Overflow Town Hall Crowd Opposes New Kennewick Sex Offender Home

A standing room only crowd showed up at Highlands Middle School in Kennewick Monday night to voice opposition to a sex offender group home that is apparently going to happen. People were standing in the corners, and even stretching into the entrances, a few had to be turned away due to occupancy limits in the gym.

  Citizens Strongly Oppose Proposed Home at 8th and Edison

Recently Joe Fields, who runs Joe's Place in Walla Walla, a re-entry sex offender group home,  and state officials, announced a similar project will be located in Kennewick at 5304 West 8th.

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The home has met with stiff opposition from the Community, none of whom spoke in favor of the plan at the Monday night Town Hall at Highlands. 8th and 15th District Legislators, Officials from DSHS and the Dept of Corrections and Fields answered questions, and some asked them as well.

Fields, according to KEPR TV and members of the 8th.& Edison Street Community Safety and Awareness Group,  said numerous attempts were made to locate the project elsewhere, but those locations did not meet state criteria.  That includes having such homes where public transit is available.

DSHS Officials, who will help oversee such projects, claimed they do not have the 'final' say on this matter, but apparently did not say who does. Citizens and Officials also refuted their claims they notified the city in advance.  8th. District Legislators said they found out only after the home had been purchased.

Dept. of Corrections Brandon Duncan, head of the Department's civil commitment supervision arm, said they have the authority to shut down such projects for safety concerns, but only after offenders have been placed there.

Kennewick Officials urged citizens to reach out to the state (DSHS, Dept. of Corrections and legislators) and voice their opposition.

The 8th. Street Facebook group, who have been leading the opposition, is a grassroots community quickly assembled from concerned citizens and parents, and they handed out literature about the project including how close it is to numerous schools, parks and more. Cities and Counties are not allowed to pass ordinances or laws banning such projects in their jurisdictions.