Highland Park ‘safe lot’ for vehicle residents: What Councilmember Herbold told, and heard from, Delridge Neighborhoods District Council

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

For the first time since the mayor’s announcement of a “safe lot” in Highland Park for people living in their RVs and cars, a community organization talked about it tonight with District 1 City Councilmember Lisa Herbold.

She arrived at the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council‘s regularly scheduled meeting just in time for a discussion of the issue – a late add to the DNDC agenda, given that news of the plan for “safe lots” here and in Ballard was just announced Tuesday afternoon.

The City Council meets tomorrow (3:30 pm Thursday) to vote on the mayor’s emergency order paving the way for the lots, as well as three emergency sites (none in West Seattle). Introducing Herbold, DNDC chair Mat McBride said he understood the site would host 20 to 25 RVs. He also noted that Department of Neighborhoods director Kathy Nyland was on hand too. Herbold said she had asked for someone from the city Human Services Department to attend and was disappointed that no one was available.

Herbold said she “(felt) uncomfortable making a presentation on behalf of the executive (mayor)” because there still wasn’t much information on this sudden proposal. She said she didn’t initially realize the mayor’s office was talking about the lot adjacent to the former encampment site in Highland Park (at West Marginal Way SW and Highland Park Way). She thought the plan sounded at first as if RVs that have been at the heart of an uproar in Magnolia were going to be moved here . “I’m interested in serving the community of folks who are already here” – meaning RV campers around West Seattle and South Park – “and getting THEM services. So that was one of the first things I asked.” She said the mayor’s order is “just a shell” and there’s a lot she wants to see worked out “so the nuts and bolts can be worked out in that 30-day period” (before the lot opens).

Tomorrow’s council vote is not required for the mayor’s order to take effect, she says, but “by voting on it, we have a chance to amend it.” She is hoping to see some language written into it regarding restroom access and other key things the people who use the lot will need.

A representative of Highland Park Improvement Club – directly up the hill from the site – wondered about the location given the unreliability, as she put it, of the Route 131 bus, and how people at the lot would be able to use it to get to water and food. Herbold said she expressed an interest in a route change toward that goal.

McBride said he would like to see from the city, “if we are going to host this – and I’m not saying I’m opposed – I would like the city to double down on the amount of services it’s providing; we’re talking about an area that historically has been underserved, and we need to correct that, particularly if we’re inviting a group of people who themselves are underserved … I would like the city to really acknowledge the fact that yes, yes, we’re doing this, and in doing this, we’re also going to do the following.”

One attendee said she is concerned that this lot will only serve people coming to the area and various unauthorized parking areas will remain around West Seattle.

Herbold acknowledged that and said there are other concerns such as what happens to people who are living in vehicles that are unmovable. Towing might not be a solution, but “that doesn’t mean we can’t be strategic about (things).” She mentioned the “public health approach” that she exhorted in the newsletter she sent around yesterday (linked toward the end of our Tuesday coverage).

Michael Taylor-Judd from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council said some community groups in WS are already “prepared to support this.” He said it is also challenging because the mayor’s office hasn’t finalized some things yet and hasn’t released details. “This isn’t going to solve the problem” given the numbers, so there will still be vehicle campers around the area. He thinks the lot’s likely to be able to host 20 at most. He mentioned that it’s different from when the unsanctioned encampment was there and on the land, not on the paved area as this will be. “This is going to be a very different situation with a contracted provider.”

Discussion ensued including what it takes to get roofs over the heads of those experiencing homelessness; Herbold mentioned that the “Housing First model is of course the ideal but it takes a lot more money and a lot more time, but “many different planning processes are focused on adding housing around the city for people from (those without shelter) to the ‘working poor’.”

Amanda Kay Helmick of the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council said, “Homelessness – people living in RVs, in the parks – is nothing new in West Seattle, and we’ve had nothing to address that. I’d like to see something addressing the core reasons for homelessness, not just a band-aid. … We’re looking at drugs, people doing them, people selling them, people prostituting themselves to get money for them … and until we come to an agreement that this is the problem,” nothing’s going to be solved.

Pete Spalding from Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council said he hopes the city has a plan for how to handle it if people with tents show up and try to re-establish an encampment next to the RV lot.

Carolyn Stauffer from the Highland Park Action Committee said she will be stepping down and expressed anxiety over having to deal with this again. It’ll be on the agenda at HPAC’s regularly scheduled meeting next Wednesday. “I am worried about neighborhood equity, and if the map that came out for available encampments, has that been looked at, and I’d like to know if other sites were considered.” She was voicing neither support or opposition, but wanted to be sure there are things that make it “viable and sustainable.”

