Days Inn facility in Everett to be converted to limited-time housing for homeless

Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers announced plans Monday for the county to use American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase its first hotel to convert to bridge housing with wraparound services for unsheltered people.

In a news release, the county said that a Days Inn facility in Everett will provide 74 units of time-limited bridge housing.

Over the last year, around 120 people have been provided emergency shelter at the Days Inn location, the county said. Purchasing the site will allow it to include 24/7 on-site staffing, wraparound services, and increased help to find any off-site services that may be needed.

Last week, the county announced the Shelter & Behavioral Health Partnership Program, which will add units to house about 36 people, among other housing and behavioral health projects.

Investments from that program and the Days Inn hotel purchase will create 110 new units in 2022, a 17% increase in total capacity from 2021 when the county had 646 total year-round shelter beds.

“By increasing our bridge housing capacity, we can provide safer places for vulnerable residents, create stability to support communities’ overall health and wellbeing, and make Snohomish County an even better place to live, work, and play — for everyone,” said Somers. “We have heard the community loud and clear: Now is the time to make substantial, creative investments to increase housing supply across our county.”

“Providing shelter for those in need and significantly reducing public safety challenges related to chronic homelessness is a top priority for Everett residents,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin. “Snohomish County’s purchase of the Days Inn will provide shelter to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. This is a necessary action to making all our residents safer.”

Somers has already forwarded the purchase agreement for the hotel to the Snohomish County Council. The council will consider the proposal and take public comment on Wednesday, Aug. 17.

The county plans to purchase more properties in the coming weeks with council approval, according to the news release.

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