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Resident outlines Booker House occupancy changes and staffing needs
Summary
A resident described Booker House's early constrained capacity (16), the elevator and punch-list delays that limited occupancy, a later expansion to 84 beds after repairs and the need for supportive-housing counselors to match occupancy.
Harold Booker provided an operational perspective on Booker House, the supportive housing facility in Federal Way, explaining why occupancy numbers changed quickly in the months after opening.
Booker said Booker House opened on Jan. 28 with a capacity limited to 16 because the elevator and upper-floor punch-list items were not finished; staff brought the building to full usability in mid-to-late April, after which capacity rose to 84. "When the Booker House opened on January 28, the capacity for the Booker House was 16... capacity changed from the 16 to 84 late April," Booker said. He added that supportive housing requires trained counselors and staff ready to support residents and that simply moving people into units without services is ineffective.
Booker told the council that by June 1 the facility's population had been about 57 and urged continued attention to operations, staffing and community safety concerns related to public drug use in nearby commercial corridors. The mayor said the council will invite King County representatives to report on the Health Through Housing program and provide a status update at a future meeting.
Booker framed his remarks as background and urged the council to ensure the facility maintains adequate counseling and operational capacity as occupancy increases.
