Looking for a good place to live in Eatonville? Some residents say it's a big problem that was exposed beyond town borders with the fight over Eatonville Home Suites.

It was a cold, rainy day in January when families were kicked out of the Eatonville Home Suites because the building was not up to code. The town has granted owner and former mayor, Anthony Grant, a two-month extension to get the place in shape. However, the larger question of quality, affordable housing for the people of Eatonville remains.

“I would like to see more housing, more adequate housing developed for the residents of Eatonville," said resident Maye St. Julien. "Unfortunately, I don’t know where the resources are that could bring that.”

At a community yard sale, St. Julien stopped to talk about housing and plans for a new town square in Eatonville.

The square would be built on a mainly empty plot of land and include retail space, a sportsplex and critical housing. It all adds half a million dollars to the town’s $3.5 million tax base, along with 500 new jobs in hopes that people can afford quality housing.

But the plan needs approval from the school board before moving ahead on at least a couple of years’ worth of work. St. Julien worries that’s too long.

“The needs are much more immediate," St. Julien said. "That could be used as a measure for how to accommodate the needs, the immediate needs right now.”

Resident Belinda Giddens also questions whether people will do their part and take care of that new property.

“You can provide affordable housing for people and it can be nice, brand new," Giddens said. "But then you have a sector of the community that won’t take care of it.”

Giddens compares plans for the new development to stories she’s heard of the glory days of the Eatonville Home Suites, currently under renovation.

"People who can afford it will embrace it and treat it properly and accordingly," Gidden said. "It’s going to be a great thing. It’s going to be an awesome thing!"

The school board is expected to vote in the next month on redeveloping the land, which is near where the now closed Hungerford High School sits.