TUKWILA, Wash. — The King County Council approved $3 million to fund 100 hotel rooms to temporarily house asylum seekers currently living in and around the Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila.
The county hired Thrive International to connect residents at the church with the hotel rooms, prioritizing the most vulnerable.
According to the county, most of the residents are asylum seekers from Venezuela, Angola and Congo and fled violence and conflict in their homelands. The most vulnerable at the site include families with small children or those who are pregnant.
“Working with community-based organizations, this relief will help house some of the most vulnerable people at the site, and help provide some stability and a step forward toward a long-term solution," said King County Executive Dow Constantine.
The City of Tukwila declared a state of emergency in October after the number of migrants reached 180. The number of people has ballooned to 400 since.
“This is an unprecedented situation that requires a coordinated regional approach. With today’s funding news, we’re hopeful that we can continue to work together to develop a viable plan to assist the asylees," said Tukwila Mayor Allan Ekberg.
The county did not specify how long the funding would be able to house the migrants. Longer-term funding and solutions are to be determined through a partnership with the city and state.
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