26TH/JUNEAU: City says it will ‘remove’ encampment site

| Environment | West Seattle news

The city says the encampment site at 26th/Juneau will be removed/cleaned up. That, following a fire less than a week after last week’s murder, all of which have neighbors at wit’s end after what they say has been two years of a “nightmare.” We were CC’d on photos one group sent with a note to City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, including this one showing burned debris.

The photos also showed containers like these:

Neighbor Molly pleaded in the note, after detailing two years of trouble, “I urge you to do something immediately to clean up this toxic site on our once-beautiful Longfellow Creek and help the campers before they do even more damage to themselves and our beautiful green-space.”

Seattle Public Utilities spokesperson Sabrina Register has been a conduit for city info about removals/cleanups/remediations, so we asked her on Monday about the site and got this reply today:

Seattle Public Utilities has not scheduled the site for remediation as it does not meet the criteria of five or more RVs. Seattle Parks and Recreation has scheduled crews to remove the encampment and clean up the area. Removal and cleanup dates are not shared publicly as resources such as staffing can change.

Seattle is partnering with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority and outreach providers to coordinate outreach to encampment locations that may be subject to removal with the goal of offering shelter to all those residing onsite.

In a reply yesterday to Molly’s note, Councilmember Herbold said she had spoken to Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Martin Rivera about the site last week, before the fire, and said that she too had heard the site was scheduled for cleanup. Herbold also noted that Rivera “told me how people experiencing homelessness who had previously lived at that location had been very helpful in the investigation leading to them identifying the murder suspect for arrest.” And she said that she regularly meets with Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, adding, “I have reviewed locations in District 1 that SFD data demonstrates have a history of repeat fires and that may be vulnerable to fire damage, including around encampments. This has, in some cases, resulted in City efforts to reduce likelihood of fires by cutting nearby brush.” But otherwise her reply included nothing else specific about this particular site. Molly, meantime, told us today there’s been some cleanup, but “it’s still a very toxic site. You can smell the plastic etc.” And she says campers that have already left the site have just moved to another spot along the creekside trail.

Auntie June 29, 2022 (5:11 pm)

They need to remove ALL of the encampments along the Longfellow Creek Trail between Graham and Juneau. They do nothing but pollute the creek and make a mess of the greenbelt. Also, it is too scary to walk along there alone anymore.

justme June 29, 2022 (9:22 pm)

Just a reminder to the locals living in homes close to these encampments. Make sure your wifi is secure.

Derek June 29, 2022 (5:18 pm)

This is such an eye roll. Where will these people be forced out to? This is depressing. We need to pass laws to provide free shelter and encampment spaces.

flimflam June 29, 2022 (6:35 pm)

The degradation of the creek and many other green belts is even more depressing than people who insist on living outside the system. Shelters aren’t perfect but there is no excuse for the city to continue turning a blind eye to these camps and the blight they become.
Tim June 29, 2022 (7:08 pm)

Derek, you can always help shelter 1 or more of these individuals. I would be more than happy to help offset some of the cost. I will give you $200 a month to help feed them and provide them a place to stay. I am sure I can get others to chip in to, so all you would have to do is offer the space. You seem to care more than most on this site, so I would like to hear what you did and what successes you had. The city may be able to learn from your model, as you have a lot of opinions on what would work best.Let me know how you would like to proceed.
- CarDriver June 30, 2022 (12:47 pm)
  
  Tim. Quite sure Derek’s complaint is that “others” aren’t doing more thereby relieving him of doing anything more than complaining about others not doing more.
Auntie June 29, 2022 (7:48 pm)

I agree we need more services for the homeless. In the meantime, should they be allowed to defile the creek and greenspace and make it unsafe for everyone else? I think not. You obviously don’t live near here. Perhaps you’d like them camping in what is basically your back yard.
Buttercup June 29, 2022 (9:13 pm)

If these people would respect the area they keep trying to inhabit they wouldn’t keep being forced to move. Theft in the neighborhood surrounding these areas, trash and garbage that is disgusting, human feces and urine permeating the ground, violence, fires and lack of respect for the community. They are destroying our green spaces in multiple locations. I don’t care if you live in a trailer, RV, tent or house, these behaviors are unacceptable. Go drive along Harbor Ave and see the vechicles and the mess they’ve created in 2 weeks. Shame on them and Shame on Seattle government.
Ferns June 29, 2022 (10:54 pm)

The problem with simply providing resources of free space to the homeless is that even those come with rules many homeless are not willing to comply with – Like not using drugs. Or They suffer with mental illness and simply cannot comply with keeping their place clean or caring for themselves.

