To the Editor:
I am writing to you with a broken heart, filled with grief and frustration, to address the tragic and preventable loss of Mike Jurkiewicz, a man who dedicated himself to making his home at the Waits Motel a peaceful and welcoming place. Mike was among the 14 individuals subjected to relocation, and he endured the longest wait to find suitable housing. Despite the uncertainty and instability, he never missed a single month’s rent, proving his reliability and commitment.
Motels have long been used as low-barrier housing, and for Mike, the motel was not just a place to stay. It was his home. He took pride in his surroundings.
However, the protracted process of securing proper housing overwhelmed him.
This tragedy is not an isolated incident. The strain of waiting for stable housing and the displacement from our homes has now claimed two lives. These deaths are a direct result of actions taken by the Everett City Council.
It should not take pride in the concrete slab that now stands where our homes once did. The demolition they celebrate has inflicted immeasurable trauma on an already vulnerable community. These extra hardships and suffering are not achievements to be lauded but failures to be mourned and rectified.
I implore the Everett Council to reflect on these tragedies and consider the real, human impacts. Take immediate action to provide timely, adequate and compassionate housing solutions. The lives of our community members depend on it.
Emily Simpson
Everett
