Camping notes: RVs on Andover; sweep by 509; C2C committee skipping a month

Three notes:

RVs ON ANDOVER: The street side by Nucor, across from West Seattle Health Club, has drawn RV campers off and on for more than 2 1/2 years – the earliest story in our archives is from December 2015. This week, we’ve received two e-mails about the situation. One this morning pointed out orange notices on the RVs’ windshields; we went over and spotted the telltale city-issued 72-hour warnings on all but one, and a parking-enforcement officer’s vehicle in the vicinity. We checked the other popular parking spot along Harbor Avenue between the bridge and Seacrest; nine RVs scattered along that stretch right now, but no notices in view.

SWEEP ALONG 509: We noticed signs of a clearing-out encampment along the southbound 509 exit to West Marginal Way, and inquired with city homelessness-response spokesperson Will Lemke, who confirmed that a camp in that area was swept this week: “The areas around 509 and the wetland are frequently camped and we work to provide repeated outreach with offers of service and shelter leading up to the encampment clean-up. Encampments in that area are of concern given the proximity to moving vehicles near the roadways and ramps and the human-waste impacts to the wetland. It’s also a difficult area for the the police and fire departments to respond to, which is another reason why it was prioritized for removal this week.” We also asked him about the east side of Myers Way. No new cleanup plans there, Lemke says, but: “The team continues to do outreach on a weekly basis. In order for the team to remove the encampment, we will need to have a lot of shelter capacity — which we do not have at this time. In the interim, we will continue to try to get people to take us up on shelter.”

SPEAKING OF MYERS WAY: Because of the impending 4th of July holiday, the Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee, which usually meets the first Sunday afternoon of each month, is not meeting in July. (C2C is the only city-sanctioned encampment in West Seattle and averages about 50 campers.)

C June 27, 2018 (8:49 pm)

Is there any specific contact to report the RVs with the city? I live on Harbor Ave, and the ones who trash the area around their RVs are extremely frustrating.

Mike June 28, 2018 (6:41 am)

If you call the city parks dept, they’ll refer you to a group the city council decided will handle these cases. When I called and reported the RV along Alki, the response I got was this… nothing. The council has decided tax payers get to live with it.https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/seattle-still-has-no-strategy-for-thousands-of-people-living-in-vehicles/
A June 28, 2018 (1:24 pm)

Unfortunately since you live on harbor ave I think you are out of luck. The city wants to allow these mobile heroin dens to park on non residential streets for as long as they want. Unless it is parked directly in front of your condo I don’t think they’ll do anything about it. I’ve reported an RV that has been parked on Avalon for over two weeks with busted out/boarded up windows multiple times and the city has done nothing about this vehicle. Since Avalon is full of condos and apartments(this vehicle is right next to a condo) I thought the city would enforce it’s parking laws and make the RV move. The laws only apply to us working, tax paying folks I guess. Guaranteed if my car was there for over two weeks it would have been ticketed and or towed long ago
alki_2008 June 28, 2018 (7:06 pm)

Most of the RV’s I’ve seen have not been very messy, so they don’t annoy me too much. But when they leave a pile of garbage out on the sidewalk and street, then they really need to go somewhere else.There was one RV that had stuff strewn all over the sidewalk and parking strip, including a vehicle bench seat, multiple bikes, and a lawnmower. That person got kicked out after a relatively short time (couple weeks). I saw the police there talking to the inhabitant on the sidewalk, while the vehicle was towed away.
Colin June 28, 2018 (10:36 pm)

Try the mobile app called Find It Fix It. Take a picture and submit the location.

TM7302 June 28, 2018 (2:18 am)

I use the “Find it Fix it” app and send pictures of the RVs and license plates. I was told that if you suspect human waste at the RV site to contact the Ops Response Center at (206) 386-1800. I made a report about the encampment SB 509 and West Marginal Way several months ago as I saw it grow and reported all that I saw. Multiple vehicles some of which were on jacks, burn barrel, tents, trash along the highway, etc. Everyone needs to report these illegal encampments to get the removed and cleaned up.

flimflam June 28, 2018 (5:50 am)

canceling a sunday meeting because of the 4th of july that is on a wednesday?

WSB June 28, 2018 (6:53 am)

Because people go out of town. It’s the only regularly scheduled Sunday meeting we’ve ever covered and they’ve met regularly for a year-plus now. And they’re not the only local group that will be skipping one or more meetings in midsummer.
- flimflam June 29, 2018 (5:56 pm)
  
  the holiday is midweek – i’d imagine the advocates that run this place would consider their meeting to be more important than their little vacation plan. i mean, it’s supposed to be a major issue in the city, right?i still say “lame”.
  - WSB June 29, 2018 (6:28 pm)
    
    The Community Advisory Committee members are unpaid community volunteers, not “advocates,” nor do they “run” the camp. Looking forward to seeing you at the August meeting! Sunday, August 5th, 2 pm, Arrowhead Gardens community room (9200 2nd SW).

westerly June 28, 2018 (6:42 am)

I was wondering if something was going to be done on Andover. It has been a growing collection, and recently a car appeared with no wheels on it. Getting out of hand.