Unless we provide mental health treatment and MANDATE it, drug treatment and MANDATE it (ie incarceration in these facilities), free housing and support will not work for many homeless.

In the past the government used to institutionalized people who could not care for themselves but now that is seen as infringing on their rights. So now they’re infringing on ours and we see the drug addicted and mentally ill living on the street, parks.
- JVP June 30, 2022 (9:55 am)
  
  Totally agree with Ferns. Compulsory addiction and mental health treatment is the only way out of this. It’s the only compassionate thing to do.
- Nailed it? June 30, 2022 (2:27 pm)
  
  And Jesus said, you shall pass judgement on your fellow man, and force your will upon him, look down on those who are poor and hungry and in need, label them all as mentally ill and incapable, imprison them, and not share the world with them or try to understand and help compassionately?
  
  You don’t have to be piously religious to have some respect for the words of spiritual teachers, like Jesus or Buddha. It’s called having a conscious and heart. They had it in spades, and we have it too.

Question Authority June 29, 2022 (5:19 pm)

Someone must be realizing votes are at stake, although a write-in candidate is a better fit.

My two cents June 30, 2022 (3:50 am)

Herbold is such an opportunist, doesn’t truly care about the community, need new representation, track record to date has been a disaster.

Question Authority June 29, 2022 (5:46 pm)

How did (five or more) RV’s become the threshold for a SPU clean-up? Is that the breaking point where public safety and the environment actually matter, but not before a numerical metric has been met?

Michael Bloom June 29, 2022 (10:43 pm)

👍🏼

Mike June 29, 2022 (5:51 pm)

Longfellow Creek is a lovely place to walk, especially on a warm summer day. The City and neighborhood have put a lot of effort into maintaining this trail. It is a damn shame if it continues to be trashed by campers, who also are an intimidating force for walkers. Get ‘em outa there.

Mj June 29, 2022 (5:52 pm)

Why is the term campers used? People I know that go camping do not trash the campsite!

Lagartija Nick June 29, 2022 (8:08 pm)

Clearly you have never been to a dispersed (free) camping site. They are ALWAYS full of trash.
K June 29, 2022 (8:11 pm)

Because “campers” evokes an image of someone living that way willingly, and leisurely rather than “homeless” which tells the truth of the situation: it’s not a choice and it’s not fun. But the latter inspires more empathy, so they use the term that will result in the least backlash when these folks are tossed out to find shelter elsewhere.
- Adam June 30, 2022 (5:31 am)
  
  Weeeeeeeelllllllllll, not entirely true. I mean once you’ve refused services, isn’t that the choice made? And I don’t like the term “campers” either, but because it normalizes allowing homelessness in places it shouldn’t be, like city parks and school grounds and trails and sidewalks and out into the streets. But I’m weird like that.
  - Nailed it? June 30, 2022 (9:38 pm)
    
    ‘once you’ve refused services, isn’t that the choice made’
    
    There aren’t enough services or housing available.
    
    Not everyone qualifies for the services and ‘housing’ available.
    
    Not all homeless individuals are homeless because of mental illness.
    
    Homelessness causes mental illness issues.
    
    Not all those who are homeless are criminals.
    
    Once someone is addicted to drugs it’s no longer simply a choice. These people need help and treatments.
    
    The majority of homeless people would love to connect with the help and support they need. In many cases, it doesn’t exist, or they are blocked from access somehow.
    
    …
    
    Some of the comments on these threads seem to be engaging in hateful misinformation spreading, double speak, it’s almost Orwellian.

