The City of Kirkland and King County will host a virtual town hall meeting on May 9, 2022, at 5:30 pm on the topic of the future permanent supportive housing site at the former La Quinta Inn in Kirkland as part of King County’s Health Through Housing program.
This community meeting will focus on the terms and conditions necessary to maintain City support of La Quinta Inn as a Health Through Housing site. Meeting information and registration can be found online here.
Last month, King County announced that it closed on the purchase of the former La Quinta Inn & Suites in Kirkland for a permanent supportive housing site under the Health Through Housing Initiative.
At the beginning of April, a parent-group sued the City of Kirkland and King County over the purchase of the La Quinta Inn, claiming that the governments were not transparent in the way they came to the decision to buy the property.
The town hall will be an opportunity for the community to ask questions, offer ideas, and talk more about the project. The feedback from the community will inform upcoming implementation decisions, including a safety plan, referral process for tenants, and ongoing community communication.
Additional small group meetings are being scheduled for after the town hall for any community members that want to discuss the project in more depth and provide additional input.
The Health Through Housing initiative aims to assist residents who are not supported through other housing program models, and each site includes 24/7 staffing, case management, employment counseling, and medical and behavioral healthcare.
According to the county, supportive housing serves a different need along the continuum of care than shelters provide, and the County’s purchase of a hotel in Kirkland for supportive housing fills a gap in Kirkland’s services. King County is allowed under state law to acquire property for this purpose.
The May 9 town hall will be a special meeting of the Kirkland City Council. By registering for this event, you will receive email reminders about the town hall and the Zoom link when available.
