Dear (Council member/Representative/Senator):

We are writing to express our concerns about siting the Downtown Emergency Service Center’s Crisis Solutions Center at 1600-1618 South Lane Street, in the Jackson Place Neighborhood.

The aim of the Downtown Emergency Services (DESC) crisis center is to ostensibly serve as a crisis support center for 46 individuals who are severe substance abusers or who are severely mentally unstable, most of who have committed a variety of criminal offenses. The center will have two units: the Crisis Diversion Facility (CDF) and the Crisis Diversion Interim Service (CDIS). The CDF will have 16 beds to house individuals who are diverted primarily from jail systems across the county in lieu of serving jail time.  Some may be diverted from Harborview. The CDIS will have 30 beds for up to 14-day stays of individuals who are released from the CDF, but remain homeless. Department of corrections vehicles, police cars, and other first responder vehicles are expected to deliver individuals to the facility, which will be open 24-hours seven days a week.

The majority of DESC’s clients at the CDF and CDIS will be individuals who have committed a criminal offense and are deemed unstable or experiencing some level of behavioral crisis. According to documents obtained through King County’s Public Records, the following list of offenses are eligible for placement at the CDF and CDIS:

• Criminal Trespass II
• Theft under $50
• Malicious Mischief under $50
• Unlawful bus conduct
• Failure to appear/respond (court summons)
• Disorderly conduct
• Obstructing
• Resisting arrest
• Use of Drug Paraphernalia
• Possession of Marijuana
• Prostitution
• Alcohol in a park
• NVOL (no valid operator's license)
• Furnishing liquor to minor
• Minor in possession of alcohol
• Minor frequenting tavern or lounge
• Unlawful issuance of bank checks
• Prostitution
• Patronizing a prostitute
• Loitering for Purposes of Prostitution
• Possess fraudulent driver's license
• Failure to obey
• Theft of rental property

In addition to the listed misdemeanor crimes, the CDF and CDIS may be willing to accept individuals who have committed felony level crimes that consist of the following:

• Simple possession of cocaine
• Simple possession of heroin
• Simple possession of methamphetamine
• Possession of legend drugs (prescription drugs without proper prescription)

The neighborhood of Jackson Place Community and its immediately surrounding areas has a long history of welcoming social services that meet both community and citywide needs. Over the past years, we have welcomed several social services, including the Catholic Food Bank, Casa Latina, the Refugee Resettlement Office, and projects by the Seattle Housing Institute for low-income families.

However, we have serious concerns about the decision made by the DESC, through the support of the King County and Seattle City councils, to locate its crisis center at 1600-1618 South Lane Street. The center will be one block from the historic Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington, which houses a language school for children; within four blocks from the Martin Luther King Day Care, the Giddens School, and the King Street Cooperative Preschool.

The City has allowed the DESC project to proceed with no public review, because, the City says, it is a “hospital.” Hospitals are permitted practically anywhere in the City. Jails and similar facilities are not. Over one-third of the DESC facility’s detainees would be brought there using police arrest or detention authority.

In Nov 2010, the JPAE submitted a Request for Interpretation with DPD concerning DESC’s proposed development of the crisis solutions center in the Jackson Place community. Since filing the Request for Interpretation, JPAE obtained public records that indicate the crisis facility has been endorsed by several City and County elected officials and agency heads, including the City Executive, Council members, and the City Attorney. Public records also reveal emails sent by City elected officials and the DESC enlisting the DPD in facilitating quick approval and construction without public review. 

The failure by our elected Council members to engage our community in this decision making process justifies revisiting the decision and providing the community with a reasonable opportunity to provide its input.

Sincerely,

Jackson Place Alliance for Equity