Jeepney June 29, 2022 (5:55 pm)

Once again, Herbold failed her constituents. Longfellow Creek is an ecological nightmare. Meanwhile, the RV’s are multiplying on Trenton street near the post office.

WSB June 29, 2022 (8:39 pm)

There are three there as of about an hour ago.

spooled June 29, 2022 (5:56 pm)

Great they’re removing this dangerous eyesore.

Pity it took so long.

” it does not meet the criteria of five or more RVs. The new camp on 16th by the college easily exceeds five and qualifies for removal (all the old Andover vehicles). Blocking both the bike lane and the sidewalks. So much for the 72 hour rule?

Bruce Harrell do it again!

Junkshin Dweller June 29, 2022 (6:03 pm)

Do Harbor Ave next.

Alki resident June 29, 2022 (6:37 pm)

Why is it that five campers or more need to be present in order for removal? I remember clearly when the guy in Ballard that had a zillion lawn mowers and junk strung out everywhere plus a motor home . He was ordered to remove it all. Seems misleading

WSB June 29, 2022 (8:38 pm)

Five *RVs* for a “remediation” (the term for an RV cleanup), not five *campers,* is the baseline.

West Seattle resident June 29, 2022 (6:56 pm)

Will they be moving them into more permanent housing or just forcing them out of the area.

Brian Cullen June 29, 2022 (7:12 pm)

So called campers have been in this location for years, including building a campsite right up in the forest west of the trail. I have personally notified Seattle Parks numerous times over the past 5, 6 years and nothing gets done. I was a regular walker on the trail including the link up to Findlay street and now avoid it. Finally the city is doing something about it ;Longfellow walker

Joan June 29, 2022 (9:41 pm)

I wrote to Herbold over a year ago about the hazards to the park and Longfellow creek. I received no response. I too Enjoy(ed) walking through that part of the park and used to do photography along the creek. I was very concerned about the continued to running of a generator, noise and air pollution, and accumulation of trash and who knows what. I sure would like to see the area cleaned up and restored. The campers need to find a legitimate campsite. Our parks are not campsites. If their vehicles run, they need to go camp elsewhere. If they don’t run, they need to be helped to some kind of shelter.
nwpolitico June 29, 2022 (10:52 pm)

Thank you for sharing. Parks is the WSDOT of city agencies and is notoriously slow to respond to issues on its property (if the agency responds at all). We deserve better; as the mayor says, our parks are our gems. It’s time Seattle Parks treated them as such and regularly enforced its own rules.

west sea neighbor June 29, 2022 (7:28 pm)

Nothing is really going to happen. They will move to Harbor Ave like the others and continue to trash that as well. They have found places along activity paths and in parks and continue to deal/do drugs and steal copper wire (I see the stripping of the wires every day in broad daylight). Nobody appears to care. Our city is in rapid rapid decline.

nwpolitico June 29, 2022 (10:57 pm)

The copper wire theft is insane. Head to SW Marginal Place (up the street from West Seattle Recycling) if you want to see the wire stripping capital of the city.

Mayor Harrell is working hard to stem the rapid decline you mentioned. His heart is in the right place and he’s trying to get things moving in the right direction quickly. Right now, though, no course correction can be fast enough to stem years of indifference under Durkan.

Rocket June 29, 2022 (9:47 pm)

In the end we people who mainly inhabit this land promised to those who ceded it to us that they would be able to continue their hunting and fishing practices in perpetuity. This promise was upheld in 1972 promising the disinherited indigenous 50% of the fishing haul here in Washington state and assurances we would help preserve the salmon. Allowing this kind of occupation of a salmon bearing stream should offend even the most progressive of us.

Nailed June 30, 2022 (9:53 pm)

We might also be offended by the impacts of those of wealth who over consume, litter, don’t recycle responsibly, drive carbon emitting vehicles, etc. Also impacting salmon.

And while we’re expressing concern for those native to this land, here’s an interesting statistic…

‘In King County, Washington, which includes the city of Seattle, Native Americans account for only 1 percent of the population but 15 percent of the total population of those experiencing homelessness and 32 percent of the total population of those experiencing chronic homelessness.’

mem June 29, 2022 (10:05 pm)

I feel like a broken record, but when are Henderson, Barton and Cambridge Streets along 16th going to be cleaned up? We’ve had as many problems/ incidents/ issues as stated in all these other sites. PLEASE, we need all of our neighborhoods safe for all of us! Clean these vehicles, RV’s, and tents off of our streets and sidewalks.

