A local center providing services for the homeless in Everett, Washington, is facing closure due to a zoning violation. City officials say the Hope 'N Wellness Center violates a 2018 ordinance aimed at revitalizing downtown Everett.
A zoning battle in Everett is forcing a local center for those experiencing homelessness to face the threat of closure. City officials say the Hope 'N Wellness Center is violating a 2018 ordinance aimed at revitalizing downtown Everett , leaving the center with just weeks before it could be forced to shut its doors.The controversy centers on a provision in Everett ’s 'Downtown Plan,' which prohibits social services on ground floors within the downtown metro area.
The plan, designed to encourage a lively and visually appealing downtown core, has left the center, located off Rucker and Wall streets, in violation of zoning rules.Nestled near the courthouse, library, and bus stops, Hope 'N Wellness has been a sanctuary for Everett’s unhoused population. Opened five years ago by Jasmine Donahue, a formerly unhoused individual herself, the center provides meals, hygiene services, and a sense of community.'It’s a good place,' said Eric, a regular at the center. 'People come and get warm, hang out, and drink coffee.'Donahue says the center operates on the simple principle of caring for individuals, one person at a time. Initially open three days a week, the center has reduced its operations to Wednesdays due to the growing uncertainty of its future.Hope 'N Wellness began in the very space of a coffee shop that had closed down, thanks to the vision of its owner, who didn’t want the space to sit empty. Donahue saw it as a chance to turn the vacant space into something meaningful—a place that offered basic needs, emotional support, and care.'I was thinking, if I was here and this space was available, why not just a little community checking in with people? How are you doing?' Donahue said.Hope 'N Wellness is a 'zero-barrier' space, meaning that it is open to anyone, no matter their circumstances. Whether someone has recently found housing or is still living unsheltered, they can come in for hygiene products, food, warmth, or simply a place to si
Homelessness Zoning Everett Washington Community Services
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