Dear Mayor Durkan,
It has come to my attention that Africatown Community Land Trust has either already secured funding and a contract, or is in the process of doing so, with the City to operate a 24/7 enhanced shelter at the site of the former historic Keiro Nursing Home.
I am sending you a letter about the contract for the 24/7 enhanced shelter between the City of Seattle and Africatown as well.
For all projects that the City funds, the City is supposed to require providers to notify neighbors as soon as the site is identified. To my knowledge, this was not done. I understand the shelter is supposed to go online in October 2021.
I am requesting the following information.
City of Seattle and Africatown shelter
1. Who is the point person from the City regarding this City-funded 24/7 enhanced shelter?
2. What plan does the City have to notify neighbors?
3. What is the funding source(s)? How much funding is provided by government entities and other funding sources? What is the length and duration of the funding for Africatown?
4. What other potential locations for this 24/7 enhanced shelter were also considered?
5. How long does the City and Africatown plan to operate the shelter? What is the duration of the funding?
Shelter residents
1. How many (original site was for 150 beds), who, and how will the residents of Africatown’s 24/7 enhanced shelter be screened?
2. Will residents with criminal backgrounds (substance addiction/abuse issues, sex offenses, etc.) be allowed?
3. Will all residents and staff be vaccinated and tested regularly for Covid-19? What kind of Covid precautions will be maintained at the facility? What about visitors?
4. What happens if a resident commits a crime?
Africatown as City of Seattle-contracted service provider
1. Why was Africatown considered/contracted given their apparent lack of experience in running a homeless/high risk population shelter? Will they be subcontracting to a provider and would that provider be under City rules and requirements?
2. What is Africatown’s and the City’s legal liability regarding this shelter?
Site operation
1. Who will actually run the shelter? Will they be accountable to the City?
2. How will the property be maintained? In fact, inasmuch as the facility is in disrepair outwardly at least, how will it be prepared for incoming residents?
3. How many supervisors and staff will work at the facility? Will there be a 24-hour staff presence? Who will hire and supervise them?
Resident services
1. Are “wraparound services” to be provided to residents? Will these be on-site? Who will provide these services, to whom and for how long?
2. How long will residents stay at the shelter? Is the plan to transition them to permanent stable housing? Is that housing available? What if permanent housing is unavailable?
Africatown and community relationship
Is the service provider, in this case Africatown, willing to support a neighborhood citizens’ advisory group?
Expected outcomes
Can Africatown provide specific information on expected verifiable outcomes and will the City of Seattle, as the funding body to Africatown, have specific expected and verifiable outcomes as part of the funding and contractual arrangement.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
— Patty Fong
Seattle, WA
cc: NW Asian Weekly
Ms. Kshama Sawant
Ms. Lorena Gonzalez
Mr. Bruce Harrell
Wisteria Community Association
Africatown Community Land Trust – Wyking Garrett