Who can stay at the New Start Centers? Here’s what Snohomish County decided

Key takeaways:

• Site operators for the New Start Centers in Snohomish County can now hire staffers and prepare to open
• County councilmembers discussed eligibility criteria outlined in the contracts
• The County plans to mark the New Start centers’ opening with an event

The Snohomish County Council during its Jan. 28 general legislative session unanimously approved moving forward with the contracts for the Edmonds and Everett New Start Centers. 

The New Start Centers are emergency bridge housing for people experiencing homelessness. The centers will provide medical and mental health assistance, job resources and other services.

YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish will operate the Edmonds New Start Center at 22127 Hwy 99, which used to be America’s Best Value Inn. The Salvation Army will operate the Everett New Start Center at 1602 S.E. Everett Mall Way, formerly Days Inn.

The New Start centers have a combined budget of about $37 million. Federal American Rescue Plan Act funds and money collected from the county’s 0.1% affordable housing sales tax are paying for them. 

County Communications Director Kari Bray said the New Start Centers’ site operators can work on hiring staffers and preparing to open now that the Council approved the contracts. 

The contracts outline a management plan, code of conduct, and referral and eligibility, as well as safety and security. During the Jan. 28 general legislative session, two items in the referral and eligibility portion sparked a discussion among the Council. 

The two eligibility criterias the Council discussed are that residents have no recent conviction for manufacture or distribution/delivery of a controlled substance and they haven’t been convicted of a violent crime.

County Councilmember Strom Peterson proposed adding some language to the two criterias so that an eligible client doesn’t become ineligible based solely on one or more convictions of a drug offense or a violent crime.

“The idea that somebody who’s doing everything right – has served their time in prison and is now out, putting their life back together – can be rejected from this very critical piece of housing infrastructure solely for that conviction I think is ill-advised,” Peterson said.

Peterson’s proposal failed.

County Councilmember Nate Nehring said he wasn’t comfortable with the proposal, and that he thinks the New Start Centers should exclude those with prior convictions of violence or drug trafficking.

County Councilmember Jared Mead also said he didn’t feel comfortable with the proposal, but that he is open to the conversation later if providers say they are turning away too many people or have trouble filling beds.

“I’m open to being wrong later,” Mead said.

Council Chair Megan Dunn said she supports the intent of Peterson’s proposal, adding that it’s really important for her to give people a new start. 

County Council Vice Chair Sam Low said he is open to the proposal, and that the county can make some changes going forward as it renews the contracts. 

County staff said Peterson’s proposal would have further delayed the opening of the New Start Centers because the County hasn’t had the chance to consult with the providers about it. 

Councilmembers did pass a proposal that requires all contract extensions to go to Council for approval. The Council also passed a proposal that requires evaluation of the referral and eligibility requirements, as well as a presentation recommending necessary changes to those requirements, vacancy rates and program implementation.

Bray said the New Start Centers are not yet fully complete. Crews are still wrapping up construction, including furnishings, fixtures, fencing/gates and security.

The county is planning to mark the New Start Centers’ opening with an event this spring, but no date has been set, Bray said.

Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.