Herbold responded that she wants to be clear on what neighbors want to see as well as what will be spelled out in the city contract with the organization is going to manage this. “I’d like the city to manage this, not a nonprofit,” said Stauffer. “And since we’re going to get this, can we be taken off the list for the future [tent] encampment?”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s council meeting, Herbold noted that the mayor’s resolution and attachment are most notable for “what they don’t say than what they do say.” In the meantime, she said that vehicle campers would be asked to move to the three interim sites that were identified – nearest one is in SODO – and then to the lots when they’re ready. “The question is, who are we asking to move? This came about when we were looking to solve a problem for Magnolia, and I want to make sure we are using this as a resource to address the needs of people in our [West Seattle/South Park] community.”

One attendee said he was concerned that goals wouldn’t be set for an end to the lots, which Herbold said were apparently supposed to be open for 6 months to a year. But, even if the first dwellers find housing and move on, she wondered, is the idea to move the resource to another area, “because we’re not going to get to the end in six months.”

A rep from West Seattle Bike Connections said there should ideally be a citywide template for how to deal with people who are stuck in situations like this and unable to move on to more permanent solutions.

Willard Brown from Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association said he’s glad the City Council is meeting tomorrow but he’s discouraged that it doesn’t seem likely any change will be made to the mayor’s emergency plan. He thought that a community dialogue about responding to homelessness in the community would be appropriate – because it might touch so many of us in the future, if not now.

Herbold said if the community is interested in a broader discussion of homelessness and its causes, she’s definitely interested in facilitating. She notes that the Westside Interfaith Network is one of the organizations that’s been helping people. She said that she’ll be working with Councilmember Sally Bagshaw whose committee is point on this issue, because Herbold has a longtime interest in it.

HPIC’s Kay Kirkpatrick noted that her volunteer-driven group has worked on improving its working-class neighborhood – “we’re doing it all ourselves, and (they fear that) this disrespectful disregard to our three years of kind of hosting (the previous encampment) is going to smash down on the spirit of our neighborhood – which we rely on because we have nobody else but ourselves.”

As the conversation was concluding, chair McBride said he received e-mail offering Mayor Murray and a “star-studded cast” of other city leaders for next month’s DNDC meeting. He and DNDC members instead decided they want the mayor and others to go to Highland Park Action Committee’s meeting next Wednesday instead, as this is already on the agenda and theirs is the area most directly affected. That request will be conveyed by Nyland to the mayor’s office tomorrow.

CITIZENS FOR OFF-LEASH AREAS: This relatively brief update was a followup to what DNDC discussed at its last meeting, and COLA chair Ellen Escarcega said coverage of that inspired her group to ask for some time this month. It’s all a lead-up to the Seattle Parks strategic plan for “people, dogs and parks,” due out sometime soon but delayed from the timetable discussed by a Parks rep at DNDC two months ago. The nonprofit is in its 20th year and has an agreement with the city to manage its dog parks, which began opening in 1997. They’ve gone only from 19 to 25 acres total in the city since then.

Escarcega declared, “All we’ve done is advocate for more legal places to take your dog offleash; we’re not trying to take over the parks,” or any other goals. She said that our city is “100 acres behind the average” of other West Coast cities – Vancouver, for example, has more than 160 acres. “COLA’s been trying to say that 25 acres is causing a problem in Seattle.” Dogs need exercise, she says. She says one city, for example, allows dogs off-leash in the late-night hours and that has led to a lower crime rate in the parks. She says the city has had no budget for off-leash parks for the past 18 years, and they have provided materials and labor to maintain trails, etc., in that time. “We’re trying very hard to speak for dog owners … in the survey that Parks did, nearly 3/4 of the dog owners had medium to large dogs, and a huge number was active breeds,” plus many of the dogs were age 5 or less. One of the biggest responses was from West Seattle. She said they don’t know yet what the city is recommending – “we don’t know what’s going to happen.” But they’re hoping to hear by the end of this month.

