As the global economic downturn continues to impact the people of the Eastside, Sammamish Councilman Mark Cross believes the city could do more to help families that find themselves in crisis.
During discussions on home foreclosures and the state of the local real estate market at last week’s council meeting, Cross said the city needed to be aware of the number of people in the region who were facing the reality of becoming homeless.
In a city with a median family income of over $120,000 a year, and where the average house sells for more than $400,000, Cross’ comments covered ground not regularly trod at city council meetings.
Cross, whose wife is the Executive Director of the Family Resource Center in Redmond, a nonprofit agency that aims to increase access to human services, said he was aware of people struggling to maintain permanent housing due to changes in the job market.
“I hear stories of people moving here for a particular job, and then that job is delayed, or it doesn’t eventuate,” he said. “Too quickly these stories turn into someone having to sleep in their car, parked behind Safeway.”
Cross said that at present, demand for affordable housing, emergency shelter and transitional housing was overwhelming the supply, and that it was of great importance that the city of Sammamish contribute to finding and funding a regular solution.
He said that Sammamish was lagging behind a number of other Eastside cities when it came to funding such programs.
“When you compare Sammamish’s contribution with that of cities like Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland, I do think that the city could do more,” Cross said. “For example, last year we approved a two year investment of $5,000 a year for a women’s emergency shelter in Redmond. But then you compare that number with $258,000 to move Sween House, or the cost of putting up a new clock at City Hall.”
According to City of Sammamish Clerk Melonie Anderson, the city has an annual budget of $160,000 for human service grants for 2009 and 2010. Of this amount, $22,050 has been awarded to five agencies that provide either emergency housing or help with rent, food and utilities.
This includes $5,000 a year for an emergency housing facility for families and single women at Avondale Park in Redmond, and $6,050 a year for food and rental assistance through Hopelink Emergency Services. The city will also give A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) $100,000 for each of the next two years for affordable housing projects.
Cross said he hoped the city council would keep in mind the importance of emergency housing facilities when it sits down in late spring or summer to revise its social services budget.