B June 30, 2022 (8:56 am)

Looks like Cambridge just got dealt with, there were no RVs or tents there just the other day. Barton and Henderson are hopefully next.
BB June 30, 2022 (1:04 pm)

MEM,

My business in Interbay had RVS on the block for 2 1/2 years. It wasn’t until we and our neighboring businesses documented the threats to our safety that we got any help. My life was threatened repeated times, our front door was shot out, an RV fire almost caught our neighbors building on fire, etc. Once we put it all together we were prioritized for clean up.
BB
H June 30, 2022 (2:28 pm)

They actually posted the streets for remediation going into Monday. Cambridge fully clear of any RVs and tents as of today, Barton not fully yet but better than a week ago, Henderson unclear. Took numerous gun incidents for the city to finally do something.
- WSB June 30, 2022 (5:32 pm)
  
  We went through Cambridge yesterday and noticed the absence of RVs, but had no idea till your mention here how new that was. We went around the block a few times looking for notices but saw none. If anyone sees notices posted at any local encampment sites, please consider letting us know, as the city tries to keep this information to itself
  - H June 30, 2022 (6:11 pm)
    
    I caught one picture of the posting along Barton, see picture. I have a feeling there were more posted as those occupying the Cambridge started moving over the weekend and even this posted item was gone a few hours later meaning someone tore it down. I’ve noticed today they have a bunch of no park signs for next week posted on both Barton and Cambridge Not sure what is planned but hopefully something to keep the street usable for residents
    - WSB June 30, 2022 (6:34 pm)
      
      Thank you. That’s the standard type of notice, as we saw at 26th/Andover and also (after the fact) at Rotary Viewpoint Park.
    - H June 30, 2022 (6:43 pm)
      
      They just put up the no parking signs today for all of next week on Cambridge which is completely clear. Any insight into what they typically do?
    - H June 30, 2022 (9:04 pm)
      
      Also – don’t assume it was posted after the fact. As I mentioned in my post, I saw one posted and it was missing (taken or torn down) a few hours later.
    - WSB June 30, 2022 (9:07 pm)
      
      The “after the fact’ referred to when we saw that one, not to when it was posted. We didn’t hear about the Viewpoint Park sweep until it was over; one notice was left when we went over to look.

Scubafrog June 29, 2022 (11:01 pm)

A lot of the garbage at these encampments is reported to be dumped by tax-paying, housed citizens (in lieu of the dump). Naturally, that element only contributes to the risk of conflagration, as seen here. One of the last ‘sweeps’ just moved people to Harbor Ave and Avalon, and into neighborhoods. I’m not quite sure I understand harrell’s logistics with his “sweep-them-under-the-rug” offensive – they’re still here. Although, Seattle’s dimmer residents think something’s being accomplished with the reshuffle, a lazy hustle for approval numbers perhaps.

New Salt June 30, 2022 (3:03 am)

Nothing dim about sweeps or encampment removals. There have been several accounts of homeless accepting services only after repeated sweeps. Humans need guardrails. Just because we have insufficient services doesn’t mean we should be complicit or tolerant of illegal behavior. Nor should we force any community to bear the social costs that come with entrenched encampments.
Bronson June 30, 2022 (8:26 am)

Something is being accomplished though. Moving these people along allows for people to feel safe in their neighborhoods, rule of law is enforced, and property/violent crime and pollution decrease. Does it solve the root problem of drug use? No. Until we acknowledge that as the main root cause and get tough on that, this will still be a problem. Many shelters are available that can handle people with other issues (DV, loss of job & home, etc.) Most of those that stay on the streets don’t want to abide by drug-related rules.
MyThruppence June 30, 2022 (8:43 am)

