Controversial housing community for violent sex offenders in Tenino shuts down
TENINO, Wash. - A proposed community that would house sexually violent predators transferred off McNeil Island has shut down before it ever opened.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said five sexually violent predators would be moved into a less restrictive alternative (LRA) housing community in Tenino.
In a statement on its website, Supreme Living, the organization that would be overseeing the housing program, said:
"Supreme Living announced today that due to resources and expenses associated with land use requirements, it will not proceed with providing supportive housing services at its Tenino property.
"Supreme Living values its relationship with the Department of Social and Health Services and continues to strongly believe in the importance of providing much needed supportive services. Supreme Living appreciates the courtesy and professionalism of DSHS and Thurston County staff in connection with this matter."
The move for the LRA housing in Tenino was met with community backlash and protests. It got to the point where the Thurston County Sheriff's Office had to take to Facebook to denounce the death threats that state and Supreme Living employees were receiving from the public.
'Disgusted by the dishonesty': Tenino residents rally to stop facility from housing sex offenders
Residents are pushing back against a facility meant, to house sex offenders from McNeil Island, from coming into their neighborhood.
There are currently 131 sexually violent predators on McNeil Island.
The Department of Social and Health Services repeatedly stressed that McNeil Island is not a prison and these individuals have a right to a yearly evaluation to see if they meet the criteria to be transferred to an LRA.
An LRA community housing looks like your average home – right next door.
The one proposed in Tenino drew ire from the community because it appeared that only cattle fencing was keeping offenders in or out, and that about 35 children lived a mile from the community's proposed site.
There are 12 in Pierce County, seven in King County, Snohomish and Spokane Counties each have three, Thurston and Kitsap have two each and there’s one in Walla Walla County.
However, only four are contracted through the Department of Social and Health Services - those are in King, Pierce, Thurston and Kitsap counties.
It's unclear if Supreme Living and state officials will seek another location for a community in Tenino or nearby.
A Tenino resident, who created the initial petition to local lawmakers to stop the housing community, has created a second petition asking for state-level action on placing sexually violent predators.
