​Hi Houghton residents

We wanted to let you know that a critical decision about Screening Criteria for La Quinta Permanent Supportive Housing is coming up by March 21. If you have an opinion on this topic, please voice it now!
 
Please email elected representatives BY NEXT WEEK how you would like them to vote on the Screening Criteria for our new neighbors at La Quinta Permanent Supportive Housing. 
citycouncil@kirklandwa.gov, (and/or reach out to city council members individually) City Manager Ktriplett@kirklandwa.gov, Deputy City Manager jlopez@kirklandwa.gov
 
There are two resident screening options being discussed. 
1) Use King County Behavioral Health and Homelessness tracking data bases and screening criteria. Search the Washington State Sex Offenders database to do an individualized assessment for placement. Do no criminal background check.
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2) All of the King County screening AND a national criminal background check. 
 
Adding or excluding #2 is what is being voted on by the city council representatives in the next few days. In the Council meeting, the consideration discussed for Option 2 was that a national criminal background check may work against people of color, therefore should perhaps be excluded. The debate was "does the need for criminal checks trump concerns about profiling". At the end of debate, the Council seemed leaning towards excluding National Background Checks (i.e. choosing Option 1 above). The final decision will be made before March 21.
 
If you have an opinion on this, please write to them as above.
 
Read the exact wording of the options here: Attachment C (King County alone) & D (the additional criteria City of Kirkland could vote to include)
https://www.kirklandwa.gov/files/sharedassets/public/city-council/agenda-documents/2023/march-7-2023/9b_business.pdf
 
WATCH the discussion on La Quinta supportive housing screening options and city council questions to King County here: March 7th city council meeting. Topic starts at 2hrs 33mins. or scroll in the index to Section 9 b. 
https://kirkland.granicus.com/player/clip/4744?view_id=54&redirect=true&h=5482ee74b09b12b5b291b9f76c6ae044

Thank you
 
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

The notes from our January 10, 2023 virtual meeting are attached below. 

In addition to the meeting notes, we want to direct you to additional materials on our website - houghtonlives.com.

• CHNA's written testimony for the public hearing on the Permanent Supportive Housing project at the former La Quinta Inn and responses from City Councilmembers can be found under a separate heading below. The letter from Eastside Prep School to the City is also included. CHNA Letter and Council Responses. 
  
  
• We also have posted information related to Carillon Woods Park and an Opportunity with the Green Kirkland Partnership. This information can be found in a separate posting. 

One additional item - on January 19, the City posted information related to the arrest of individuals in connection with the burglary and shots fired at a residence in Central Houghton last October. 

As always, please let us know if you have any questions, comments, or ideas for future meeting topics. We are also looking for members interested in getting more involved in CHNA's effort to build an informed and engaged membership to enhance our community.

Larry Toedtli, president
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

The following was submitted to the Kirland City Council and Deputy City Manager Jim Lopez on January 17 as input to the public hearing on the Permanent Supportive Housing Agreement. Claudia Balducci, our representative on the King County Council, and the King County's Executive office were copied on the email.

We have an update for the Permanent Supportive Housing project.
 
At its December 13 meeting, the Kirkland City Council decided to change the Public Hearing on the Permanent Supportive Housing Agreements (at the former La Quinta Inn) to Tuesday January 17. Staff is also looking to see if the packet for the hearing can be made available earlier than the afternoon of Friday January 13. 
 
They also have updated the Health Through Housing web page to include the City's presentation slides from our December 6 meeting and direct links to the November 15 City Council packet and video of the meeting.  The November 15 meeting packet includes the Draft Agreements for the project. While some changes may be made, the November 15 materials will be the baseline for the January 17 Public Hearing. 
 
These changes came about based on our discussion on December 6 and some follow up contacts with staff and City Council members. I really appreciate the City making these changes to provide more opportunities for people to participate in the hearing.
 
Please let me know if you have any questions/comments.
 
Larry Toedtli, president
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

The notes from our December 6, 2022 Special Meeting related to planned permanent supportive housing at the former La Quinta Inn site are attached.
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The City's presentation packet is also attached for your reference.

The meeting notes include links to materials that were discussed. The notes also provide several options for people that want to make comments on the draft project agreements. 

At this time, the City schedule calls for a Public Hearing on the agreements on January 3, 2023; possible City Council action is scheduled for their January 17 meeting.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Larry Toedtli, president
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

Central Houghton and Lakeview Neighbors:
 
The City of Kirkland is developing a draft Permanent Supportive Housing Agreement (PSHA) between the City of Kirkland and King County and a draft Services Agreement (SA) between the County and the future operator of the designated permanent supporting housing facility at the former La Quinta Inn in Kirkland. The working draft PSHA and working draft SA were presented to the City Council at its November 15 meeting (see below links).
 
