Welcome to Snohomish Hate Free
We have our differences as a community. A hate free Snohomish is our aspiration and we’re going to work for it.
Not From Snohomish?
WE ARE SMALL TOWN SNOHOMISH
THESE ARE TIMES THAT CALL FOR A DRINK!
And Snohomish can help! All throughout our history, drinking establishments have outnumbered churches downtown. The difference between then and now…now at least 30% of them are coffee houses. And the taverns? They serve meals. And our city police are really responsive.
What's New and Blog Posts
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SNOHOMISH
May 20, 2026
I went in search of what would be the first financial statement of 2026, that would be first Quarter 26. It is not yet there. We do have the 2026 yard watering schedule…the city, at the top of their game.
However, the 2025Q4 Financial Statement is out there, and I found a remarkable number. In the line item, “Behavioral Health and Housing” there is a balance of 3 million dollars. This fund is the result of the city of Snohomish implementing SHB 1406 in November, 2021, which collects a 0.1% tax rebate from the state’s sales tax collections. Rolling 5 months forward this amount can be expected to have become to $3.3 to $3.4 million…just growing there. It’s past time that Snohomish citizens start keeping an eye on this fund balance.
I raise this as an issue because it is no secret that affordable housing is an issue in the city of Snohomish as well as the county, and right under our noses is one of the major building blocks to the building of affordable housing, if invested properly, with experienced organizations.
So here are my thoughts, leaning into the Housing, which, stating the obvious, is going to be fundamental to most homelessness solutions:
Start building a real connection with our local Habitat for Humanity, Housing Hope, and Housing Authority organizations. Why Habitat? In their most recent progress publication, they reported on the successful completion of approximately 450 permanently affordable housing units in Greeley, Colorado, using the community land trust model. How did they do it? They partnered with the city of Greeley, private donors, local commercial entities, and local non-profits specializing in housing the unhoused. The very unique attribute of the community land trust model is that it allows for real homeownership, and the building of equity. It does restrict the amount of profit that the homeowner can net upon sale of the home. It also puts qualifications on prospective buyers, but affordable housing with ownership, stability, services, and community is what most families seek. Habitat has more than 200 projects worldwide. Certainly, one of those could be here in Snohomish. Do we have local high rolling developers who could contribute resources? Yes, we do! Those very same developers who gave so generously to Aaron Hoffman’s mayoral campaign might see this as a further way to support their favored official, and at the same time give back to the community that has helped make them prosperous. Looking at you, Marty Robinett.
If you want to read more, query “community land trust projects in the USA;” “How do community land trusts ensure long-term housing affordability.” This will get you started, and likely you will be provided additional queries for more in-depth information. If you think this is creeping socialism, know that it has been put to stunning capitalistic use in Irvine, California. There the Irvine Company built immense wealth for its few (emphasis on few) investors on the Irvine land grant by leasing building sites for 99 years. While they set aside some land for affordable units, most of the housing units on the old Irvine Ranch are market rate, and that rate is not lower than neighboring traditionally developed areas. Organizing as a land trust did allow the Irvine Company to comprehensively plan development, balanced against conserved open space. Irvine Ranch was planned as a cohesive whole.
Why We Love Diversity
I’ll admit this is a bit of history that is not local but is important for these reasons:
It demonstrates diversity goes back to the very earliest days of our European ancestors‘ arrival.
It documents crushing prejudice endured by, and the stunning resilience of, an oppressed group.
it provides inspiration, and a provides promise of path through and past bigotry.
Explore
Explore the community resources available for paths, trails, and tours, including scenic city walks and popular dog walks. in our last edition we showed you Panther rock, a massive erratic, at the Highway 9 north entry to town. It is part of the rock and wall art, big and small, you can find throughout town. On the diminutive side is this contribution. You can see it in town on one of our dog walks. Keep looking down…objects in the photo may look larger.
Volunteering and Local Resources
We speak a lot about volunteering in your community and the opportunities volunteering provides in civic life generally. Use the button for possibilities.
Also, for folks wanting more information on focused areas of interest I offer these suggestions:
Outinsnohomish.org is a resource for our LGBTQ+ community. They will be working on the Pride events that were, in the past, managed by HDSA. They are also on Facebook and Instagram, have an events calendar and offer volunteer opportunities.
In Facebook, look for Wil Johnson’s Facebook page. He does a great job of elevating and broadening the reach of marginalized voices…or perhaps simply voices you might not otherwise hear from. He is a longtime educator, works for Snohomish County, and his page is well worth the feed.
HDSA has a podcast called Snohomish Storytellers. You can query it on Apple Podcasts, and they have been at this for awhile. There were 25 recordings in their library on subjects of all kinds but all focused on Snohomish.
Book Corner
Books for our times and our town.
Let’s start with Lost and Forgotten, by local historian Taylor Russell. She has done a comprehensive work of research on the history of Snohomish’s first cemetary. It was a cemetery shared with the local Snohomish tribe. It’s a facinating read, and unsettling in just how quickly almost, but not quite all, residents forgot this parcel’s history.
Candace Wellman’s book pictured above Russell’s is titled Peace Weavers, Uniting the Salish Coast Through Cross-Cultural Marriages. Wellman is a historian based in Bellingham. Her documented marriages in this book and one other provide witness to new arrivals’ and local indigenous tribes’ desire to form a peaceful union of cultures, in the earliest period of settlement.
Securing Your Financial Future, by Chris Smith, was written for Smith’s sons. Smith himself was known as the youngest division financial controller in Hewlett Packard, before becoming vice president of finance for two of HP’s global business units. He assessed his two sons as not inheriting the specific useful gene of financial cautiousness. With the financial future of our country now shaky for the foreseeable future, it’s time for everyone o do a financial wellness check. But for young folks especially, this is the very best time to learn wealth is built steadily and time can be on your side.
A Woman of No Importance is a book of historical research on one of the preeminent spies in Europe during WWII. Sonia Purcell tells the story of Virginia Hall, a woman whose impact on the course and outcome of the war warrants remembering.
The New Apostolic Reformation
If you are wondering why we haven’t moved on here: Christian Nationalism remains entrenched in the White House. They support a far right political agenda which includes Project 2025, and therefore pose a threat to religious pluralism and freedom generally.
***
Christian Nationalism and the New Apostolic Reformation distinctions; and how to identify adherent churches in the wild. And what it means for you.
Join Us
Help Our Cause
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our mission.