Kent City Council approves Stay Out of Drug Areas zone

The Kent City Council unanimously adopted establishing Stay Out of Drug Areas (SODA) in three areas of town in an effort to reduce drug activity.

The council approved the measure as part of its consent calendar at its April 1 meeting. Since the council had unanimously approved the ordinance at its March 18 Committee of the Whole meeting, the measure went on the consent calendar for approval with other items considered by the council to be noncontroversial.

Many residents, however, spoke during the public comment period of the meeting. Several business owners and residents spoke in favor of the drug zones. Others, including several service providers and other residents, were against the zones.

The council listened to the testimony and later voted to approve the drug zones along with the rest of the consent calendar items without further discussion.

The zones, to become effective in May, will be established downtown, along a portion of West Meeker Street and on the East Hill along 104th Avenue SE/SE 240th Street.

A city of Kent Municipal Court judge could ban a person charged or convicted of drug offenses from certain zone known for drug activity. Exceptions could be made if the person lives or works in the area.

“It’s a tool to assist law enforcement and decrease unlawful activity,” said Sara Watson, city of Kent chief prosecuting attorney, in a March 18 report to the council. “It gives the court the ability to order defendants to stay out of the zone.”

Violation of the Stay Out of Drug Areas order will be a gross misdemeanor subject to a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and/or a $5,000 fine under city code. A person found in violation of this order is subject to arrest.

Watson said the law is similar in concept to the city code’s existing Stay Out of Areas of Racing (SOAR) and Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (SOAP) provisions and that keeping individuals known to engage in unlawful drug activity out of these concentrated areas will help decrease the amount of unlawful activity that occurs there.

Letter opposes ordinance

Nine organizations sent a letter (email) opposing the drug zones to the Kent Reporter that they also sent to the council and Mayor Dana Ralph.

“The city of Kent is experiencing a high rate of substance use, overdose, and unsheltered homelessness, and community leaders all agree that we must take action to address these issues,” according to the letter. “However, implementing harmful policies like SODAs is not an effective option. The city should listen to the expertise of service providers, and reject the proposed Stay Out of Drug Area (SODA) zones. Instead, city leaders should continue to move forward with investments in strategies that work – improving access to treatment for opioid use disorder, mental health resources, and shelter and housing that give people the stability they need to get healthy.”

The group continued a similar message later in the letter.

“Overdose is preventable, and people recover from substance use disorders, but SODA zones and incarceration will not help,” according to the letter. “Our community must implement other proven solutions to keep everyone safe and healthy. Our city should create more housing and shelter to bring people inside, and more treatment for substance use and mental health.”

The letter was signed by representatives of Evergreen Treatment Services REACH; Peer Kent; Neighborhood House; Purpose. Dignity. Action.; Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence; VOCAL-WA; Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness; Lavender Rights Project; and Strippers Are Workers.