EVERETT, Wash. — Snohomish County leadership wants to buy a Days Inn in Everett to expand its temporary shelter space.
County Executive Dave Somers announced the county would use funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to buy the 74-unit facility.
The purchase agreement was forwarded to the county council for consideration.
The facility would serve unsheltered adults and offer help such as providing food, employment services, legal services, and mental health and substance use services. It would have a 24/7 staff.
“With these one-time federal funds, we have an opportunity to make transformational investments in our housing system. By increasing our bridge housing capacity, we can provide safer places for vulnerable residents, create stability to support communities’ overall health and wellbeing, and make Snohomish County an even better place to live, work, and play – for everyone,” said Somers. “We have heard the community loud and clear: Now is the time to make substantial, creative investments to increase housing supply across our county.”
Over the past year, the county estimated that 120 people have received emergency shelter at the Days Inn through motel voucher referrals, according to information from the county.
Shelter and housing capacity was identified as a priority through the Office of Recovery & Resilience's COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts.
The county council will hold public comment on the plan Aug. 17.
The county plans to purchase additional properties, with council approval.
“Providing shelter for those in need and significantly reducing public safety challenges related to chronic homelessness is a top priority for Everett residents. Snohomish County’s purchase of the Days Inn will provide shelter to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. This is a necessary action to making all our residents safer,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin.
Snohomish County, along with most of the Puget Sound region, has a significant number of homeless residents throughout its towns and cities. In the point-in-time count for 2020, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic hindered counting, Snohomish County reported 673 individuals said they were unsheltered and another 459 individuals were in temporary housing like shelters or transitional housing.