The Central Houghton Neighborhood Association is holding a Special Meeting on December 6 to allow our neighborhoods to learn more about these draft agreements. The meeting also will provide a forum for residents and businesses in the Central Houghton and Lakeview Neighborhoods to ask questions and make suggestions to address specific concerns about the facility that can be addressed in these agreements. 
 
The meeting information is:
What :   La Quinta Draft Permanent Supportive Housing Agreement and Service Agreement
When : Tuesday, December 6 (6:00 to 7:30 PM) 
Where: Kirkland City Hall City Council Chambers - 123 - 5th Avenue; Kirkland, WA
 
Jim Lopez, Deputy City Manager will give a presentation on the current draft agreements which will address some of the community concerns and questions that have been previously noted. We will allow time for community comments and questions focused on the agreements. Our comments and questions can then be considered by City staff and City Council for incorporation into the draft agreements before they are presented at a Public Hearing (tentatively scheduled for January 3, 2023). 
 
In preparing for the meeting, I strongly encourage everyone to review the November 15 City Council packet and watch the City Council Study Session presentation and discussion. The November 15 Council packet can be found here - November 15 Council Packet and the Study Session video can be accessed here - November 15 Study Session.
 
Please forward to your neighborhood lists.
 
Thank you
 
Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association.

Central Houghton Neighbors-
 
The notes from our November 8, 2022, regular meeting are provided below. 
 
A few items to note about upcoming/ongoing activities.
 

1. La Quinta Inn Permanent Supportive Housing - We are hoping to set up a special meeting with the City so our members can get an update on the project schedule and status of the City agreements with King County and the future operator of the facility. We will alert everyone on our various communication platforms when we have more information.
2. Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station Siting Environmental Scoping - King County is holding open houses and taking comments on the scoping of environmental studies for this proposed facility to replace the Houghton Transfer Station. Two Kirkland sites will be evaluated in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) - the existing transfer station site and the Houghton Park and Ride lot. More information can be found on the NERTS project website.
3. Carillon Apartment Amenity Building Public Hearing - We discussed this proposal at our October meeting. The Hearing Examiner public hearing has been rescheduled to December 1 at 9:30 am. More information on the project and hearing can be found using this link.

 
If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at centralhoughton@gmail.com.
 
Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

Central Houghton Neighbors-

The agenda for the Tuesday November 8 (7:00 pm) regular meeting of the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association (CHNA) is attached. 

Thanks to those of you that completed our short survey on the topics you want to hear more about at the meeting.
 
The meeting will be held virtually on Zoom. The Zoom link and passcode are:
 
CHNA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87695566704?pwd=QjBVWEJwVnNHdHY3YUhKV1o5OUxrZz09
 
Meeting ID: 876 9556 6704
Passcode: 620876
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,87695566704#,,,,*620876# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,87695566704#,,,,*620876# US (Houston)

• The meeting will include time to discuss the La Quinta Health Through Housing project status and City's schedule for moving forward. The City Council is planning on a study session on this topic at their November 15 meeting.
  
  

• We also will be deciding on project ideas to submit by December 2 for the 2023 Neighborhood Safety Program. We discussed some of those ideas at the CHNA October meeting and would love to get more ideas to consider.
  
  
• The other major topic on the agenda focuses on initial discussions for the role of the Central Houghton Neighborhood Association moving forward, especially after the sunsetting of the Houghton Community Council.
  
  
• EIS scoping for the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station (NERTS) kicks off today, November 3.  The County's NERTS Web Site. includes an online open house related to the EIS scoping and upcoming public comment opportunities.

 We look forward to seeing and hearing from you next Tuesday, November 8. 
Please let us know if you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future meeting topics. We can be reached at centralhoughton@gmail.com.


Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association

Central Houghton Neighborhood Association Members (CHNA)-

The notes from our October 11 meeting are attached. They include updates on several ongoing topics of interest, as well as links to associated web pages.
 
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday November 8 at 7:00 PM. It will be held via Zoom. The agenda and Zoom link will be sent out approximately a week before the meeting.

The November 8 meeting will include discussions on how CHNA can best support our community moving forward. We also will identify projects for CHNA to propose for the City's Neighborhood Safety Program and the 2023/2024 City Neighborhood Matching Grant program. 
 
Please let us know if you have any questions, comments, or ideas for topics for future meetings. You can send an email to centralhoughton@gmail.com.
 
 
Larry Toedtli, President
Central Houghton Neighborhood Association