It is disappointing that although state Rep. Frank Chopp worked successfully to get state funding to Seattle to open three tiny house villages in 2021, the Durkan administration did not even get them started in 2021. The city's budget also provided operating funds for village operation through that year. These three villages could have been built and fully sheltered more than 160 homeless people during these terribly cold nights in insulated, heated individual tiny houses, with wraparound services to help them transition to permanent, supportive housing. The city has not even started the implementation processes on these three funded tiny house villages. No wonder the administration's response to homelessness is considered less than successful.
We in South Lake Union not only identified a site in SLU (145 Yale) but offered to help with almost 50% of the capital funding (offered $243,000 cash) and offered to welcome the village into our community with volunteer help for ongoing operation. We are RIMBY (Right In My Back Yard), not NIMBY. This was discussed in the Op-Ed "Should City Light give up this lot in South Lake Union to house the homeless?" [Sept. 14, Opinion]. The current city of Seattle leadership flatly turned us down in the first minute of a meeting on Oct. 4.
We welcome the Harrell administration and the new King County Regional Homelessness Authority.
John Pehrson, Seattle, on behalf of the Mirabella Civic Engagement Project
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