The Federal Way City Council revisited a decision to delay a grant award to the Federal Way Day Center at the May 20 meeting.

The $50,000 of grant funding was originally delayed due to concerns about safety and security issues at the Day Center. The city has since seen improvements on these issues, and the council voted unanimously to issue the funding.

The Day Center is one of multiple resources offered by the Catholic Community Services at the building located at 33505 13th Place S., Suite D, Federal Way.

The city has funded the Day Center since the center’s creation through the human services department. Each year the human services department and commission review a large volume of grant applications to then provide recommendations to council.

In October 2024, the council partially approved the Human Services Commission’s recommendations for funding for 2025, holding the recommended $50,000 for the Day Center.

The council reviewed that decision three months later in January 2025, hearing directly from representatives of Catholic Community Services. Unhappy with the progress, they chose not to fund it by a vote of 6-1, but to allow them additional time to improve compliance with city codes and licenses.

Public comment has played a strong role in the discussion around benefits and issues at the Day Center, and Tuesday’s council meeting was no different, with many community members sharing their thoughts about the Day Center.

While some were opposed to funding it, and others spoke in favor of funding it, most agreed that the situation has improved in the past few months.

Most also agreed that a lack of overnight shelter worsens the issues there because those who utilize the resources there have nowhere to go when the doors close at 4 p.m. each day or on weekends.

Some described the center as a “magnet for trouble,” while others spoke to the numerous benefits it brings to the most vulnerable members of the community.

Looking ahead

During the funding discussion, council announced that Congressman Adam Smith (D-District 9) has “put in for $2.5 million to potentially move the Day Center from where it is now over to Red Lion,” Councilmember Jack Dovey said.

Dovey was referring to the former Red Lion hotel that will open later this year in the southern part of the city as an emergency overnight shelter after several years of delays. The city is hoping to move the Day Center to that location as well to co-locate the vital resources.

City leaders requested funding as one of two requests made for Congressional Discretionary Spending (CDS) funds in a trip to Washington, D.C., in March. Councilmembers were in D.C. for the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference, where they met with Smith to request the funds.

While the funding is now earmarked for the project, and Catholic Community Services wrote a letter in support of the move, there are many steps that would need to happen to make it a reality.

All involved parties need to align their priorities and vision for the project, then the marathon of permitting and design will begin, meaning the entire process is estimated to take up to three years, according to councilmembers. It was noted that all of this work could also never be realized if Sound Transit chooses a route for the Tacoma Dome Link Extension from Federal Way to Tacoma affects that location.

More information will be available soon as the route alternatives for that project are reviewed in the coming months.

On June 12, the Sound Transit System Expansion Committee may recommend a preferred alternative for the board’s consideration, according to Sound Transit’s project page. They expect board action on the preferred alternative to occur at the Sound Transit board meeting on June 26, where the board will vote to confirm, modify, and/or identify the preferred alternative.

Human Services Coordinator Layelah Wilson presented to the council and public about the Day Center’s improvements during the funding delay. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror