To the Editor,

The recent article on Island Center Homes (ICH) in the Beachcomber presents a narrative that is incomplete to the point of being misleading at several points.

The situation regarding the pending eviction described was not simply an administrative dispute or disagreement over staffing or policy. Vashon HouseHold has been responding to serious and dangerous behavior at ICH that poses real risks to residents, staff, and the broader community.

The reporter was given this critical context on deep background and referred to the King County Sheriff's Office, the Lutheran Church, and an ICH resident family member to collaborate accounts - while VHH is ethically and legally prohibited from publicly disclosing those details. Publishing an article that presents only one side of a situation, knowing the other side cannot be responsibly shared, creates a false record.

The article also advances an inaccurate central premise — that ICH lacks adequate on-site support services. Through multiple on and off-island partnerships, social worker support both extant and expanding, community resource navigation, and referral pathways, residents at ICH who move in still needing additional services are connected. The article calls for a remedy that has already been implemented.

Further context and accuracy was also called for. A quote attributed to Amy Drayer, seemingly as a community member at large, actually references a 2022 Beachcomber article that she wrote as a freelance reporter, at a time when she had no affiliation with Vashon Household. That distinction matters. Presenting prior reporting as organizational intent, without that context, misleads readers about both authorship and accountability.

Taken together, these omissions and inaccuracies distort the reality of the situation. The article creates consequences for resident safety, staff morale, public trust, and nonprofit operations. Accuracy and context in this situation are not optional — especially in a small community where reputational harm is amplified and long-lasting.

Given the seriousness of the issue and its real-world consequences, a more complete and carefully contextualized account was warranted.

Board of Directors, Vashon Household

Anne Atwell, Chair

Beth DeGroen

Bob Horsley

Hilary Limont

Devon DeLapp

Glynis Delargy

David Van Holde

Karin Nelson

Andrew Shuman

Tom Miller

Art Chippendale