Housing Works denies carpenters union allegations, says Spencer Court project near completion

Housing Works board chair Laura Kraske Cooper told the Redmond City Council she and her organization investigated allegations brought by a carpenters union concerning the Spencer Court affordable‑housing construction project and found no corroborating evidence.

"We did everything that we reasonably could to determine if the carpenters union was relying upon anything — we found zero evidence that there's anything that they've alleged," Kraske Cooper said, noting the project underwent federal debarment checks through SAM.gov and that the general contractor (R & H) confirmed subcontractors were licensed and in good standing.

Housing Works' Barbara Punch updated the council on Spencer Court’s status: one building is complete with four families moved in, another building is nearly finished, a third will be finished in October, and the final 24‑unit building on Canal Boulevard is scheduled for completion in December, bringing the project total to about 60 units. Punch said more than 400 families had applied for the 60 available units.

Later in the meeting, Garth Finley of Carpenters Local 541 told the council contractors who bypass labor standards and pay workers in cash undermine worker protections and public trust; he said the union has evidence it presented to the mayor and urged the city to enforce labor standards on publicly funded projects.

Housing Works repeated it will investigate if the union provides evidence and said it supports unions and high ethical and legal standards. The council did not take formal action on the allegation at the meeting.