Council Approves Purchase of Central Area Retirement Center
Purchase, Transfer of Branch Villa Step toward Keeping Facility Open  

The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously approved an effort to keep the Leon Sullivan Health Care Center, formerly the Branch Villa Health Care Center, operating in the Central Area.  

“For many African-American seniors, Branch Villa is not only home, but a community gathering place,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett, the prime sponsor of the measure. “It’s important to keep this facility healthy and strong. This is a step to ensure that this community asset will remain available.”

The council has authorized King County to purchase Branch Villa, which was facing closure due to the facility defaulting on its U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) backed mortgage. Federal law states that HUD can only negotiate foreclosure sales with government entities. The County will then immediately sell the facility in a simultaneous closing to the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), a non-profit organization that has agreed to take over operations of Branch Villa.

“This is an effort that involved the community around Branch Villa, as well as cooperation on a local, state and Federal level,” said Councilmember Carolyn Edmonds, a co-sponsor of the ordinance. “The community realized the value of keeping the center open, and they not only worked with the Council, but with the state Department of Social and Health Services and HUD to help keep Branch Villa’s residents in a familiar setting.” 

The Opportunities Industrialization Center is purchasing the property as is, and will be responsible for all of the closing cost involved in the sale. The County faces no fiscal impact in the purchase of Branch Villa, since OIC will deposit funds for the sale and related costs into an escrow account that will transfer to HUD.

“With this purchase, we not only do right by people in need, but do so at no cost to county taxpayers,” said Budget and Fiscal Management Committee Chair Larry Phillips. “The County is acting as nothing more than a conduit in the process between the Opportunities Industrialization Center and HUD to ensure that the sale takes place. Branch Villa has a long history in the Central Area and I’m gratified that the council has been able to make sure the retirement center will continue to meet the needs of its residents and the African-American Community.”  

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system at http://mkcclegisearch.metrokc.gov and type in “2003-0281”