(added, 11:11 pm) WHAT’S COMING UP: West Seattle Transportation Coalition meets at The Kenney (WSB sponsor) on January 28th; “if you want light rail to come here, attend this meeting” (as previewed here), 6:30 pm … Gathering of Neighbors will be presented by VIEWS, 9 am-1 pm on March 12th at Youngstown, with an in-depth conversation about homelessness part of the agenda, including the panel that appeared at this month’s 34th District Democrats meeting (WSB coverage here) … DNDA’s “Destination Delridge” benefit is coming up February 16th … Southwest Youth and Family Services is having a 5-7 pm event at its headquarters on February 4th … The “load test” at T-5 coming up this Friday was mentioned … Neighbor Appreciation Day is coming up February 13th, announced neighborhood district coordinator Kerry Wade from the Department of Neighborhoods. Also coming up, February 8th deadline to apply for Neighborhood Park and Street Fund projects. “If you’ve got anything you want in your neighborhood, now’s the time,” reminded Pigeon Point’s Spalding, saying this often is how to get a project on the city’s radar, even if it doesn’t wind up getting a share of the NPSF fund. … Next WWRHAH meeting will feature reps from what used to be the Department of Planning and Development, February 2nd, 6:15 pm, Southwest Library.

NEXT DNDC MEETING: 7 pm February 17th, be at Youngstown for a discussion with SDOT about the future of Delridge, the street. They want community members to turn out to show SDOT that it needs to honor its commitment

48 Replies to "Highland Park 'safe lot' for vehicle residents: What Councilmember Herbold told, and heard from, Delridge Neighborhoods District Council"

  • WS gal January 20, 2016 (10:16 pm)

    No thank you- no thank you cm herbold. You DO NOT represent my west Seattle interests. It’s your JOB to represent ALL of your constituents.  

    • redblack January 21, 2016 (5:33 am)

      …because all of west seattle is unanimous on every issue, and we speak with one voice. right?

  • Wake up January 20, 2016 (10:34 pm)

    The Ron and Don show had an interesting piece on the RV situation in our city on Wednesday’s show… More evidence is turning up that people living in these RVs are not who we want living in our neighborhoods… this mayor sucks.

  • Joe January 20, 2016 (10:43 pm)

    Good stuff on Lisa, other council members, homelessness, etc. http://roominate.com/blog/2015/lisa-bright-and-dark/

    • Mickymse January 21, 2016 (9:34 am)

      David is hardly a balanced, coherent, or well-researched media source on issues related to homelessness in this city. Much of the time he really has no idea what he is writing about…

      • enough January 21, 2016 (10:26 am)

        Agree to disagree.

  • datamuse January 20, 2016 (11:04 pm)

    Uh…the 131 does go to White Center.

    • WSB January 20, 2016 (11:05 pm)

      Thanks, I should have looked up the map, might have misheard from across the room. There was a concern voiced about its reliability overall. – TR

      • datamuse January 21, 2016 (7:22 am)

        That, I can agree with!

  • Wen January 20, 2016 (11:23 pm)

    RE: Ron and Don, did they discuss the RV situation in Ballard and Magnolia? Residents and business owners have observed theft, drug use and alleged drug dealing around RVs in these neighborhoods. Some have received threats when they’ve confronted RV campers to return property. Most troubling is the news that SPD has been hands off for the most part. It would seem that having an approved, served campsite would do two things: give RV campers more security, and prevent crime, and allow site management to find out how many campers are homeless (i.e rent’s too high, and we all know this is true), how many are IV drug users, and how many are roving criminals. Does this distinction help? For me, that’s a huge advantage to having the city step in and manage campsites. A managed campsite (Not SHARE or WHEEL, the org that was forcing homeless people to protest for a space to sleep), would tend to weed out those who need shelter from those who have a different agenda.

    • KM January 21, 2016 (11:28 am)

      Great points, Wen. The thought that SPD cannot respond to calls of threats on personal safety (and of course, property theft, but that’s been going on city-wide for years) is what concerns me. To be told that a officer isn’t in the area and can’t respond to a threat is a massive problem. It sends the message that safety of citizens isn’t taken seriously as well as a message that those who engage in these crimes can get away with it. Not every neighborhood can afford private security, nor should they have to.

  • miws January 21, 2016 (5:31 am)

    Not sure about the overall reliability of the 131, but it travels along 8th, I believe, through Greenbridge, rather than down 16th, through downtown White Center,  as the now 3+ year defunct Route 23 used to, when I was at NV.So, for services such as laundromats and grocery shopping, it’s not quite so convenient. It means an extra walk/bus transfer (and wait), or continuing on to Burien, for possibly less walking between the bus and those services. Mike 

    • datamuse January 21, 2016 (7:25 am)

      Hmm, good point, Mike. When I took it more frequently (to get to the airport mostly) it went down 15th, much more convenient for accessing White Center businesses.

