Neighbors Concerned About Home That Would House Multiple Sex Offenders In Washington State

EDGEWOOD - Neighbors in a Pierce County community say they're frightened for their children's safety, after they learned a home on their block could be used to house several sex offenders.

Cindy Higginbottom and her neighbors are worried about who's living down the street from them.

"This has nothing to do with race, nothing to do with sexual orientation it has everything to do with the protection of our children," said Higginbottom.

Tonight, they took their fears and frustration to the Edgewood City Council. Cindy says the owner was already letting the homeless live there. Then, she says things got worse.

Neighbors became even more concerned about the living arrangements inside the house, once they learned a convicted level 3 sex offender was living there.

Larry Beaumont says he opened his home to people who needed help, charging them only a small fee for rent.

"Every person deserves a home to go to where they can at least get some sleep, normal hygiene things like anybody would do everyday," said Beaumont.

The City of Edgewood decided Beaumont was running a business without a license and ordered him to shutdown. To avoid City codes he just sold the house to another man who plans to let a lot of people buy a stake in it.

"It's going to be offered as a full sale for the first 30 days, or $50 for everyone that wants to be on the deed and he's hoping a lot of homeless individuals, that's part of the criteria you have to be homeless for 90 days he has it in there," said Beaumont.

And, Beaumont admits some of them could be sex offenders. That worries Cindy Higginbottom and her neighbors.

"The thing is that there's also 2 daycares within a half mile of this home and some of the people that are living in this home are walking past these daycares," said Higginbottom.

That's why Cindy and her neighbors wants the City to put a stop to this thing now.

"I'm hoping the City Attorney will be able to draw up some sort of a draft ordinance that would not allow any type of housing of this sort, regardless of title issues within residential areas of Edgewood," said Higginbottom.

Tonight, the Edgewood City Council only heard public comment on the issue, so no action was taken. It could be placed on the Council's agenda at their next meeting. The City Manager's Office is looking into this new living arrangement to see if it's legal.