Mickymse June 28, 2018 (7:40 am)

*SIGH* There are literally no residences — or even sidewalks — there along Andover. Who were they bothering? The steel mill? The rabbits? Will some folks just not be satisfied until they have hunted all the RVs out of town?

Swede. June 28, 2018 (8:31 am)

They sure aren’t going ‘out of town’, just move somewhere else for awhile. Since the city doesn’t have a real plan to help them and fix the problem it will only get worse when the areas fill up more and more and there ain’t nowhere to move any longer.
daily walker June 28, 2018 (11:15 am)

Mickymse, That’s how I felt as well. Aside from one RV that had a bit of trash spread out between the RV and the Nucor fence, I didn’t see an issue with the RVs parked over there. The homeless do need help, and the situation / tent cities etc, do need to be addressed, but that is as good a place as any for RV’s to park. I walk through there frequently, and haven’t had any issues….
- westerly June 28, 2018 (12:46 pm)
  
  I ride through there every single morning. There is more than a little trash accumulating.
  - LOL June 28, 2018 (1:36 pm)
    
    Dude – news flash, Seattle is FULL of trash everywhere not just on precious Andover street.
  - daily walker June 28, 2018 (4:25 pm)
    
    it’s nothing like the grocery carts and trash piles I’ve seen along 509 and also those near Myers Way
Sandy June 28, 2018 (11:36 am)

Who are they bothering?? Um, there is a black Nissan SUV with NO WHEELS parked on the side. It isn’t even resting on cinder blocks. That care will be a liability once it is back on the road. You don’t rest the entire car’s weight on the brake ROTORS. There is trash building up there. Homes are literally a block away. I appreciate your empathy, but I also know you are not willing to have them park in front of your place.

T Rex June 28, 2018 (7:56 am)

Some of the people who were at the wet land location are now on the side of the road in front of the First Student bus location. Yea, that is safe. I am sure they will find a place in the area like all the rest of them will do. Every morning on my way to work I wonder what will I see today? Only going to get worse people, our city is in denial of this entire mess.

Mark Schletty June 28, 2018 (2:46 pm)

The City is not really in denial of the whole mess— they just announced yesterday (Seattle Times article) that homeless encampments are so dangerous that they are now providing bullet-proof vests to firefighters who have to respond near homeless encampments. The City recognizes the danger to their employees, but they deny any danger to regular citizens exists. Typical Seattle politician hypocrisy.

JoB June 28, 2018 (8:20 am)

what we need are safe parking sites for people who live in vehicles.. with portapotties and trash collection. current rules and regulations make this very difficult even for churches that would be willing to host a family or two…what we get is a constant reshuffling of people who literally have no other place to go

Joan June 28, 2018 (8:47 am)

I feel for the homeless, I really do. I know people are working to solve this crisis. I did see evidence of the sweep near 509 the other day, at the wetland. I was glad to see it. I was part of a Christmas bird count at that site last December. I can tell you, after driving by it for 10 years, I had no idea how much diversity of birds use that area. You would be amazed. It’s vital that we protect the remaining natural areas in our city and all over. We can’t let them be trashed. Wildlife needs a place to live too.

WSguy5 June 28, 2018 (9:55 am)

@MICKEYMSE. “SIGH.” People in houses also live next to NUCOR. So those RV’s are OUR nieghbors. Can they come live on your street? I’ll let them know you’ll be providing drug rehab and counseling services, trash collection, and law enforcement. Cause that’s currently not happening here. In OUR neighborhood. “SIGH”

LOL June 28, 2018 (1:38 pm)

Hey WSGUYS – FYI, it’s a city. Move to East side for what you’re looking for.
- alki_2008 June 28, 2018 (7:16 pm)
  
  Exactly, it’s a city, with buildings that people live in and where it’s NOT standard practice to wonder what type of animal deposited the feces that your shoe just stepped in..Move out to the country if you want to see people living in structures that are not meant to be permanently inhabited.

annaeileen June 28, 2018 (1:27 pm)

Regarding the RVs on Andover, for the most part, I don’t mind the RVs. I am a neighbor and for many living along the street, they are quiet and pick up after themselves. Unfortunately, there have been issues with garbage piling up, fights, police intervening and non-running vehicles. In May, one of the tagged RVs was coasting down 26th and hit a car and then made it to Andover where it currently sits. I didn’t witness the hit (someone told me about it and let the car know who hit them) but I did see it coasting and coming to it’s current location. I don’t know how they are going to get it moved. Over the weekend I saw a sedan pulling on of the RVs around the corner and that poor sedan was smoking! With no current solution in sight, what good is towing someone’s home if they aren’t causing any problems?

TJ June 28, 2018 (3:13 pm)

This problem exists in Seattle because our politicians allow it. I have pointed this out on threads here before, but eastside cities do not allow tents or derelict RV’s at all. Bellevue is a example I know well. They don’t even try to set up shop there now. Seattle for whatever reason has allowed this to be the bottom of the hole where this all settles.

TiredofGovernmentGreed June 28, 2018 (9:01 pm)

Appreciate parking enforcement handling this vagrancy problem and enforcing the city ordinances on Andover. I saw the police lady who was posting orange citations on the RVs and thanked her for doing it.