  • homegrown January 21, 2016 (6:47 am)

    Put up cameras all around the site. If drug use, or evidence of stolen property being brought in, you are out. Don’t want to be on camera, don’t sign up.

    • Brian January 21, 2016 (9:40 am)

      Sounds like you’ve got the multiple thousands of dollars in funding such a ridiculous setup would require. You’ve got the job!

  • Melissa January 21, 2016 (6:50 am)

    What is meant by the 131 going through White Center is a return to its original route which went through the commercial district.  It currently takes 2 buses to get to QFC. The 131 to the stop closest to Roxbury. Walk the quarter of the mile to the bus stop.  Then take the 60 to QFC.  The 128 doesn’t go to  Westwood.  If you want to go to the WC commercial district and get groceries it still requires 2 buses.  The only difference is that you can also utilize the 128 bus. And if you want to go to the Saars grocery store, you would then need to hop on the 120.Since both the 131 and the 60 are unreliable, this would be a fairly considerable time commitment to do so.

  • Nw mama January 21, 2016 (7:02 am)

    How will the campers be “invited” to this camp?  Will the campers parked along Hiawatha on California -right near the HS and elementary- be encouraged to move there?  

    • WSB January 21, 2016 (7:12 am)

      NW Mama, CM Herbold said that’s one thing she is concerned about – ‘who and how’ haven’t been explained yet.

    • JoB January 21, 2016 (8:57 am)

      applications for those positions are currently being solicited by the Compass Housing Alliance… if this is consistent with their past policies.. the residents are more likely to be those who were displaced due to economic and medical issues than those who have a long history of homelessness and vagrancy.

  • tc January 21, 2016 (7:51 am)

    I work around 4th and dawson area of georgetown the place is filthy. So if we set these places up will the mayor impose new parking in these areas to keep this from happening?

  • S January 21, 2016 (8:33 am)

    Lisa Herbold better listen to the people of West Seattle.  We do not want this RV camp, we didn’t want the homeless camp there to begin with why would we want this.  If she votes to allow this, it will hold a lasting impression for the whole time she is in office which would be one term after going against what we the people want.  If she wants to make a difference in the city and for her district she better not make waves against West Seattle in one of the first high profile decisions of her career.

    • John January 21, 2016 (9:10 am)

      Of all of our West Seattle candidates in the primary and election, Lisa Herbold has always been the one most likely to support efforts of this sort to help the homeless.  I did not vote for her, but I hope that compassion for homelessness trumps local NIMBYism in her new position. 

    • Mickymse January 21, 2016 (9:55 am)

      “We” encompasses many people in West Seattle. I, along with a number of neighbors, am quite supportive of bringing this RV parking lot to the Delridge neighborhoods. We have been trying for several months to find a private lot that could be utilized for this in the Delridge corridor, and were unable to find one. .Since the RV campers are ALREADY here in our neighborhood, some of us are seeking a safer place for them to stay, for a more medium-term period, and where they can access City services in a reasonable manner and be assisted on their transition into housing.

      • Margaret Bartley January 26, 2016 (10:54 pm)

        What does ” transition into housing” mean?That rents are going to go down?  That unskilled jobs are going to start paying better?  That the flood of people coming into Free-attle for free food, housing, clothing, and other support services will stop?  Maybe that just means waiting until your name comes up for Section 8 housing? 

  • robert January 21, 2016 (8:35 am)

    you want to be sure and get with the fire department ,the motor homes ,as a rule are all fire hazzards.not just the older ones but all motorhomes..rarely is one that catches fire saved..they burn like gasoline..so hydrants and close fire support is a neccesity..

  • Cs in hp January 21, 2016 (9:08 am)

    Hang on- this isn’t something Lisa Herbold can just vote against- it’s an executive order, she can make ammendments to it- and she was there last night to hear from the community about what those could be. She is extremely well versed in the situation and was very helpful to us last time around- this is not about her at all- she is doing all she can to help all involved. She is doing her job, and she is doing it well. 

    • Brian January 21, 2016 (9:41 am)

      Fortunately, a basic understanding of city government is not required to have an outlandish opinion on The Way Things Oughta Be.        

    • Alan January 21, 2016 (9:48 am)

      CS – From the mayor’s statement, in the fifth paragraph: “The mayor will send the emergency order to the City Council today, where it can be approved, rejected or amended.” http://murray.seattle.gov/seattle-to-open-safe-lots-for-homeless-families-and-individuals-living-in-vehicles

      I’m not disagreeing that people are being unfair (and ugly in many cases), but it does appear that she can influence or help kill this order.

