Mayor Nickels, Councilmember Licata Urge City Council To support South Downtown Service Center For Homeless People

Mayor Greg Nickels, Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata and homeless advocates urged other city council members to support the proposed South Downtown Service Center without delay. “This is an opportunity to take a big step toward ending homelessness in Seattle and provide services for people in acute need,” said Mayor Nickels. “We have the funding, the location and the plan – a place where homeless people can find everything they need to move out of homelessness. Let’s get the job done.” The mayor has proposed $3.2 million in the 2005 budget to build the South Downtown Service Center at Fourth and Yesler, adjacent to the soon-to-be-constructed Fire Station 10 and Emergency Operations Center. The South Downtown Service Center would be specifically designed to serve homeless people. It would offer showers, a laundromat, meals and a safe, dry place for people to spend the day. It also would offer clients referrals to permanent housing, job training and addiction treatment services. Three years ago, the city council passed a resolution to expand hygiene and day services. “We gave ourselves two years to make it happen, but we made no progress until now,” said Councilmember Licata. “Some of my colleagues on the council worry about the location, cost or mix of services proposed, but I don’t.” Supporters say the location is exactly where the need is greatest, the building is uniquely affordable because it would be built on land that the city already owns, and the services will help Seattle take the first major step to implement the Seattle-King County Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. “It’s time to get serious about moving homeless people off of our streets, out of our parks, and into an environment where they are safe, and where they can get the help they need to find permanent housing, find work, and find new lives,” Councilmember Licata said. The Fourth and Yesler site could be ready for construction within a year and open in 2006. “The city has funded minor improvements in existing programs but that approach does not address the underlying causes of homelessness,” the mayor said. “I urge the city council to act now.”