Thurston County commissioners weigh oversight, structural concerns at Maple Court supportive-housing site

Thurston County commissioners on June 4 discussed persistent operational and structural concerns at Maple Court, a housing site in Lacey owned and operated by Lehigh, and said county housing staff and the Regional Housing Council are exploring options including training for Lehigh staff.

Commissioner Emily Klaus, who spoke at length during the board's check-in, said, "there have been some concerns around Maple Court, kind of the same stuff we've been hearing in the past," citing worries about "the optics" of activity near the property and what she described as drug use and other problems. "The whole building is under construction," she said, adding that the facility faces "fundamentally structural" issues that could interfere with plans to convert Maple Court to permanent supportive housing.

The discussion matters because Maple Court was intended to transition to permanent supportive housing after three years, a timetable Klaus said now looks unlikely. She described pressure from Lacey city officials for greater oversight of Lehigh and said county housing staff, including a staff member named Tom, have discussed offering education on "best practices" to Lehigh as one possible response. "Some folks in Lacey are wanting more oversight of Lehigh," Klaus said, "...there are a number of us on the Regional Housing Council who don't feel like just dumping more money is the solution."

Board members said the city manager of Lacey has contacted county officials about the site; the board did not take a formal vote or issue a directive at the meeting. A commissioner said they would prioritize follow-up and report back to the full board.

Commissioner Klaus said Lehigh owns the Maple Court building after it was gifted to the organization, a fact she said complicates county oversight. She also relayed complaints from nearby businesses about activity around the property.

County staff and members of the Regional Housing Council are still in early-stage discussions about next steps; no contractual changes, enforcement actions or funding allocations were announced during the meeting. The board's check-in covered multiple items and Maple Court was discussed as part of commissioners' reports rather than as a formal agenda motion.

The county manager also flagged ongoing coordination opportunities with the Timberland Regional Library and other partners for outreach and education on county programs, but did not link those items to Maple Court. Commissioners said they would continue conversations with city officials and housing staff and provide updates to the full board as they become available.