      • mcbride January 21, 2016 (10:35 am)

        Alan, the way it was explained last night by CM Herbold, “reject” does not equate to killing the order. As an emergency proclamation, the only thing the Council accomplishes with a rejection is signifying that they don’t approve. It still happens..The emphasis here is on Amend, as this will be realized regardless. We have the opportunity to negotiate How, Who, and What. CM Herbold took in over an hour of community input on concerns and suggestions. What impressed me was that she Chose to get in front of this. She knew the community was meeting on very short notice and she represented. (Yes, that’s my expectation, but it doesn’t always play out that way.) We’ll see what happens next.

        • Alan January 21, 2016 (11:04 am)

          McBride – Thank you for that response. If the council cannot kill this proposal, then I think the Mayor’s statement was disingenuous.  I don’t personally want the proposal killed, but I do think that the Nicklesville location is a slap in the face to the neighborhood and should be moved.

          • Joe Szilagyi January 21, 2016 (11:29 am)

            If the council cannot kill this proposal, then I think the Mayor’s statement was disingenuous.

            Politics 101. It was a media CYA play by the Mayor’s office to transfer public perception of responsibility from Ed Murray to the City Council.Tacky grade school play, yet effective against the unaware.

    • Alan January 21, 2016 (9:51 am)

      Sorry that post was so ugly. I miss being able to go in and edit my mistakes and formatting errors.

      • WSB January 21, 2016 (9:58 am)

        I can fix the formatting. Both the short-term edit feature and the ability to properly use the HTML editor on comments *will* be fixed. The bug list is getting shorter daily – I just got word of a couple more fixes overnight. In the meantime, apologies – getting from 2005 infrastructure to 2016 infrastructure has been bumpy. – TR

        • Alan January 21, 2016 (10:04 am)

          Thanks!

  • Elaine January 21, 2016 (9:52 am)

    Since the city has money to  constantly relocate the homeless why not find a permanent solution?   Buy land in Eastern Washington  and relocate …similar to R.V. Parks which we now have everywhere.  Also maybe the homeless can work on farms  or at least find a job which would help out their financial situation.Another choice ..lots of property in and around Seattle, Bellevue  besides always choosing West Seattle,  South end. 

    • Joe Szilagyi January 21, 2016 (11:30 am)

      Buy land in Eastern Washington  and relocate 

      Why not just buy the homeless one-way airplane tickets to Hawaii, then, and force them aboard?

    • Lindsey January 21, 2016 (1:21 pm)

      Your assumption that these people don’t have jobs is flat out wrong. In Delridge there are some fairly regular RV campers near our home. We’ve introduced ourselves, and we’ve seen them come and go during normal commute hours. They were very polite and left no trace of their time camping by our house. Many homeless people have jobs, but still struggle. The idea that all homeless people are unemployed or addicts is ridiculous.

    • datamuse January 21, 2016 (6:35 pm)

      Eastern Washington has issues of poverty and homelessness of its own, you know. Plus a propensity to catch on fire.

  • Todd January 21, 2016 (10:02 am)

    The thing I don’t understand about the site…both when it was “Nicklesville”, since then when there has been persistent and constant campers in the greenbelts in the area and folks standing at the intersection with cardboard signs, and now with this new proposal…is, why? What advantage does this spot have? There’s no water supply, no sewer service, no restrooms, no fast food or convenience stores to shop at, no community or charity centers to help with education, job searches, substance abuse help.It’s just a surplus piece of real-estate in an industrial area with freeway access. They could walk up HPW to a corner store, but it’s mostly residential neighborhoods until you get closer to White Center. And…if it’s a City of Seattle issue, any services available in White Center would be King Co., no?I had the opinion then, and still do, that the homeless would be better served in an area with good access to these services, instead of just pushed to the outskirts of the city and left to fend for themselves. Who’s going to police it? The police? No. At the very least, at Nicklesville, there was an on-site manager…

    • Alan January 21, 2016 (10:18 am)

      Todd – I completely agree. It would be hard to find a location in Seattle more devoid of services. There is actually a convenience store at the Shell (7801 Detroit Avenue SW), just about a half-mile away. To a real grocery store, it is more than 2.5 miles.

