Update: Protest sleepout on Beach Drive

Most of the SHARE-organized group that is supposed to be targeting Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s Beach Drive-area neighborhood tonight is actually camping out along Beach Drive, in the parking strip in front of condos in the 3700 block of Beach Drive, across from Cormorant Cove and several blocks downhill from Rasmussen’s neighborhood (where three of them were planning to set up camp). As noted here earlier, since the group spent the night in Mayor Nickels’ North Admiral neighborhood on September 28th, it has moved on to several other councilmembers’ neighborhoods, including three nights near Councilmember Tim Burgess’s Queen Anne home; it’s lobbying for $50,000 in bus-voucher funding with no strings attached.

Jon October 12, 2009 (10:31 pm)

Ohh they are out there with a police officer sitting across the street. Do they need someone to help find Rasmussen’s house or is it where the Porta Potty is parked. And if they are targeting something or someone; they missed! Go down two more houses that guys dog always poops in my yard.

Dirk October 12, 2009 (10:42 pm)

Jon..that sucks but you sure made me laugh!!

Brian October 12, 2009 (10:43 pm)

Nobody cares about you now!!!! You are all being used by SHARE!!!

Jon October 12, 2009 (10:46 pm)

Personally I say we turn SHARE into meaning all the neighbors and locals go use the porta john they are dragging around!

Jon October 12, 2009 (10:50 pm)

Thats just ironic…The SHARE guy blogging from underneath his sleeping bag on his IPhone….

Mike October 12, 2009 (11:34 pm)

“several blocks downhill from Rasmussen’s neighborhood (where three of them were planning to set up camp)”

So they are not even around his house then, they are only harassing people that live within 3 blocks of his house. That’s classy. Weather tonight, 30mph wind gusts, rain and 40 degrees before wind chill.

just another fish in the sea October 13, 2009 (6:41 am)

Wouldn’t it be easier for them to stand downtown at the day labor lot? I have to go to work every day to earn my keep. I don’t understand why they need a hand out. We all make choices in our lives and need to live with the consequences. I went to school. I stayed up until 1 AM to get my homework done most nights after dealing with the foster kids in my home. I graduated with honors. I applied for colleges and got scholarships. I busted my ass. Now, I have a job and a place to live. When my car breaks down, I have to pay to fix it. Natural consequences. You don’t do well in school or make the right choices, then you don’t have a fun-filled life. I know I am ranting, but there it is.

Tikka October 13, 2009 (8:05 am)

What bothers me is that SHARE has $50,000 in bus tickets in this year’s budget and has used them up.

They asked for more and there’s no room in the budget. In case they missed it, it’s a tough budget.

Share is in money trouble and was offered more tickets from next year’s budget. The threat was that they would close tent city 3 and 4 if they didn’t get bus tickets. So, the city said they would advance them tickets from next year’s budget if they would keep the tent cities open until after the election.

They either couldn’t or wouldn’t do that.

Now, they are protesting scattershot against the people who were trying trying to help them.

Key word there might be “were”.

SHARE’s tactics aren’t effective and they are failing to build political or financial coalitions to actually fix problems. Quite the opposite, they are running off all the people who are natural allies ~ donations used to come from a broad array of sources.

beachdrivegirl October 13, 2009 (8:13 am)

Seriously??? they were not even outside his house. I would have been on the phone all night with the cops until the cops made them leave. That is ridiculous and needs to be stopped.

wseye October 13, 2009 (8:13 am)

SHARE is losing my support with this kind of action. Tom certainly is not a person that they should be targeting. It is one thing to get public attention to an important issue, but this is not the way to do it.

laurie October 13, 2009 (10:28 am)

SHARE gets lots of housing levy money as well. In fact many of the projects funded by the housing levy support homeless adults and not the happy little families on the signs. Say no to the levy and maybe SHARE will stop expoiting alcoholics when they have no city funds.

Tim Nuse October 13, 2009 (1:55 pm)

I was out there last night when Tom came outside with homemade soup for them. I thought it was a real classy act.

mark October 13, 2009 (3:25 pm)

S.H.A.R.E.- Stealing Homeless Empathy, Repugnant Egomaniacs

beachdrivegirl October 13, 2009 (5:18 pm)

wow that actually is a very classy act. nice work tom! :)

WSEvelyn October 13, 2009 (7:23 pm)

Okay! I just have to say something on this matter. My brother was killed by a homeless person whom he took into his place because he “felt sorry for him!”. Every time I read anything on this homeless situation I think “maybe, just MAYBE if there would have been enough of the right shelters, in the right areas, maybe my brother would still be alive”. So all comedy and smart-_ss comments aside just what are we going to do on both sides about it?”

beachdrivegirl October 14, 2009 (7:46 am)

Well I know one thing I do is actually get involved. I have been very involved with both Plymouth Housing Group & Sound Mental Health for the past two years.

WSEvelyn October 14, 2009 (11:01 am)

YAY BeachDriveGirl! I am very impressed. Wish others would mimic your actions!

beachdrivegirl October 14, 2009 (3:46 pm)

I just returned from the Plymouth Housing Group Luncheon-where the Mayor was a guest speaker. I had not realized that one of the first fundraisers for Plymouth Housing Group was held in Admiral at the Mayor’s house. He and his wife have been very involved since. I think it is unfortunate that groups like SHARE are trying to paint the Mayor as uncaring towards the homeless.

Sorry, comment time is over.