A note from Lisa, Co-Founder & Director of Programs, regarding the Everspring Evictions:
Maybe some of you have been privy to Aurora Commons on the ground advocacy work with and for the tenants of Everspring motel over the last two weeks? If you are not aware - then I want to encourage you to click on the links below to catch up. But - most importantly - we want to share this with you because this work is absolutely an extension of YOU, of all of us. And we are grateful for your continued support and advocacy.
Here are a few news stories that amplified the stories of our people and brought to light the reality of the illegal eviction activities that went down and are continuing to unfold at Everspring.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/mass-mid-pandemic-eviction-creates-chaos-at-a-seattle-motel-thats-a-refuge-for-homeless-populations/
https://crosscut.com/news/2020/08/motel-eviction-exposes-gaps-seattles-low-income-housing-options
https://thecisforcrank.com/
Now, to offer you the update that I have shared with neighbors, partner agencies and our board:
The whole Everspring situation has been very confusing and disheartening on all fronts. First, I want to assure you, that we (Public Defender Association/PDA, Commons, etc...) do not want the Everspring to remain open, nor do the tenants. We just want to assure that 50 people are not all the sudden displaced in our already over-populated area of displaced people. Originally, our main concerns were:
1.) Is this even legal?
2.) If it is, has due diligence been done (courts, process, support etc)?
The answer to these questions, we found, were no.
Even more problematic was the fact that no one (Human Services, SPD, Fire Department, SDCI) seemed to know what was going on or be in communication with one another, let alone us at Aurora Commons. The tenants, the Everspring - everyone was just turning their backs. So, now - we are working to try and get relocation assistance so that the 15+ individuals still there, and the 20ish that left out of fear are supported and not displaced. This is proving to be challenging. We have been greasing the wheel for a number of weeks now with very slow traction.
As far as offering some kind of case mgmt and referrals, LEAD, NAV team and Aurora Commons have been on the ground and will continue to be there trying to relocate folks.
We have been in contact with SDCI but they are saying that relocation assistance isn’t available for this situation for technical reasons about the cause of the impending homelessness. I am flabbergasted by this, as many of the Tenants have lived there for 2-4 years and were illegally evicted during an Eviction Moratorium. This currently is our #1 pressure point, the relocation support, then, and I feel like- only then- will we be able to get folks out, safe and then finally the owner can legally close and shutter the "Nuisance" that is the Everspring.
Additionally, PDA, myself (Aurora Commons) and LEAD are in constant contact with tenants who are not being allowed back into the Everspring, even though, the owner and his attorney said they would allow Tenants who have stayed there more than 14+ days back in to pay rent/and or retrieve belongings until the Eviction notice has gone through the proper channels. We are also providing additional rental assistance for tenants that are willing to go to another motel while we continue to push for a moral long term solution.