As city leaders consider loosening the rules to allow more tiny-house encampments, West Seattle’s lone authorized encampment Camp Second Chance continues to do well, according to updates at its monthly Community Advisory Committee meeting on Sunday afternoon.

CAC UPDATES: A larger group than usual was present at the front of the room, and each offered an update at introduction time:

Willow Fulton, CAC chair, said things are “going well” so far as she’s heard. She noticed a tree hanging over Myers Way in the camp vicinity after the recent round of storms, and noted that it was removed promptly after she reported it via Find It Fix It.

Rev. Leah Atkinson Bilinski, Fauntleroy UCC (new camp sponsor) pastor, said they’re finalizing the documentation with the city regarding their role, as well as internally zerong in on what the church’s specific mission at the camp will be.

Eric Davis, camp director/co-founder, said 50 people are there now, with one having exited to permanent housing this past month. 911 was called three times during the month – one involving a dispute between two campers, the other two involving someone who has been causing trouble whlle camping unauthorized “behind the camp.” This person, Davis said, has shown up outside the gate and has even trespassed once inside the camp. They’re asking the city to “do something” about the unauthorized camping in the woods behind the camp. “I’ve showed the city this camp several times.” One of the incidents happened last Wednesday around 9 pm, and led to camp co-founder Eric Patton (also at the meeting) getting hurt, his hand slashed with a box cutter. SPD responded quickly, Davis added. Fulton wondered if occasional CAC participation by an SPD representative might be helpful.

Josh Castle from camp operator LIHI noted that the “tiny-house village ordinance” comes up at City Council this week.

Shawn Neal from the city Human Services Department said they have reported the situation mentioned by Davis to the Department of Neighborhoods and the Navigation Team.

CAC member Cinda Stenger said tiny-house building now under way at the camp involves training people for a handoff to new volunteer leadership.

CAC member Grace Stiller talked about the Resource Room in Burien, run in connection with Community Court. She also noted that she’s going to train to help with Section 8 voucher forms as the King County Housing Authority gets ready for a lottery for spaces on its waitlist.

Bill Zollner introduced himself as a new Fauntleroy UCC rep, there for thee first time.

Judi Carr from Arrowhead Gardens (where the CAC meets) offered to connect C2C wth AG leadership regarding mutual security concerns.

TACOMA INVOLVEMENT: Rev. Bilinski asked Davis how things are going at the Tacoma encampment with which he’s been involved, a LIHI project. “Lives have been transformed,” he said. He said that they’re helping people, when needed, get treatment. He’s going to hand off more CAC coordination to Patton while he continues closely working with Tacoma.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS/QUESTIONS: None were brought up.

NEXT MEETING: The CAC usually meets at 2 pm first Sundays at the Arrowhead Gardens community room (postponed a week this month because of That Big Football Game), so the next one is March 1st.