Neighbors ask Washington County to require background checks at Cornell Road transitional housing

Neighbors told the Washington County Board on Dec. 9 they support solutions to the housing crisis but want safeguards for nearby families and schools as the county moves ahead with a Cornell Road transitional housing project.

Matthew Seidman, a Skyview neighborhood resident, said the county “fully intends to allow level 2 and level 3 high risk offenders and violent felons to reside at this facility,” and asked the board to require criminal background checks to exclude those categories. “This transitional housing facility is an important tool to help those in need of county services in our community. However, I am asking you to add certain requirements to keep my family and neighborhood safe,” Seidman said.

Seidman said neighbors want transparency and that earlier outreach felt perfunctory; he urged the county to pause the project if commissioners lack the information needed to make an informed decision.

Chair Harrington replied that the board has “heard you loud and clear” and said she looked forward to “the board having the opportunity of a work session with our staff on the project in the early part of the month, the earliest months of next year.” The board did not adopt any policy changes at the meeting; Seidman’s requests were recorded as public comment and a staff work session was scheduled for early 2026.

Context: Neighbors described the facility’s proximity to Oak Hills Elementary and Sunset High School and asked for rules the county could impose. The county has not announced a formal policy change in response; further staff materials and any proposed conditions would be considered at a future work session.