City cracks down on motel

EVERETT – City officials cracked down on the crime-plagued Topper Motel on Tuesday, threatening to force about 70 people out if safety violations weren’t corrected.

Julie Busch / The Herald

Nick Howard has lived at the Topper Motel in Everett for 21/2 years. Howard shares the room with his girlfriend. “We appreciate the changes being made, but it’s at the cost of the people who live here,” he said.

Inspectors recently found damaged baseboard heaters, a loose railing, exposed electrical wires, and broken smoke alarms, light switches and outlets.

“The electrical and fire issues, when taken in combination, are potentially deadly,” city prosecutor Laura Van Slyck said.

After two hours of closed-door negotiations between city staff and the motel owner’s lawyer, a settlement was reached to vacate three units – including one that is supposed to be a storage room.

To avoid shutting down the motel, the city also required all smoke alarms and a second-floor railing be repaired by Tuesday evening.

“The outcome is everything we could hope for at this time,” Van Slyck said.

It’s the latest chapter in a saga that has included police drug raids and violence at the Topper – a place where the poor can afford to pay the rent but struggle against drug dealers and addicts, resident Michael Rea said.

Residents received letters from the city attorney Monday warning them of potential evictions, Rea said.

“I came out of the woods to the Topper,” said Rea, who left a campsite in Granite Falls to rent a studio apartment at the motel. “Right now, it’s either the woods or the Topper Motel.”

He said the settlement was “pretty good. Outside of a few apartments, we get to stay.”

The Topper and other motels on north Broadway were the target of drug raids by Everett police in 2002. City records show the Topper has been cited five times since 1998 for trash, discarded furniture and appliances, auto parts and weeds.

“Problems come and go,” said Yoon Oh, a Topper Motel owner and its manager. “I wasn’t surprised by the list (of safety violations), but by the time they gave me to fix it.”

Oh paced the hallway at City Hall, commiserating with motel residents while his attorney negotiated with city inspectors and prosecutors. Oh agreed to follow a strict schedule of repairs over the next few days. His progress will be discussed every two weeks with the city’s hearing examiner.

Oh said he didn’t have a problem with the repair schedule. “It will give us time to do each room,” he said.

“I’m the one who didn’t do the job right. I just got tired,” he added.

According to the agreement, city inspectors will walk through five units today, and repairs must be made by May 11. Tenants will be moved to other units while repairs are made to their old units. Those tenants will be allowed to move back once the repairs are made.

“We’ll continue to do that until all the units are made habitable,” said Leslie Tidball, a community prosecutor.

City inspectors need the property owner’s permission before entering a unit, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said. The city was able to inspect six units April 21 only after a police officer reported safety concerns, she said.

“I’ve seen worse,” resident Brian Bean said. “I’ve lived in worse.

“Yoon is a nice guy who needs some help,” Bean added. “He needs to get some money together to get the place fixed up. Shutting him down totally is no good, because he’d have no money coming in.”

Bean and other motel residents praised what they call “Topper love,” or the camaraderie and support system among residents that helps those in need pay their rent when they’re short.

“I’ve seen people give their last $20” to help others pay their rent, Oh said.

He said he doesn’t immediately evict people who can’t pay their rent. “I try to be fair with people.”

“It’s not run like a business; it’s run like a family shelter,” said Nick Howard, an auto body worker who said he pays $770 a month for a one-bedroom unit with a kitchen.

City Council President Marian Krell said that with the leverage of the city’s community prosecutor, she hopes the problems at the Topper and other motels in the same area will be solved once and for all.

“These motels were not established for people to live there,” Krell said. “They were established for travelers.

“The amount of time police and code compliance spend at the Topper is out of line with the rest of the city. The owner has to accept responsibility.”

Mayor Ray Stephanson said he was pleased a settlement had been reached.

“Oftentimes, we find ourselves in the position of property owners needing to know we’re really very serious that corrections need to be made,” he said. “A big concern of mine and my staff was trying to find a way to resolve the violations at the Topper.”

Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Cars drive along Cathcart Way next to the site of the proposed Eastview Village development that borders Little Cedars Elementary on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in unincorporated Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Former engineer: Snohomish County rushed plans for Eastview development

David Irwin cited red flags from the developers. After he resigned, the county approved the development that’s now stalled with an appeal

Outside of the Madrona School on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sewer district notifies Edmonds schools of intent to sue

The letter of intent alleges the school district has failed to address long-standing “water pollution issues” at Madrona K-8 School.

Everett
Man stabbed in face outside Everett IHOP, may lose eye

Police say the suspect fled in the victim’s car, leading officers on a 6-mile chase before his arrest.

A person walks up 20th Street Southeast to look at the damage that closed the road on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
WA delegation urges Trump to reconsider request for bomb cyclone aid

The Washington state congressional delegation urged President Donald Trump on… Continue reading

Aaron Weinstock uses an x-ray machine toy inside the Imagine Children Museum on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Imagine Children’s Museum $250k grant reinstated following federal court order

The federal grant supports a program that brings free science lessons to children throughout rural Snohomish County.

Snohomish County 911 Executive Director Kurt Mills talks about the improvements made in the new call center space during a tour of the building on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New 911 center in Everett built to survive disaster

The $67.5 million facility brings all emergency staff under one roof with seismic upgrades, wellness features and space to expand.

Everett
Five arrested in connection with Everett toddler’s 2024 overdose death

More than a year after 13-month-old died, Everett police make arrests in overdose case.

Madison Family Shelter Family Support Specialist Dan Blizard talks about one of the pallet homes on Monday, May 19, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Madison Family Shelter reopens after hiatus

The Pallet shelter village, formerly Faith Family Village, provides housing for up to eight families for 90 days.

Help Washington manage European green crabs with citizen science events

Washington State University and Washington Sea Grant will hold a training at Willis Tucker Park on June 2.

Emilee Swenson pulls kids around in a wagon at HopeWorks' child care center Tomorrow’s Hope, a job training program for people interested in child care, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021 in Everett, Washington. HopeWorks is one of the organizations reciving funding from the ARPA $4.3 million stipend. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
Early learning group presents countywide survey findings

The survey highlighted the largest issues parents and providers are facing amid the county’s child care crisis.

Brian Murril, who started at Liberty Elementary as a kindergartner in 1963, looks for his yearbook photograph during an open house for the public to walk through the school before its closing on Thursday, May 29, 2025 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Locals say goodbye to Marysville school after 74 years

Liberty Elementary is one of two schools the Marysville School District is closing later this year to save costs.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray speaks at a round table discussion with multiple Snohomish County agencies about the Trump administrator restricting homelessness assistance funding on Thursday, May 29, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sen. Murray hears from county homelessness assistance providers

In early May, Snohomish County sued the Trump administration for putting unlawful conditions on $16.7M in grant funding.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.