Why is there scaffolding at this homeless shelter in Lacey? Here’s an update on Maple Court
A former Days Inn hotel in Lacey that was turned into the Maple Court enhanced homeless shelter is being repaired to address water damage, an official close to the operation said.
The shelter is in a commercial area on Quinault Drive in Lacey that is visible from Interstate 5.
Scaffolding can be seen around sides of the building, which has about 118 units, said Sharon Lee, executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), the owner and operator of the shelter.
“We were having some leaks,” said Lee, adding that when they went in search of the leak, they then found water damage that needed to be repaired. Residents have not been displaced, but they have been moved around inside the building as repairs were made to the siding and roof, she said.
The state Department of Commerce has provided money for the repairs, Lee said, although the precise amount was unclear.
Maple Court opened two years ago with a ribbon cutting and visits from a number of elected officials, including former Gov. Jay Inslee. The shelter was part of Inslee’s rights-of-way program that moved people camping along freeways and in other public areas into housing.
A 2023 Regional Housing Council report shows Maple Court played a role in helping clear six encampments in the area.
Once the water damage repairs are complete, the shelter can focus on transitioning from a shelter into permanent supportive housing. That has always been the goal for the site, according to the city of Lacey.
“The (Low Income Housing Institute) will operate the shelter 24/7 and will provide on-site case management to help residents obtain permanent housing, employment, health care, and other services,” city information reads. “The Lacey hotel will be converted over time into affordable permanent supportive housing.”
Lee said the state provided around $4 million through the state’s Apple Health and Homes Initiative to turn those shelter rooms into apartments by adding kitchenettes. Future residents will sign leases and pay rent, she said. The timeline for that transition has not been determined, Lee said.
“Of course, this means sacrificing a shelter resource to get people quickly off the streets,” she said. “Ideally, there would be both adequate shelter capacity and permanent housing in the county. Both resources are scarce and you have to start someplace.”
The Regional Housing Council has received about $1 million for the design of the permanent supportive housing, said Lacey council member Carolyn Cox, the city’s representative on the housing council.
How’s it going so far?
Since Maple Court is about to turn two, The Olympian reached out to several officials about the operation. Most expressed their support for it, but some also raised concerns about how they feel the property could be better managed.
Lacey council member Michael Steadman was the most critical, saying he 100% supported Maple Court before it opened, but once it began to decline — and he thinks it has — he would be less of a supporter. He raised concerns about people loitering in the area and those entering the shelter who are not supposed to be there.
“The rules need to be followed,” he said.
The shelter reportedly has gone through several managers, Steadman said, plus he believes it played a role in closing the Big Lots store that used to operate across the street from it.
Council member Nic Dunning said he has “high hopes” for Maple Court, although he, too, is aware of the frustrations about how the property has been managed.
He said the shelter has a low enough bar for entry to take a toll on the people who run it. Another concern: Will there be funding in the future for Maple Court?
“I’m trying to have the best attitude about it, but there are so many unknowns,” he said.
Council member Cox, who is well-informed about Maple Court because of her work on the Regional Housing Council, acknowledged there has been staff turnover, calling it a “high burnout occupation.” And when you have staff turnover, you lose institutional knowledge, she said.
Despite those challenges, she believes her fellow council members support the transition to permanent supportive housing.
“We’re learning as we go, but I’m glad it’s there,” said Cox about Maple Court. “I’m committed to the best possible solution for the community that we can make it.”
Council member Robin Vazquez expressed some concerns about how quickly Maple Court came to be, which she thinks contributed to some of its current challenges. Nevertheless, she believes the community is better off having it and that it can be a success story.
“We’re just not at the end of the story,” she said.
Community Advisory Group
When Maple Court first opened, it was announced there would be a community advisory group affiliated with it, and there is, said John Brown, program manager for the Low Income Housing Institute.
He sent an email to The Olympian, showing dozens of people who participate in a monthly Zoom meeting. They include representatives from the business community, the city of Lacey, Thurston County and Lacey Fire District 3 Chief Jennifer Schmidt.
She described the meetings as informational, typically featuring a LIHI representative who will provide updates on residency numbers or problems they might be having.
Schmidt said the presence of Maple Court has not resulted in a spike of 911 calls to the fire district — they go there 3-4 times a month — but she, too, feels it is not managed to the level of some other shelter properties.
Prior to Maple Court opening, she visited a LIHI property called Aspen Court in 2022 and came away from the visit reassured.
“At the time, it was a very impressive example of how things could be managed,” she said.
She does not feel that has materialized at Maple Court. “We have just seen a trend of less and less control over the facility,” Schmidt said.
The Maple Court Zoom meetings are open to the public, Brown said. He asks that those who want to watch the meeting send him an email at john.brown@lihi.org and he will provide a link to it.
