Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homeless Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council pushes coordinated next steps for Jean Kim hygiene center and explores 'good neighbor' policy
Summary
Council discussed next steps after a community roundtable on the Jean Kim Hygiene Center, endorsing continued operation under a committed landlord, exploring a 'good neighbor' policy modeled on Portland, coordinating county and nonprofit partners for possible day-use services, safe-parking and phased shelter options, and seeking grant funding for facility upgrades.
City staff and council on Monday discussed how to build on a recent hygiene-center roundtable and next steps to stabilize operations and expand services in Lynnwood.
"I think we know now that the hygiene center is gonna stay," Mayor Hurst said, adding that the city has a "committed landlord and landowner to make sure that the hygiene center remains in Lynnwood and is functional." He urged convening the Jean Kim Foundation board, county partners and nearby nonprofit directors to avoid siloed services and to pursue funding.
Interim staffer Lynn Sordell urged adoption of a neighborhood 'good neighbor' policy similar to Portland’s practices and said staff will coordinate with the foundation and potential funders. "I think that's something we can certainly look at," he said.
Council members emphasized several recurring themes from the roundtable: the need for more shelter capacity and day-use services, better coordination among service providers, on-site behavioral-health resources, and careful piloting of safe-parking or other interim options. "The hygiene center is great, but what we really need is more shelter," one councilmember said, echoing multiple voices who urged the city to pursue options beyond hygiene-only services.
Pope and other presenters had earlier described Red Cross partnerships and emergency-shelter planning at the event center; staff said schematic-design choices will determine whether features such as showers or additional restrooms can be added to expand hygiene-center or emergency capacity.
Council directed staff to continue stakeholder conversations, research grant options, and consider staged, evidence-based pilots (safe parking, day centers) with oversight and service-provider presence.
What’s next: staff will convene stakeholders, explore grant opportunities, and return with proposals for staged pilots and design options tied to grant and schematic-design funding.
