Seattle Press on Line - Sex Offender Housing to rise in South Spokane Street?

Sex Offender Housing to rise in South Spokane Street?

Aug 04, 2003 --

IS PLACING a sex offender housing facility in an industrial zone a better alternative to placing the facility near residential areas? Not necessarily, says two Metropolitan King County councilmembers.

Councilmembers Dwight Pelz and Dow Constantine last week criticized the proposal of the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to place the state’s facility to house sex offenders in an industrial zone.

Pelz and Constantine’s criticism came after they learned that the DSHS placed the 1st and South Spokane Street in the list for the Secure Community Transition Facility (SCTF), which would house sex offenders who have completed their sentence as they are slowly integrated back into society. The DSHS decided to place the SCTF in an industrial zone after receiving strong opposition to place the facility near residences.

Pelz and Constantine, in a letter to DSHS Secretary Dennis Braddock, said placing the SCTF in an industrial zone endangers more residents and visitors. The proposed facility at 1str and South Spokane Street is two miles south of downtown Seattle.

“To place the SCTF in an industrial zone does not mean that the facility is no longer a threat to the public,” Pelz said. “In fact, the proposal to place the SCTF at 1st and South Spokane Street poses a far greater risk to a far greater number of residents and visitors than any location proposed to date.”

Pelz said the proposed site is within two miles of both Safeco Field and Seahawks Stadium. It is also within a three-mile radius of:

135,000 residents
29 public schools
500 school bus stops
approximately 170 licensed daycares
three community colleges
the Seattle University, and
approximately 255,000 daily employees

“This location is within easy walking distance of West Seattle and Beacon Hill, and is very near Metro bus stops serving other nearby neighborhoods and the I-5 corridor,” Constantine added. “If a goal of this facility is to isolate these dangerous offenders from potential victims, the Spokane Street site fails the test miserably.”

Metro King County release, August 1

Reader Comments

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Charlie Mas	Sep 03, 2003	Seattle, WA	Financial Advisor
The DSHS own criteria for siting the SCTF makes the Spokane Street location a poor choice. They are required by law to site the facility to create equitable distibution. Each municipality in the County is supposed to accept their fair share of residential correctional facilities (Seattle has three), residential mental health facilities (Seattle has 12 of the 14 in King County), and Level II and Level III sex offenders, Seattle already has about 600. They are required to consider the safety above all else. An escapee from the Spokane Street location could quickly disappear. Close at hand are freight trains, buses, and the port. The next stop for many buses is the airport. An escapee could mix into the crowds at the stadia, the exhibition center, or downtown. There are also two greenbelts close at hand for those who prefer to hide in the woods. Hundreds of thousands of people flow through the industrial district every day and all of them would be put at risk. When choosing a site the DSHS is supposed to consider the proximity and number of potential risk activities and facilities. In short, the number and proximity of schools, churches, child cares, school bus stops, playgrounds, and the like. The rules, for no clear reason, do not count Metro bus stops used by schoolchildren as school bus stops. I have never noticed the child protecting features the state sees in the Metro bus stop sign. Even with this absurd rule in place, the Spokane Street site has many, many more potential risk facilities within a two mile radius than the other sites under consideration. If the DSHS uses their own rules, and actually follows them, there is no way they can choose the Spokane Street site. And if they do, the city should fight it in Court.


Jeanne Rogers	Sep 18, 2003	Gig Harbor Washington 98335
I think that all sex offenders need to stay in prison forever!!!!!!!!!!!!


C.R.	Dec 23, 2003	Seattle	Case Manager
I think we should cut if off but that isn't going to happen so what should we do with them??? They have to be in Seattle where the services are!