Can any one on the city council do math? They are asking us for $20 million to build 100-bed housing for 50 men. That equals $133,333. Per bed.

Now let’s think about the ongoing cost such as staff, food and maintenance. Staff will have to be there 24/7; maybe 25 employees total with an average annual salary of $60,000 totals $1,500,00. Food at $20 a day with an average of 85 residents equals $612,000 per year. Maintenance (of course we would not ask any of the homeless to maintain the property) on an average 5 percent of construction cost will be $1,000,000, which totals an annual cost of over $3,000,000.

If you did not build it, you could give 500 homeless men $40,000 each, plus $6,000 annually. Sign me up!

John Van Duzor

Bellevue