It’s a homelessness crisis: Reduce environmental-review red tape

We have been living in an emergency declaration for homelessness for more than six years. We are left to wonder why our local response does not reflect an emergency response. Were we slow enough to respond to an earthquake? Or a flood. There are many reasons, but the Legislature must solve one: the unnecessary red tape in environmental review to locate critical shelter.

State Senator Joe Nguyen, a Democrat hailing from West Seattle, has championed the cause for several sessions. LegislationTo waive environmental review for emergency shelters such as tiny houses, modular shelters or Federal Emergency Management Agency tents. I recognize that environmental reviews are an integral part of the building process. The impact of permanent new buildings on the environment and quality of life in the surrounding area should be carefully examined. The application of these regulations to emergency shelter options for short-term homelessness is a delay in our ability to respond to the crisis quickly.

As an example, consider tiny houses. The Seattle City Council approved a budget in November 2020 to establish three tiny-house villages. My office had submitted proposals that called for a more ambitious response. This could lead to 12 additional villages. This is possible logistically. A tiny-house village takes only five to six weeks to construct, including the construction of the buildings and fencing the site and hooking up utilities such as water and electricity. These shelter options are readily accepted by those experiencing homelessness. Within weeks, Interbay, North Seattle, and the University District had created new villages that allowed the city to eliminate long-standing encampments such as those at Bitter Lake, Green Lake, and Ballard Commons. When we ran out, the removals were stopped.

I’ll be blunt: There is a difference between clearing those encampments during June or July 2021 and when they were actually cleared. This was due to tedious and unnecessary environmental review. The Department of Construction and Inspections estimates that such review can delay sheltering projects by up to six to eight month. This can be extended if the hearing examiner appeals the sufficiency. The villages would still be pending if someone had filed such an appeal last years. Tent encampments would still exist. Even without such an appeal, the five- to six-week project took almost a full year to complete.

Clearing red tape will help to eliminate encampments. The council has done everything possible to remove obstacles to addressing the crisis. Last March, I helped pass Legislation streamlining permanent supportive housing development. These reforms can reduce construction costs by up to $48,000 per unit, and can speed up construction timelines by several months. However, local reforms only go so far. The state has the authority to mandate environmental review. Only the state can waive it. All levels of red tape must be reduced.

Cutting red tape can help prevent the unacceptable delays of 2021. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority is currently predeveloping at least three new sheltering developments. These shelters will be open within a matter weeks or months depending on whether Sen. Nguyens bill is passed. To pass, the Legislature must act SB 5428so that we can truly respond in an emergency to homelessness.