King County taxpayers paying roughly $330k a month for empty hotel in Renton

RENTON, Wash. — Renton’s Pink Lion Lodge, which as soon as housed tons of of individuals in want, now sits empty and deserted.

Homeless folks residing there throughout the pandemic have been relocated to a different shelter over a 12 months in the past, however the county’s property lease by no means ended.

Seems, King County taxpayers are nonetheless on the hook.

In line with King County Govt Dow Constantine’s workplace, the county continues to pay property house owners a flat month-to-month price of $330,750.

In line with Constantine’s spokesperson Chase Gallagher, all utility prices are included, amongst them heating and electrical energy.

In its heyday, the Pink Lion boasted neatly made beds, loads of occasion area, and even eating places. Then throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a fence went up and it turned a shelter for greater than two-hundred homeless folks.

In November 2020, the lodge went up in flames, and Renton Police arrested somebody for arson.

Six months after that, Renton’s mayor and Govt Constantine introduced the residents can be relocated. They deliberate to spend $28.6 million in taxpayer {dollars} on the Prolonged Keep Lodge 5 minutes down the highway.

Barb Denning works throughout from the South Grady Approach property and contacted KIRO 7 after noticing the lights have been nonetheless on.

“They simply left the facility on and all of the damaged home windows, and is the warmth nonetheless on, too?” requested Denning. “My energy invoice was $400 {dollars} a month. How a lot is that energy invoice?”

In line with Gallagher, all utilities are included in that flat month-to-month price.

“Because the facility remains to be being leased by the county, the Services Administration Division has safety patrols and has been putting in plywood to cowl home windows to stop any additional harm or vandalism,” stated Gallagher.

He additionally says the county is at present negotiating with the property proprietor to repair damages and make wanted repairs. The county is hoping to be out of the lease inside the subsequent month or two.

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