SUNNYSIDE, Wash. — Residents of the Silverstone Lite Inn in Sunnyside are facing a challenging winter as they were left without electricity and water for more than two weeks. The power was turned off internally, not by the utility company, while tenants still occupied the motel.
Connie Solis, a tenant at the Silverstone Lite Inn for about a year, described the situation as a nightmare. “They turn off the water, turn off the hot water and then they also turn off the electricity. And that’s what made it even worse. It’s so cold right now,” she said.
Without heat or power, daily life became difficult for residents. Solis shared her struggles, stating, “My groceries, they all went to waste. They all spoiled… it’s been really harsh. It got to the point where I couldn’t take the cold anymore, and I had to sleep in my car.”
Sunnyside City Manager Jim Bridges said the city learned about the situation on Monday, even though the power had been off longer. “Apparently the power had actually been shut off on January first… it’s been eighteen days without power,” Bridges said.
Bridges explained that the city lacks a human services department, so they reached out for assistance. “The city essentially does not have a human services department. And so we have no staff available to react to this,” he said.
Sunnyside Police Department confirmed that Pacific Power did not shut off the electricity. Chief Robert Layman emphasized the police’s focus on safety and connecting residents with support. “That’s inhumane to somebody. The basic needs of clothing, shelter, food, those are the things that we’re worried about. And so we’re trying to do everything we can to make sure that they have those needs met,” Layman said.
Police noted that shutting off utilities to force tenants out is a civil issue under state law unless someone is harmed. “If somebody was injured and we could attribute it directly to the power being shut off, it could be considered reckless endangerment,” they said.
Yakima County Human Services and Camp Hope have since intervened, restoring power to the motel. However, Solis reported that water is still off, and the fear remains. “It feels like people don’t care, you know. They just don’t care about other people,” she said.
City officials stated that there are still no formal eviction proceedings filed, but tenants now face a 45-day transition period as agencies work to relocate them. Attempts to get a response from the property were declined by an employee on site.