      • Todd January 21, 2016 (11:54 am)

        Yes – I forgot about that one (the Shell) and didn’t mention the Subway, but it’s still slim pickin’s…

  • dee kalani January 21, 2016 (11:54 am)

    Why is it that these sites are always an eyesore with garbage everywhere, look under the West Seattle Bridge they have no shame or respect for themselves or their surroundings  . Most live like this by their choice, no rules , why work when they can get high and drink  get vouchers, food stamps , vouchers for clothes . Hand outs become a way of life for them , they rather spend money on stupid cigarettes than feed the dogs they have with them. It is what it is , and I’m fed up with seeing them , might be harsh but that’s how I feel after walking and talking with the people under the bridge  

    • TC January 21, 2016 (12:18 pm)

      yea like i said what is the mayor going to ensure so that they dont stay there for a couple of days then go right back to the same locations they were loitering before

  • Jul N Jer January 21, 2016 (1:13 pm)

    Dee Kalani, it is obvious you actually haven’t spoken with homeless rv campers. I realize this can be a fearful scenario, but making statements that most of ‘them’ want to be homeless so they can party and get free vouchers shows, to put it bluntly, ignorance and bias. I’ve worked in homeless housing for 20 years and have gotten to know 100’s of people living in crisis and have yet to meet anyone who wants to live this way. Do some people make poor decisions? I know I certainly have and I’d hazard a guess that you have, as well. The biggest factors that seem to contribute to homelessness are mental illnesses (frequently compounded by addiction), generational poverty, and lack of understanding or training on how to navigate through the system to get out. When those factors are in place, all it takes is one poor decision to wind up in a tent under a bridge. I’m sorry to all of you who are angry about this because the root of your anger is fear, and that’s a hard way to live. I recommend making an effort to actually speak with and get to know at least one homeless person so you gain authentic understanding. Who knows? You might end up learning genuine compassion and a much clearer picture of what we can all do to help others out of this mess.

  • Chris January 21, 2016 (3:23 pm)

    Pay particular note to the bit about needing more money:  Discussion ensued including what it takes to get roofs over the heads of those experiencing homelessness; Herbold mentioned that the “Housing First model is of course the ideal but it takes a lot more money and a lot more time, but “many different planning processes are focused on adding housing around the city for people from (those without shelter) to the ‘working poor’.” Folks, the City of Seattle–along with King County and other stakeholders–have spent about ONE BILLION dollars in a decade to address homelessness.  No other metro region in the country has spent more on transitional and affordable housing than Seattle/King County.  Numerous programs were supported by the “Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness,” yet here are our elected leaders STILL addressing homelessness in a reactionary way.  Creating more tent cities, RV parking areas does nothing to address the problem, and continuing along with the same strategy is lunacy. 

  • West Seattle Hipster January 21, 2016 (3:42 pm)

    Great points made Chris, clearly throwing the taxpayers money at the problem hasn’t solved the problem.

  • Kimberly January 21, 2016 (4:21 pm)

    As a Seattle citizen & a taxpayer, I’d like my voice will be heard.   3 years ago my family was a victim of burglary.   Had report & police came over but the case has never been resolved.   Our lives have never felt safe as used to be. Below is the information City Council made decision to relocate campers in 2013 & spent a half million dollars.   Days ago  Seattle want to reopen space for RVs.   I am curious why mayor & city council do not have long term solution to end homelessness.   In other hand, they put our lives into  worry some.   Are Seattle mayor & City Council  members guarantee  all bad reasons in the past  shown below won’t happen again? How much money will be spent for  taking care of these people?” The City Council finds that the encampment located at 7116 W Marginal Way SW has created a public health and safety risk due to ongoing and potential public health and safety issues, as indicated by (1) numerous 9-1-1 calls and police investigations of criminal activities, and (2) a Phase I Environmental Assessment that addresses potential environmental contamination of the property. As such, the City Council finds that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety and believes that the City should act immediately to move the campers off of the site and into appropriate shelter, housing and services.”

  • soi January 21, 2016 (4:27 pm)

    I have interacted with tenters and RV and car campers. There’s a real mix. The one guy who works in construction lives in his car because it’s cheap. This makes sense to me. The others I had words with when I was approached for money and when I volunteered to hand out bag lunches.  These people are more worrisome. The crew living under the interstate downtown are rougher and more the chronic homeless with mental health, drug and criminal issues.  Finding stable housing or shelter bed for this group is hard because they have to agree to live by house rules and many can’t or won’t. People aren’t being mean when they say this, because the staff and homeless at the shelters are the ones to have to deal with the thefts, violence, and hassle.

Sorry, comment time is over.