FORKS — The Clallam County Shelter Providers Network will dedicate the new Burke Place Apartments for chronically mentally ill residents of Forks on Wednesday.
The group also will convene that day to discuss issues related to ending homelessness in Clallam County.
The 11 a.m. dedication ceremony and the 1 p.m. Shelter Providers meeting both will be at Burke Place, 287 Founders Way, across from Forks Community Hospital at 530 Bogachiel Way.
Burke Place is a 14-unit, federal Housing and Urban Development project, built in partnership with the Housing Authority of Clallam County, Serenity House and Forks Community Hospital.
Construction on the apartments began in May 2009.
Independent living
The independent living neighborhood is reserved for local people who are chronically mentally ill or who have been homeless because of chronic mental illness.
At the Shelter Providers meeting, Patty Busse, local administrator of the state Department of Social and Health Services, will provide information on “Disability Lifeline,” a new state program replacing what was known as general assistance and unemployable welfare.
Rob Van Tassel of the Catholic Archdiocese Housing Authority will present a vision for redeveloping The Homestead to increase low-income housing capacity in Forks.
Cheri Fleck of West End Outreach Services will announce a new Washington Families Fund grant for another 10-unit low-income housing project in Forks.
Bill Plumley, case manager at the West End Housing Resource Center, also will speak at the meeting.
He will discuss the practices used in Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks for housing, which he said are nationally recognized along with Alameda, Calif., and New York.
The Shelter Providers agenda also includes recaps of the recent Voices for Veterans West End Stand Down and the Washington State Coalition for the Homeless Conference in Spokane.
People from central and east Clallam County who plan to attend can ride Clallam Transit System’s Route 14 bus, leaving downtown Port Angeles at 9:30 a.m. and returning to Port Angeles at 4:25 p.m., using the transit’s $2 day pass.
For more information, phone 360-452-7224.