I’m interested in seeing your evidence of “tax-paying, housed citizens” illegally dumping at encampments. I have seen this stated several times and frankly I don’t think it’s true. Can you provide recent proof of this happening at local encampments? Scofflaws will just go dump in any empty field instead of putting themselves in danger just to dump specifically at a homeless encampment. The supposition simply makes zero sense. Additionally, how would one possibly know what items coming and going in the trunks and backseats of cars are considered trash, and which are considered donations, and which are simply stolen items. In this regard, every charity in the city receives pure trash intermingled with the donated materials; it’s inherent in the nature of accepting ‘donations’. If donations of dubious benefit are arriving, then being discarded in a pile at the camp, then can we really assume the “housed” person leaving it there was intentionally “dumping” it on the campers.
- WSB June 30, 2022 (11:11 am)
  
  Past regional media coverage reachable via a quick search includes
  https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/illegal-dumping-outside-homeless-encampments-rising-dramatically/805601197/
  https://grist.org/article/seattle-homeless-encampments-growing-trash-problem/
  
  Also, regarding just one specific location, this problem has been mentioned by Myers Way residents at Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee meetings we’ve covered.
  - MyThruppence June 30, 2022 (1:15 pm)
    
    Interesting. Is this something that would trigger an SPD incident report if folks at the camp were to report it? I would be interested to see the number of illegal dumping incidents reported at CSC. The supposition is that the ‘campers’ (at unsanctioned communities) aren’t responsible for the garbage around their encampments? No…I still do not believe that. Do the ‘housed’ folks around the camp also carry their feces, urine, and hypodermics to sprinkle liberally among the ‘campers’. Sure Jan.
Lagartija Nick June 30, 2022 (10:25 am)

Yes, astute voters recognize that Harrell’s plan measures success by how many encampments have been removed and not by how many people have been housed. What a farce.

DelridgeNeighbor June 30, 2022 (8:44 am)

For years, I have been sending my concerns about the encampments in this greenspace as someone who lives so scarily close. I have witnessed multiple fires, incessant drug use, violence, criminal activity, gunfire, and now, sadly a homicide. It has been a revolving door of people over the last 6 years and it has just gotten progressively worse with each new group. I think what some don’t understand is there is an entire network that exists. They have connections. They know where each other lives, stays. They know the neighborhoods. They know where and how to get what they need to continue living in the way they do. Not all choose to live outdoors, but many of the people in this specific area do indeed prefer it over going to shelters or other housing for various reasons.I am thankful the city/Herbold/Harrell/parks department/whomever is doing something about it. The real problem is that once it’s cleaned up, it won’t last. I have no solution for the housing situation but I do know that millions of dollars a year are spent on this and I just don’t see it getting better.

Bunny June 30, 2022 (9:16 am)

It’s nice to see concern for both the community and the drug addicts. In addition to drug recovery programs, we really need to focus on combating the massive amounts of drugs coming into our city every day. Most addicts won’t get sober until they bottom out – so these folks will likely just move to another spot nearby. Why not? drugs are readily available and petty crime is overlooked

Sukie June 30, 2022 (9:56 am)

I wanted to share this article because I feel like this is an epidemic that’s also being brushed under the rug and could be a cause for some of the aggressive behavior (and murders) being reported at encampments. If we don’t address this issue, we could continue to see more people living in these conditions and unable to move on. I realize the current crisis is not about this one drug alone (of course the affordability of our city is also a major cause) but it definitely seems to be making things worse for people living unhoused. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/the-new-meth/620174/

James June 30, 2022 (10:53 am)

Please take care of these people. I do not want to sweep just to see new spaces occupied by the houseless. We need to help the houseless. Things like Real Change newspaper and other shelter location info should be passed to those who need it. I have extended a helping hand in my Andover neighborhood as much as possible. I just hope and pray we keep helping rather than doing inhumane sweeps with no plans.

MM June 30, 2022 (12:14 pm)

Is there a date scheduled for the 26/Juneau removal?

WSB June 30, 2022 (4:08 pm)

As noted above, the city won’t say. The only reason we had advance notice of 26th/Andover was (a) no-parking signs and (b) the West Seattle Health Club choosing to go public with what the city had told them.