Georgetown residents ask King County to pause sobering center plans at public meeting

Seattle’s Georgetown residents got their first chance Tuesday night to ask questions about a sobering center that they say is being forced upon them with no input.

King County is relocating the medical clinic/sobering center from South Lake Union because that building was sold. Georgetown leaders tell KIRO 7 they will ask officials with the center to put the project on hold until residents' concerns are addressed.

“I think there's a difference between saying not in our backyard, ever,” Georgetown resident Holy Krejci told KIRO 7, “and we have a lot in our backyard and we're tired. And we need help.”

Scroll down to continue reading

More news from KIRO 7

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP

Krejci and other Georgetown business leaders and residents tell KIRO 7 no one consulted them on the decision to relocate the sobering center right across the street from Bar Ciudad.

“Our elected officials talk a lot about coordinated efforts, working with community, solving problems together,” Krejci said.  “And I don't see that as something that happened. They announced a plan hoping we would buy in.”

Construction is underway. An asbestos removal crew was there working Monday morning. There's no set date for when the sobering center would open.

To this point, neighbors haven't heard anything from city and county leaders. On Monday, a King County spokesperson told KIRO 7 they held one public meeting in December. Residents are now gearing up for their chance to ask questions Tuesday night at a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the South Seattle College Georgetown Campus.

Homeowner Ed Ball says he'll be there looking for answers.

“Called the cops probably more than 20 times in the past year,” Ball told KIRO 7.

Crime is on the rise in Georgetown. From 2017 to 2018, robberies rose 13 to 19, aggravated assaults increased from 34 to 41, and motor vehicle thefts jumped from 69 to 85.

“We're not opposed to the sobering center,” Ball said. “It's a great idea. But are these problems going to be addressed first? How are they going to work next to each other.”

Ball says the crime is forcing him and his wife to consider moving.

Residents know work on the new sobering center continues, and Tuesday night they'll be looking for specifics from King County Public Health.

“Talk to us about your traffic plan,” Krejci said.  “Where will people be dropped off, how will they get out of Georgetown? Talk to us about how you plan to work with the community when concerns come up after the center opens.”

Cox Media Group