King County Devotes $3M to Place Tukwila Church Asylum Seekers in Nearby Hotel

by Nura Ahmed

Over the past year, some 400 people seeking asylum have sought temporary shelter at Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila. Since July, advocates have called for the asylum-seekers to have access to stable housing. For the moment, a short-term solution has been found: The King County Council has approved $3 million to house them temporarily in a hotel, according to a press release from the King County Executive's office.

The Council has retained the services of Thrive International, a local service provider, to assist people staying at the church encampment. The funds will provide up to 100 hotel rooms at the DoubleTree Sea-Tac Hotel. The most vulnerable asylum seekers will be prioritized, including pregnant people and families with children.

When people first arrived on the front doorsteps of Riverton Park, the Rev. Jan Bolerjack welcomed them. Over the autumn, the number of people staying rose from 180 people to 400 people. With resources received from the community, the church has been able to house the initial asylum seekers at the church. The majority of asylum seekers are from Angola, Congo, and Venezuela, countries they have fled due to conflict and violence.

Bolerjack says the church sometimes receives 10 to 15 people a week and hopes to get many in housing before Christmas. The church building and surrounding property are small, and asylum seekers are squeezed into any possible space inside and outside the church.

As winter approaches and low temperatures loom, Riverton Park has struggled to offer stable housing, and residents who stay on church grounds have experienced violence. While church was in session on Dec. 3, a fight broke out, and a young person was allegedly assaulted. Tukwila police are investigating the incident.

According to the press release, Tukwila Mayor Allan Ekberg expressed gratitude for the financial assistance. ​​"On behalf of our community," Ekberg said, "I want to thank King County for their partnership and coming through with much-needed funding to help transition a significant number of asylees at the Riverton Park encampment to safer housing."

📸 Featured Image: Tents are set up all around Riverton Park United Methodist Church's grounds, including in front of the main sign. (Photo by Henry Behrens, courtesy of Real Change.)