Commentary: Housing and community are key to turning lives around

Published 1:30 am Sunday, October 9, 2016

By Cassie Franklin

Thank you to those who attended last Tuesday’s community meeting at Evergreen Middle School to learn more about the city’s plans to build low-barrier supportive housing off Berkshire Drive and Evergreen Way.

Many residents who attended had questions, and some expressed fears, concerns and frustrations. We are truly fortunate to have such engaged citizens, who care deeply about their neighborhood and their community.

We heard from some neighbors who shared concerns for their and their family’s safety. They have seen evidence of drug use and other street-level issues in their community. This neighborhood is seeing the same challenges that we are seeing in all of Everett’s neighborhoods, from downtown to Smith Avenue, to Everett Mall Way to Grand Avenue and View Ridge.

These challenges are not unique to Everett; the crisis of homelessness, addiction and mental illness is everywhere. As Police Chief Dan Templeman said Tuesday night, we know that what we’re doing now is not working to effectively address this crisis. We can’t arrest our way out of this and we can’t keep moving the problem around. We must find new and more effective ways to ensure the health and safety of our entire community, and to protect our collective quality of life.

At Tuesday’s meeting I also heard a lot of support for developing housing. I believe our community members understand just how insurmountable this challenge will be if we do not act now to create more housing. They recognize that we’re already paying for these individuals through far more expensive and less effective means, such as emergency medical services and police response, jail and court bills, and impacts to service providers. Housing chronically homeless individuals is not only the humane thing to do for our neighbors, it is the most cost-effective long-term solution to a rapidly growing problem.

Finally, some residents expressed frustration about the supportive housing project being built near a residential neighborhood and concern that this is not the right location for supportive housing. Catholic Housing Services’ experience, as well as the experience of other communities, shows us that this type of location is ideal for residents’ success and the greater community. Residents of supportive housing apartment buildings typically have very limited means and no access to vehicles. They have to live close to the amenities that we all need: food, groceries, clothing and transportation. Most importantly, they need to be near a neighborhood where they can begin to feel a part of the larger community.

Even in the city’s early experience with supportive housing in private rental units, we have seen how powerful a sense of community can be for those who have lived on the street for many years. We have seen individuals be welcomed and embraced by the families and neighbors near them, and we have seen how even the simplest of gestures can have an incredible impact on the people being housed.

Neighborhoods can also see a benefit from having a supportive housing facility nearby. Studies consistently show that well-run buildings, like those operated by Catholic Housing Services, generally have a positive impact on property values in the neighborhood. Communities also find that the around-the-clock staffing at the building helps improve the neighborhood’s feeling of safety by helping monitor and report activity in the surrounding community

We are still at the very beginning of this project and there will be more opportunities to learn more about the building and how it will be integrated into the community. I encourage you to learn more about how the city is addressing these complex challenges on many fronts, and why housing is such a key component of those efforts. We are committed to working together to ensure that the solutions we create are successful for all our community members, including your family and mine.

As we learn more, share answers to people’s questions about their families’ safety, and ensure that all our residents can live safely and with dignity and support, I urge us all to remember that people thrive in community, with the support and companionship of other people.

It is core to our human nature, and we all deserve that opportunity.

Cassie Franklin is the Everett City Council liaison to the Community Streets Initiative and CEO of Cocoon House.