2024/07/24 Council Agenda Packet

From: Jose Villalaz <j_villalaz@hotmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2024 3:42 PM To: DL‐Council Subject: [EXTERNAL] Buffer Zone updates (Compass Health) Attachments: 1000003740.jpg; 1000003429.jpg; 1000002495.jpg; 1000003707.jpg; 1000002497.jpg CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Greetings Everett City council, I wanted to give you an update on the current buffer zone in our neighborhood surrounding Compass Health. Since the zone went into effect a few months ago, we have seen improvements across from Compass Health. There are more police patrols, also more parking enforcement from Lombard avenue, 33rd street, and 34th street. Also, Compass Health does have 24/7 security on their campus. The street level issues have improved. However, this situation is on a daily basis changes. I've included some pictures of what I see across the street from Compass Health. One issue we deal with is cars and or vehicles of the unhoused who setup on the streets, thus creating a situation we're many people congregate through the day and night. Also, people who just have nowhere to go, so they will just stay on Lombard avenue, 33rd street and 34th street, the alleys. They just stay on the sidewalk, and or alleys and in front of our homes. Again, for us who live here we must keep a constant eye out for safety issues. Another safety issue that must be addressed is Andys place. They can always have visitors, day and night. At night is where we see many people hanging out on 33rd street, Lombard avenue and 34th street. Since they have nowhere else to go, they stay on the sidewalk and or streets. This becomes a safety issue and a noise issue for such a late time. For us residents who live here, we must work, so it's inconvenient to have so many visitors at those late hours be outside our homes. We can hear the noises that many of the visitors make. And of course not all visitors to Andys place respect our neighborhood and leave trash behind. We would welcome that Andys place have visitors businesses hours to be a better situation for this neighborhood. Already, North Star apartments, which Compass Health owns has business hours for their residents. We would like to see something similar. Security at Compass Health could improve. During the day, we see 2‐3 security guards in place. At night, only 1 security guard is in place and sometimes not visible. On the weekends people will come onto the Compass Health campus and go around the parking lot and side of NorthStar apartments and stay there through the day. Security does not seem to push them along to go. So, they stay and create issues for the residents. I know that these issues might seem small. However, I can give you a front‐line report from the front lines of this neighborhood. This neighborhood is quickly changing from a renter to a homeowners neighborhood. One by one another home that was a rental becomes a homeowner home. As time goes on, this neighborhood will once again gentrify and become homeowners. And with that as you're aware, we homeowners have a vested interest in living in the city. We expect safety and security to be a part of living here. And we will bring up these issues to the city council and mayors office. We want our elected officials to know that we care for our families, neighborhood, etc. Going forward, we will continue to hold Compass Health accountable for the security of their campus. Also, going forward, we will continue to ask the city of Everett to keep this buffer zone in place. Safety, Security, and Accountability, Thank you,