Published June 6 2017
The City of Bellevue will continue to work with its nonprofit partners on the potential development of the proposed Eastside men’s shelter and supportive housing project on the King County Eastgate Public Health Center property at 14350 SE Eastgate Way. The city will also explore the Sound Transit Operations & Maintenance Facility: East (OMF East) property in BelRed as a potential site for the project.
During the Monday, June 5 meeting in a 6-1 vote, the City Council approved moving forward on the development of revisions to the Eastgate Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) to allow a shelter and day services center at the Eastgate location. The code revisions will include avenues for the public to participate in providing feedback on the project design and operation. The council action also requested draft code provisions that would apply citywide to better define how shelter uses are permitted, prohibit safe injection sites, prepare options for stronger vehicle parking and camping in public places enforcement, and develop a public education campaign on panhandling. Councilmember Conrad Lee voted against the motion.
The proposed Eastgate LUCA revisions could be considered by the City Council as early as the June 26 meeting.
Through a unanimous vote, the City Council also directed staff to perform due diligence and open discussions with Sound Transit to determine the viability of developing the OMF East site for a men’s shelter and possible affordable housing location. The site is located along 120th Avenue Northeast and just north of the future Spring Boulevard, in the BelRed area. A large portion of the site is required for the maintenance facility, with future transit-oriented development planned for the location after construction of the facility is complete and any remaining property is determined to be surplus.
In the meantime, the city will make improvements to the current Eastside Winter Shelter located at Lincoln Center, 515 116th Ave. NE, in the Wilburton neighborhood. These improvements at the city-owned facility will include adding indoor plumbing and electrical upgrades for the kitchen area. The city’s investment in the project is approximately $200,000, and will enhance the building conditions of the temporary men’s winter shelter. In a third and final motion, the council unanimously requested an update on this work, which will be included in the next shelter discussion.
Establishing a permanent Eastside shelter is a 2016-17 City Council Vision Priority. The project, associated with the initially proposed Eastgate site, is in partnership with King County, Congregations for the Homeless and Imagine Housing. As proposed, the shelter would operate under a low-barrier model, meaning the facility generally would not turn anyone in need away; however strict standards for behavior and clear protocols for anyone not meeting those standards would be part of the operating model. During Monday’s meeting, some members of the council also expressed interest in further discussing the “low barrier” shelter model, which was part of the original proposal.
More details about the proposed shelter and supportive housing project are available on thePermanent Men's Shelter page. Residents can also email their comments about the project toEastsideMensShelter@bellevuewa.gov.
Clarification: None of the actions of the City Council during Monday night’s meeting were an approval of the shelter project at the Eastgate location. The proposed revisions to the Eastgate LUCA still have to be reviewed and separately acted on by the council. The council may consider the revisions as early as the June 26, 2017 meeting.
During the Monday, June 5 meeting in a 6-1 vote, the City Council approved moving forward on the development of revisions to the Eastgate Land Use Code Amendment (LUCA) to allow a shelter and day services center at the Eastgate location. The code revisions will include avenues for the public to participate in providing feedback on the project design and operation. The council action also requested draft code provisions that would apply citywide to better define how shelter uses are permitted, prohibit safe injection sites, prepare options for stronger vehicle parking and camping in public places enforcement, and develop a public education campaign on panhandling. Councilmember Conrad Lee voted against the motion.
The proposed Eastgate LUCA revisions could be considered by the City Council as early as the June 26 meeting.
Through a unanimous vote, the City Council also directed staff to perform due diligence and open discussions with Sound Transit to determine the viability of developing the OMF East site for a men’s shelter and possible affordable housing location. The site is located along 120th Avenue Northeast and just north of the future Spring Boulevard, in the BelRed area. A large portion of the site is required for the maintenance facility, with future transit-oriented development planned for the location after construction of the facility is complete and any remaining property is determined to be surplus.
In the meantime, the city will make improvements to the current Eastside Winter Shelter located at Lincoln Center, 515 116th Ave. NE, in the Wilburton neighborhood. These improvements at the city-owned facility will include adding indoor plumbing and electrical upgrades for the kitchen area. The city’s investment in the project is approximately $200,000, and will enhance the building conditions of the temporary men’s winter shelter. In a third and final motion, the council unanimously requested an update on this work, which will be included in the next shelter discussion.
Establishing a permanent Eastside shelter is a 2016-17 City Council Vision Priority. The project, associated with the initially proposed Eastgate site, is in partnership with King County, Congregations for the Homeless and Imagine Housing. As proposed, the shelter would operate under a low-barrier model, meaning the facility generally would not turn anyone in need away; however strict standards for behavior and clear protocols for anyone not meeting those standards would be part of the operating model. During Monday’s meeting, some members of the council also expressed interest in further discussing the “low barrier” shelter model, which was part of the original proposal.
More details about the proposed shelter and supportive housing project are available on thePermanent Men's Shelter page. Residents can also email their comments about the project toEastsideMensShelter@bellevuewa.gov.
Clarification: None of the actions of the City Council during Monday night’s meeting were an approval of the shelter project at the Eastgate location. The proposed revisions to the Eastgate LUCA still have to be reviewed and separately acted on by the council. The council may consider the revisions as early as the June 26, 2017 meeting.