To the Editor:
With amusement and disgust, I read the front-page heading of the Herald May 3: “Snohomish County, 7 local governments, sue White House”. Paragraph two, referring to new funding for 2025, opens with: “The complaint alleges the administration added unlawful conditions for public transit and homelessness assistance funding.”
I wonder what the White House, or HUD, would think if they knew Snohomish County mismanaged federal ARPA funds, overpromising then “running out of” said funds, covering it up, lying about it, and cheating certain HUD Voucher holders out of money the County had legally obligated to pay to their landlords, in writing.
Mr. Somers, his second-in-command, and the County Community Advocate did nothing but refer this victim back to the offending party (perhaps by proxy): VOAWW, whose person responsible for ARPA funding disbursements ghosted me. Several nonprofit managers know but say they fear being retaliated against by having future funding cut by the County. HASCO knows and considers it not something it can help tenants with as an intermediary. Northwest Justice/SnoCo Legal, a heroic duo that works miracles everyday, knows about this and commiserates but is not allowed to take action against any entity, only defend from.
The latest is that my landlord’s property manager included my move-in costs, approved by HASCO, promised by VOAWW, totaling nearly $6,000, in a 14-Day Pay or Vacate Notice.
I’m not alone. There are others. And I hope they will let themselves be known by contacting the editor of whatever paper you are reading this in.
Linda Kenny
Snohomish
