Shelter Reimagined Community Engagement

Community Engagement

From the first press release nearly five years ago to today, PorchLight (formerly Congregations for the Homeless) has openly publicized our plans to build a permanent center for men experiencing homelessness. Below is the timeline of these activities.

December 2018

Through a Press Release and Media Event, CFH announced the preferred site in Eastgate, which generated press coverage.

January 2019 - June 2019

Further press coverage, though primarily focused on the Lincoln Center Retrofit, often incorporated discussions/references to the proposed permanent shelter location. We also continued communication with adjacent/nearby neighbors by meeting with neighboring businesses, walking the neighborhood with local representative(s), and providing collateral materials and offering to meet as needed.

September 2019 - November 2019

CFH issued a press release announcing plans for the Eastgate Campus, which includes Inland and Horizon Housing Alliance. Eastgate Campus representatives met with City of Bellevue Council members. CFH, Inland and Horizon held a community meeting for local businesses and Eastgate area residents where we shared the current status of the Eastgate Campus Plan.

January 2020 - March 2020

CFH formed a Community Advisory Group consisting of adjacent neighborhood & business representatives. We held six meetings, covering a variety of topics including our services model and our partners in this project.

CFH collaborated with Bellevue Public Safety staff and City Code enforcement, and held one-on-one meetings held with adjacent businesses, councilmembers, and community members.

We provided a range of written and verbal updates to other stakeholders, including Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, St. Louise Catholic Church, CFH volunteers, City staff, and the Wilburton neighborhood.

March 2020 - May 2020

Our community engagement activities were effectively put on hold due to the Covid-19 crisis response needed. CFH periodically communicated with the Advisory Group, including sharing information about the City Council’s action being taken on the affordable housing parking standards and helping to coordinate a discussion between King County Councilmember Balducci and the Advisory Committee members regarding the Eastgate COVID response tents.

June 2020 - March 2021

We held 11 Community Advisory Group meetings virtually and covered many topics, including an introduction to Plymouth Housing Group and Permanent Supportive Housing plans, and our plans for design.

We provided a range of written and verbal updates to multiple stakeholders, including City staff and City and County Councilmembers, Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, and Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council.

Inland Group submitted a master development permit application, triggering the first formal public meeting. Neighborhood area residents posted notices of the public meeting on social media platforms such as Nextdoor and the Eastgate Community Association Facebook page.

The Eastgate Community Association newsletters also shared information about the entire campus with their members.

CFH submitted our preapplication package, triggering the City’s need to begin formation of the formal Good Neighbor Agreement Advisory Council.

CFH formally submitted its Process I Conditional Use Permit application to permanently locate a homeless shelter at 13620 SE Eastgate Way. The City of Bellevue hosted community meetings on November 5, 2020 and February 4, 2021 to provide an open dialogue between the applicant, the operator, and the surrounding property owners. The city's notice of application (January 21, 2021 Weekly Permit Bulletin) offered details about the project.

Summer - Fall 2021

The Good Neighbor Agreement Advisory Committee met five times between May and September 2021. Each meeting addressed a specific purpose: to build community agreements; review the design; and review the operations of the shelter The final Good Neighbor Agreement was presented to the Development Director in September. On Oct. 21, 2021, the Development Services Department completed its review of CFH's Conditional Use Application, issued a Notice of Recommendation and held a virtual public hearing on Nov. 4, 2021. A total of 32 written and oral comments were provided to the hearing, 100% in support. On Nov. 19, 2021, the Hearing Examiner rendered a final decision for CFH's Conditional Use Permit. Read the Hearing Examiner's Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Decision. In November, CFH issued a press release announcing two recent $1 million gifts to its capital campaign for the project.

Winter 2022

CFH begins nationwide search for artists to complete the 3000 square foot mural on the public-facing exterior wall.

CFH restarts its Community Advisory Group by scheduling monthly meetings.

February, 2023

CFH hosted its final pre-occupancy community forum on February 28, 2023. Hosted by Seattle Humane, a combination of speakers from the City of Bellevue, the Bellevue first responders, and CFH staff provided final updates on the construction and operational plans for the new site. A condensed version of the presentation from the forum is linked here, called “Forum PWPT.”

CFH also fielded questions from the community, the answers to which have been transcribed in the “Q&A” above, covering topics from safety and crime to the various types of programs offered to clients. Among the speakers were Nico Quijano, the City of Bellevue’s Homelessness Outreach Program Manager, and Captain Rob Spingler of BPD. Further contact information for various City and CFH employees can be found in the attached documents.

Most attendees were representatives of neighboring businesses and residents within a one-mile radius of the new Eastgate site. Thanks to everyone who attended both in person and online, the continued engagement of the Bellevue Community guides and sustains CFH’s efforts, and has been instrumental in the design and construction of this new shelter.

June, 2023

Staff and Shelter guests move from Lincoln Center to our new, permanent home at 13668 SE Eastgate Way.

Our Community Advisory Group continues to meet regularly.