The City of Everett approved EvCC to lease Cedar Hall to non-students until Jan. 31, 2022. The decision was approved starting Feb. 1, 2021. EvCC submitted a proposal in December of 2020 to lease up to 127 living spaces from Cedar Hall to non-students and has been anticipating the decision.

According to Everett Community College Vice President’s Weekly Share Outs: “We have a meeting this week with an executive from the Everett Silvertips to discuss the possibility of hosting their team in housing for the upcoming hockey season, which would be a valuable partnership. Initial discussions are also being had with the Everett Aquasox for the same purpose.” Which was shared by Jennifer Rhodes, Interim Vice President of Student Services on Jan. 25, 2021.

“With regard to the Everett Silvertips, EvCC is discussing the possibility of housing some players, many of whom are college or high school students. No decisions have been made yet,” says Katherine Schiffner, Director of Public Relations for EvCC via email Feb. 4, 2021.

EvCC has closed Cedar Hall to students since Fall 2020. Looking at the Student Housing Application “Please note: Cedar Hall is temporarily unavailable for the Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 quarters. All new students will be assigned to Mountain View Hall.” Recently the application has included Spring 2021 quarter. A change that has occurred since pursuing the story.

“If EvCC decides to move forward with renting to non-students, the college will do more detailed planning, including about parking, security and the rental process,” said Schiffner via email.

EvCC reportedly lost $764,000 from housing and parking from Spring quarter 2020 due to COVID-19 and is hoping to decrease that number significantly by filling up dorms and parking spaces. Currently, there are less than 70 living spaces being rented out of the 240 total available spaces between the two buildings. As of Jan. 25, “For winter quarter, we’re at 28.3% occupancy between the two buildings, with just one Resident Assistant left in Cedar,” said Mike Bowers, Director of Housing at EvCC via email.

Since COVID-19 has stopped a large amount of travel, international students have not been coming to EvCC at rates similar to pre-pandemic levels. The dorms had been consistently full pre-pandemic. Rates during Fall quarter 2020 fell from 90% capacity or more to less than 30% capacity. Cedar Hall has remained empty and cost the college hundreds of thousands of dollars every month.

EvCC is trying everything they can to fill the dorms, and changing them to an apartment complex will open opportunities for people who are not in college or who are just out of college. It will also create the foundation for conversations with sports teams and other groups who would like to use the dorms for living space in the North Everett area during the next year.