Right Idea but WRONG Location for Pierce County's Homeless Village

Right Idea but WRONG Location for Pierce County's Homeless Village

Started
November 4, 2022
Signatures: 477Next Goal: 500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Angela Schick

We oppose the location of the Community First! Village being proposed to and funded by Pierce County.  This development to house the chronically homeless includes over 300 buildings and a farm.  The location they are proposing for this micro-city is a sensitive and important watershed located off 176th and Spanaway Loop Road, bordering JBLM. 

The site is a nationally and state protected wetland area that includes Spanaway Creek and Coffee Creek which feed into Spanaway Lake and the rest of the Chambers Clover Creek Watershed into the Puget Sound. This watershed directly affects the Lakewood, Tacoma, and Spanaway communities. The proposed development threatens this vital watershed by polluting the ground and surface water from stormwater runoff and the proposed community septic systems.  If this proposal passes, these pollutants will be both environmentally devastating and a real threat to human health. The proposal violates current zoning and buffer laws and therefore will require re-zoning and the usage of conditional use permits.  Changing the rules doesn't make it right. 

In addition, this is not a compassionate or trauma informed location for the homeless.   It is isolated deep in the woods, far from all community resources. This isolated location further marginalizes this vulnerable population by pushing them off on a virtual island where there is little to no access to the resources they need such as shopping centers, healthcare facilities, public transportation, and the community. The location is fraught with trauma-producing and dangerous problems. It is a known and active black bear habitat that also includes cougars, and coyotes. The lands are federally listed FEMA designated flood hazard control zones with a high risk for flooding. The village placement is directly adjacent to JBLM with close proximity to the McChord Airfield. Frequent loud explosions and gunfire, as well as extremely loud, low flying jets and aircraft at all hours both day and night will only add to the trauma of a population already known to have severe mental health and addiction problems.  

With all the problems inherent in this location - the watershed,  border of JBLM, trauma producing for the homeless - this is a risky and irresponsible use of millions of dollars of public funds.  A better location must be found.

 

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Signatures: 477Next Goal: 500
Support now
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