VIDEO: More unsheltered people accepting housing and/or services, City Council committee told

With one sanctioned encampment in our area, and two areas swept nearby, you might be wondering about the city’s newest stats on its homelessness-related effort. Above is the slide deck used when city staffers briefed the City Council’s Human Services and Public Health Committee this afternoon (here’s the PDF version). It included many West Seattle datapoints, so after taking notes while monitoring the briefing via Seattle Channel, we requested the deck to share with you. (Added – here’s the video; the briefing starts at 46 minutes in.)

Of interest:

*Camp Second Chance at the Myers Way Parcels has 33 residents now, four weeks after it was officially sanctioned – that’s about twice what we were told when we visited for this story last month, and about half its ultimate current capacity.

*The Navigation Team has contacted 291 people in the past 8 weeks, and 116 accepted housing/shelter options – a higher percentage than the city had been noting previously.

*In the Spokane Street area that’s being swept this week, the team made 38 total contacts, and eight have moved to indoor shelter or authorized outdoor encampments in the past two days – others got repair assistance or other help in getting their vehicles running, and “1 person accepted entry into a longterm inpatient substance abuse treatment program.” Others who have not accepted shelter/housing did accept other services such as case management.

*The council briefing also talked about encampment-clearing protocols and about other services available, such as sharps pickup and showers (751 unsheltered people have been served by the availability of showers at Delridge Community Center, the presentation noted), as well as trash service.

Meantime, we went over to the Spokane/East Marginal area late this afternoon, and it appeared to be about three-fourths cleared.

12 Replies to "VIDEO: More unsheltered people accepting housing and/or services, City Council committee told"

  • flimflam April 12, 2017 (10:06 pm)

    unfortunately only 8 out of 38 accepted services from the Spokane st clean up…

  • A April 12, 2017 (10:46 pm)

    Can we get the navigation team to talk to the person/ people that are now pitching tents and camping at Avalon and Spokane street? I think that now that they are finally clearing the mess the city allowed underneath the bridge, the homeless are migrating towards Avalon. I witnessed a homeless guy passed out yesterday at Avalon and Genesee with a shopping cart in front of him. I then witnessed a homeless woman who was clearly high stealing the homeless man’s belongings that were in his shopping cart and scattered about around him. All this was going on while another homeless guy was watching from the bus stop across the street. Can we please offer these people the help that they clearly need? If they refuse the services/ housing offered I will be glad to chip in and buy them one way bus tickets to another city like other cities have done to us. This is beyond frustrating to live in a city that is supposed to be one of the best when it comes to protecting the environment yet we allow people to camp and throw their garbage and defecate right next to one of our greatest natural resources. I cringe when it rains and I think of the tons of trash and excrement that are being washed right into the sound. Mayor Murray please take care of this problem that you have created

    • WSB April 12, 2017 (10:58 pm)

      The Southwest Precinct has a Community Police Team officer who deals with homelessness-related issues. You can e-mail him at todd.wiebke@seattle.gov – or if someone is in a “hazard” situation (blocking sidewalk, road, bike path) you can simply report it to police in general. We noticed the tent(s) on the east side of the Avalon/Harbor/Spokane intersection this afternoon but I don’t recall whether they were actually on the path.

    • Dave April 13, 2017 (1:02 am)

      A, I noticed that tent tonight.

  • Swede. April 13, 2017 (6:06 am)

    116 of 291 and 8 of 38 accepted help! Is that normaly how low the numbers are? Anyone know why so many choose not to get help? Are there rules/regulations/laws that the homeless person need to fulfill that they can’t/won’t and that’s why is just a handful that try? 

  • Rick April 13, 2017 (8:14 am)

    Where is our 6 figure “homeless czar” in all of this?

    • WSB April 13, 2017 (8:21 am)

      He was among those briefing the council, as shown in the video. Starting at 47 minutes into the video.

  • SpaceDust April 13, 2017 (8:36 pm)

    You wonder why people live in old broken down motor homes…Look at the price of rent in Seattle. You can buy a old motor home for about 1.5 months rent.  You can buy a tent for a lot less..

    Homeless, you have no property tax, utilities and you toss your trash out the door… 

    >10% truly need some help…But the other 90% …Just want to be left alone..  

  • Liz April 13, 2017 (9:40 pm)

    *… (751 unsheltered people have been served by the availability of showers at Delridge Community Center, the presentation noted)….”    I wonder how  the 751 showers taken at Delridge CC compares with the number of showers provided by Community Centers in other parts of Seattle.

  • RS April 13, 2017 (9:47 pm)

    I would be curious to see further data on the individuals who turned down relocation services. Age, sex, reason of refusal, length of time currently spent as a displaced person, last known location of ‘stable’ living…etc.

  • Denise April 14, 2017 (7:42 am)

    The amount of garbage that I see each day is shocking. It seems like a lot is being done according to this report but it sure doesn’t feel or look like it when you drive by the numerous “camps” 

  • TT April 16, 2017 (10:29 pm)

    On Friday in Fauntleroy my neighbor noticed in the middle of the day a beat up blue Honda with a tarp covering the windows sticking far out from the curb causing cars to go Into oncoming traffic to get around.  She called 911 as she could tell someone was inside.  Sure enough  a woman was passed out behind the wheel. She appeared to be living and getting high in her car. At least she pulled over before she passed out behind the wheel.

    Tax payers need to speak up. We desperately need a change in leadership.  The mayor and council are destroying this city.  It has become really clear that they don’t have a solution beyond taking our money and letting people do whatever they want. 

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