Report King County Council mulling pause in Broadway Crisis Care Center process

Reagan Dunn of the King County Council has proposed a 30-day pause on the acquisition of the Polyclinic building, designated for a $56 million Crisis Care Center. This decision responds to concerns raised by a coalition of Capitol Hill business owners and residents, who sent a letter to county officials alleging potential legal violations and the risk of increasing street crime. An attorney's claim in the letter indicates that the county might allocate $11. 5 million in levy funds improperly to Guntower Capital LLC. Local developers have also voiced concerns regarding the bidding process for the center's operations.

Mayor Bruce Harrell has previously shown conditional support for the center, stressing the importance of safety assessments with the Seattle Police Department and the establishment of a Good Neighbor Agreement. The levy funding, approved by voters in spring 2023, is intended to raise $1. 25 billion for mental health services and crisis care centers across the county. This ongoing debate underscores the community's apprehensions about the center's potential impact on the neighborhood. The situation reflects broader concerns about mental health services and their integration into local communities.