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West Richland Today
By the People, for the People
Pasco Blocks New Sex Offender Homes, For Now
City council approves six-month moratorium to develop permanent regulations
Published on Feb. 22, 2026
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The Pasco City Council has approved a six-month moratorium on any new applications for transitional housing projects for convicted sex offenders, also known as secure community transition facilities. The move is intended to give the city time to develop permanent regulations on the placement of these facilities within the community.
Why it matters
The issue of where to locate housing for convicted sex offenders is a contentious one, with concerns from residents about public safety and the potential impact on neighborhoods. Pasco's temporary moratorium allows the city to gather public input and explore legal options for regulating these facilities.
The details
Pasco City Manager Harold Stewart told the council that the city's current ordinances do not have any process or requirements for the location of these transitional housing facilities. The six-month moratorium will allow the city to develop a permanent ordinance, potentially modeled after West Richland's policy of only allowing the facilities in light industrial areas.
- On February 18, 2026, the Pasco City Council unanimously approved the six-month moratorium.
- Within the next six months, the city will develop a permanent ordinance for the council to consider.
The players
Pasco City Council
The governing body of the city of Pasco, Washington that approved the temporary moratorium on new transitional housing projects for sex offenders.
Harold Stewart
The Pasco City Manager who informed the council that the city's current ordinances do not address the placement of these transitional housing facilities.
Mark Figueroa
A Pasco City Councilmember who stated the moratorium will give the city time to be 'responsible' and 'proactive' in developing regulations.
Charles Grimm
The Mayor of Pasco who noted that residents on the 'other side of the river' in neighboring cities have voiced concerns, and he expects Pasco citizens would also want to provide input.
What they’re saying
“This buys us time to allow for public input and explore options and alternatives that we can legally pursue.”
— Harold Stewart, Pasco City Manager (tri-cityherald.com)
“I think this gives city staff a good (amount of) time to put something in place that is responsible. On this topic, I think we want to be proactive and not reactive.”
— Mark Figueroa, Pasco City Councilmember (tri-cityherald.com)
“Seeing the citizen input there on the other side of the river, I imagine our citizens would want to speak up also.”
— Charles Grimm, Mayor of Pasco (tri-cityherald.com)
What’s next
Within the next six months, the Pasco City Council will consider a permanent ordinance regulating the placement of transitional housing facilities for convicted sex offenders.
The takeaway
Pasco's temporary moratorium on new sex offender housing projects allows the city to gather public input and develop responsible regulations, rather than reacting to proposals in a piecemeal fashion. This proactive approach aims to balance public safety concerns with legal requirements around the placement of these facilities.
