Yakima To Build Large Domestic Violence Shelter

The city of Yakima will be teaming up with several partners to build the new center.

  New $2M domestic violence shelter coming

The City of Yakima along with the Young Women's Christian Association of Yakima have entered into a contract to build a new facility that will be used as a domestic violence shelter.

The City Council, on a unanimous vote, approved the measure this week. According to The Center Square, the facility could house up to 117 persons by way of 45 emergency shelter rooms.

The City is allocating $2 million of its Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery funds towards the building, which will cost an estimated $15 to $17 million.

According to The Center Square:

"The $2 million will be paid on a reimbursement basis, according to the resolution. If the shelter is not fully funded, the money will be returned to the city and be reallocated."

Cheri Kilty, who is the Executive Director of the Young Christian Women's Association in Yakima, the city and surrounding areas has the highest rate of domestic violence cases in WA State, along with Spokane. Kilty said, citing State data, there are an estimated 3,600 DV calls in Yakima annually.

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The Center Square reports the association serves at least 14,000 women a year in the region who experience some form of DV incident. No construction date has been set, as the Christian Women's Association has, and is in the process of, applying for a variety of funding grants to help pay for the shelter.