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Three proposals regarding Snohomish County’s approach to homelessness and addiction are scheduled for a public hearing Wednesday, June 10, in Everett.
The 10:30 a.m. public hearing will take place at 3000 Rockefeller Ave. in the Robert J. Drewel Building, eighth floor, Jackson Board Room. Those who cannot attend in person can tune in virtually at zoom.us/j/94846850772.
Public testimony can be done in person or remotely. Written testimony can be sent to [email protected] or mailed to 3000 Rockefeller Ave. M/S 609, Everett, WA 98201.
Comments from those who send their testimony via email 24 hours before the hearing will be given to County Councilmembers and appropriate staff in advance of the hearing.
County Councilmember Nate Nehring introduced the proposals in early May. He also has a fourth proposal that is still in committee and has yet to move forward for a public hearing.
“For years, our systems have prioritized ‘Housing First’ and other strategies that often lack accountability. My proposals would move Snohomish County toward a more balanced, recovery- and accountability-focused approach to addressing homelessness and addiction,” Nehring wrote in his June 1 newsletter.
Ordinance 26-019 would prohibit housing funding from requiring, incentivizing or prioritizing subrecipients or contractors that offer temporary or permanent housing with little to no entry or participation requirements.
The proposed ordinance would also forbid housing funding from prohibiting, discouraging or giving lower priority to those that offer housing with requirements for sobriety, treatment, counseling or illicit drug testing.
Nehring said in a May 5 news release that this proposal “aims to improve outcomes from programs funded with taxpayer dollars.”
The Housing Authority of Snohomish County submitted a comment to the County May 12 about the ordinance, saying that, “HASCO is registering opposition to this ordinance, as it increases bureaucratic process and ambiguity in a policy space already heavy in both, with no discernable positive impact to either public stewardship of funds or beneficial outcomes for households, fund recipients, or subcontractors. We join our community partners in opposing Ordinance Number 26-019.”
Ordinance 26-018 would amend the Affordable Housing and Behavioral Health (AHBH) Sales Tax, creating a dedicated fund that 20% of the revenue would go into. The funds would be used for purchasing, constructing or acquiring land for behavioral health facilities.
Ordinance 26-016 would add a new section to the Snohomish County Code, making it a gross misdemeanor for someone to knowingly or recklessly permit a child or dependent person to ingest, inhale or have contact with a controlled substance (unless it’s in line with a prescription issued to them). Those convicted would face up to 364 days in prison, a fine of not more than $5,000 or both.
Those who have questions about the proposals or the County Council’s review schedule can contact Russell Wiita at [email protected] or 425-626-4173.
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Group. Contact her at [email protected].
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