Dear North County Neighbors,
As many families begin the new school year, I hope you all enjoyed the great summer we have had. In this month’s newsletter, I will recap the recent hotel purchase and my ordinance related to drug treatment, an update on our nuisance properties effort, some great events throughout the county, and one of our longstanding local farms in North Snohomish County.
Hotel Purchase and Drug Treatment Ordinance
Last month, the County Council approved the purchase of two hotels to be used for permanent supportive housing and bridge housing. The proposal came from Executive Somers and is intended to combat homelessness in Snohomish County. The Council voted 3-2 to purchase the hotels with Councilmember Low and I opposing the move.
I have made addressing homelessness a priority since I joined the County Council in 2017 and I support innovative approaches to addressing this issue. My concern with the purchase of these hotels is that we will simply be moving the issues associated with homelessness, in many cases drug addiction, from our streets to hotel rooms.
That is why I introduced an ordinance to require drug treatment for residents of county-owned hotels if they are struggling with a drug addiction. This requirement would ensure that individuals living in taxpayer-funded housing begin the journey to become free from their addiction and lead more positive and healthier lives. Addiction is both a cause and a symptom of homelessness and cannot be ignored.
While proponents of the hotel purchases insist that treatment and wrap-around services will be available, I do not believe that goes far enough. We know from experience that individuals suffering from alcohol or drug addiction often times need a “tough love” approach before they seek treatment and a better path. My ordinance would help create that incentive to get better.
While the hotel purchases passed on a 3-2 vote at the County Council, my drug treatment ordinance will receive a public hearing sometime in October. If you would like to share your thoughts on the ordinance with the County Council, you are welcome to email contact.council@snoco.org and reference Ordinance 22-033.
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