118, Seattle IP. If you want to come to the Eastside and remove our signs, our signs must be doing a very good job.
Jd · August 17, 2021 at 11:58 pm
I live in Bellevue and hate seeing your shit signs. Safe eastside is a pathetic slogan. You’re a fear-monger group that misrepresenting the shelter. It’s not a safe injection site. Also, stop putting your shit signs in Bellevue.
Editor · August 18, 2021 at 12:18 am
King County states on its FAQ, “drug and/or alcohol use will be permitted in individual units. ” Clearly, it is a drug injection allowed site. One of our demands is to make the Redmond homeless hotel a drug free building. If it is a homeless shelter that does not permit drug usage , then simply declare it is a drug free building then. Plain and simple.
Hank · August 27, 2021 at 9:48 am
Removing yard signs like these is illegal, each sign removed being a separate violation.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=29a.84.040
Jan · August 27, 2021 at 12:07 pm
If your idea is better, why don’t you post a sign of your own next to the ones you took down?
Jd · August 17, 2021 at 11:04 pm
Also this organization is lying. It’s not a safe injection site at all. Dow Constantine said it’s a homeless shelter.
Editor · August 18, 2021 at 12:03 am
We have posted on the FACTs page: King County states on its FAQ, “drug and/or alcohol use will be permitted in individual units. ” Clearly, it is a drug injection allowed site. One of our demands is to make the Redmond homeless hotel a drug free building. If it is a homeless shelter that does hot permit drug usage , then simply declare it is a drug free building then. Plain and simple.
Q: Will drug and/or alcohol use be permitted in the individual units?
A: Providers will use a harm reduction approach, within which drug and/or alcohol use will be permitted in individual units. Staff will provide supportive services to promote housing stability and will work with residents that have substance use disorders in-house and also connect them to resources in the community. Staff working in a harm reduction setting work in partnership with tenants, and are expected to respond directly to unacceptable behaviors, whether or not the behaviors are related to substance use.
Jd · August 17, 2021 at 11:40 pm
People in Redmond are freaking out over nothing. I was a case manager in a site like the one going up at Redmond.
Editor · August 18, 2021 at 12:12 am
Really? You clearly have conflict of interest. The more King County opens those sites, the more people like you find employment and get paid. Lucrative business to be in. At the price of….
MS · August 27, 2021 at 11:18 am
The way humanity or lack thereof is being leveraged to discredit others opinions makes this discussion polarizing and impossible. The reason most of us are not happy with the homeless housing is the lack of thought and consideration for the community and surrounding businesses.
KC has demonstrated through this and other efforts the long lasting impact their half baked efforts have on those that pay the biggest price, the community. I’m not opposed to housing for homeless but I’ll say, it NIMBY. I moved to Bellevue (yes we are impacted) to not see or deal with the Seattle experience. So, if that makes me a terrible human, than so be it. I don’t think homeless are any less of a person but I don’t have the cycles in me to invest in their issues. I’m happy there are compassionate people in this world to do their bidding because it’s not me. I don’t want to have them bring drugs (addicts are addicts – regardless of what), their problems, and ecosystem of disparity all with taxes that can better served for our community. Fireman equipment, police training, community parks, and betterment for our community before homeless housing.
Hannah Kimball · August 29, 2021 at 12:46 pm
On Thursday, September 2nd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Claudia Balducci, King County Council Chair, and Leo Flor, King County Human Services Director, will host a webinar to answer questions regarding the “Health Through Housing” purchase of The Silver Cloud Inn on 152nd in Redmond, WA. Webinar information: kingcounty.zoom.us/J/84665064544, Webinar i.d. 846-6506-4544, Passcode 376703
Andrew` Kennelly · August 29, 2021 at 8:36 pm
I live more than 5 miles from the Silver Cloud Inn; that is a fairly significant distance and hence the homeless hotel will likely have very little if any impact on my property value or my day-to-day life. But what bothers me most is the utter lack of transparency and openness on the part of County and City officials. The first most “non-insiders” knew of the homeless hotel is when it was proudly announced in press releases and posts on July 14 by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Redmond Mayor Angela Birney. At that time, the purchase was final. The mayor evaded all local media inquiries for a few days, until finally a “spokesperson” indicated that the purchase was not subject to normal open meetings rules because it was a “private real estate transaction” (how convenient).
The July 14 note indicated that King County “coordinated” with “business and community groups”, but yet there is no evidence that there was any “coordination” whatsoever with any businesses or “business groups” in the vicinity of the Silver Cloud Inn. There was ample testimony at the August 2 virtual public forum from adjacent businesses and residences that they had received no advanced notice whatsoever. I’d like the city or county to identify a single business with which it “coordinated” and what the nature of that “coordination” was.
At the August 2 forum, time expired with dozens upon dozens of questions from the audience still unanswered. Forum leaders promised they would provide answers to those unanswered questions. It’s 4 weeks later, and still no answers.
City and county government have demonstrated nothing but callous disregard for the legitimate concerns of area businesses and residents, as they hide behind virtue-signaling gobbledygook about what great leaders they are for “tackling homelessness”. It comes across as throwing their constituents under the bus in favor of “bigger and better” political positions; perhaps future campaign endorsement or cushy appointments by Dow Constantine or his well-connected friends in Seattle, Olympia, or Washington DC.
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