Letter: One-way conversation on Everett’s low-barrier housing

So on Thursday, the mayor’s homeless czar, Hil Kaman, gave the city council a presentation on the low-barrier housing project that they plan on dropping into a vulnerable residential neighborhood in south Everett. I’m not sure why. They’ve already rubber-stamped it, sight unseen. Kaman mentions that the project will not house sex offenders, arsonists or meth cookers. It’s nice to see that they draw the line somewhere.

In this presentation there was a video highlighting the city’s efforts to deal with homelessness. One person in the video said, “We are forcing the community to have the conversation.” Really? Where is the back and forth, give and take, that happens in real conversations? I’ll bet there was not even one dissenting voice brought before the council. It’s pretty difficult to have a conversation when the side controlling things has already made up its mind.

There will be another presentation at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 4, at Evergreen Middle School. But telling people what they’re going to do, instead of asking, is by no means a conversation.

I renew my call for the mayor and city council to put this decision up for an advisory vote. This is a necessity if they truly want the public’s feedback and support.

Michael Neeley

Everett

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