91 Replies to "UPDATE: Man shot and killed at Delridge encampment"

• mem June 20, 2022 (7:13 am)

  Now can we get the RV’s moved in South Delridge? The RV’s and tents that are just off of 16th on both Cambridge and Barton Sts. That area plus Henderson have also been problematic for years- same issues as 26th, near Nucor and health center. Let’s get these people housed with running water, toilets and heat. It is truly inhumane to think that we, as a society, are are allowing this to happen on our streets.

  • BR June 20, 2022 (10:38 am)

    Agreed. The encampments / RVs impact the auto repair shop and other neighboring businesses, not to mention the surrounding residents.  It has gone on way too long. These businesses are not as high profile as Nucor/West Seattle Health Club but I hope that the same attention is provided to our South Delridge / Highland Park neighborhood. 

    • MyThruppence June 20, 2022 (2:19 pm)

      Funny, I always thought there must be some sort of a wink and a nod relationship between the auto repair place on 16th and Barton and the nearby campers. That area has been a hot bed of illegality for so long (5+ years), I find it almost inconceivable that the auto repair place has operated any legitimate business among all the nearby camping.

• flimflam June 20, 2022 (7:48 am)

  Yikes. Not good. Sorry to hear of another encampment shooting. With so many people on the streets over the last several years it’s hard to see a way out for both the city and the campers.

• Audifans June 20, 2022 (8:37 am)

  Right down the street from me.  Hmm.

• Not surprised neighbor June 20, 2022 (8:52 am)

  Not at all surprised this happened so soon after the Andover encampments closed. Sure it could be a coincidence, but, as soon as Andover closed, multiple new vehicles showed up at 26th and Juneau. We have had a very uneasy time with the encampments and 26th and Juneau for the past several years. SPU cleaned 7 TONS of garbage out of the woods this winter. We have seen all kinds of violence, reported to every authority in the city, so a murder feels like the next logical thing. Was it Guy Who Runs The Generator And Built An Entire Village On Longfellow Creek? Guy Who Has A Dog And Hoards Construction Material? RV With The Boarded Up Windows? Black and White SUV? RV With The Flowers? Any way to find out who died? 

  • WSB June 20, 2022 (9:41 am)

    The Medical Examiner releases IDs once daily. Because of the holiday, tomorrow afternoon is the earliest a name would be made public. As for circumstances/setting, police-radio traffic early on mentioned a tent, not an RV.

    • Mark June 20, 2022 (10:10 am)

      I filed a complaint with the city concerning this encampment on May 11, after walking past it on the Longfellow Creek trail. I was appalled at the size of the encampment and the damage to the forest, not to mention not feeling at all safe. Here was part of the city’s response;“Thank you for taking the time to submit a service request to the City of Seattle. We have reviewed and logged your request at 2699 SW JUNEAU ST, SEATTLE, WA 98126. The City has determined that this location is planned to be addressed soon. You will receive further updates for this service request as the status changes and we appreciate your patience.”I never received any “further updates”, so I assume it was business as usual at the encampment with the end result unfortunately being a death.

      • WSB June 20, 2022 (10:47 am)

        “Soon” in cityspeak could mean more than a month; I will be asking tomorrow (city’s closed for Juneteenth today).

        • Rick June 20, 2022 (12:03 pm)

          I think something like “city paycheck performance clauses” should be instituted. Bet that would get a little action.

      • flimflam June 20, 2022 (2:20 pm)

        Mark – thanks for filing the report and looking out for the creek. For a city outwardly concerned about the environment and being “green” Seattle sure overlooks the impact of camps, leaky RVs, etc on green belts, etc.

      • Not Safe in North Delridge June 20, 2022 (5:39 pm)

        Thanks for your report. It is not as if the neighbors in this area have not been reporting this. I hear people walk by and say “I can’t believe they let this happen in their neighborhood” as if we haven’t been reporting things, calling the police, sending emails, having community meetings with the police! for going on two and a half years now. It’s just that the city doesn’t really care because it’s Delridge, and it’s not as visible as the three tents near 35th.  

  • Annie. Rv with broads mint color June 22, 2022 (5:43 pm)

    His name was Gonzo.He was the one that ran the the little camp over there. He was the man that would tell each of us to clean up and act f—ing right before we all pay for your dumb shit. He also was the person that would feed anyone if he had it. He could be a huge A–hole but more like Red from that’s 70’s show. He was rude and hard .. but He never did it to be cruel. The young homeless it’s hard to know where or what to do. Well Gonzo told us where the line was. So he was the man that kept your things from being messed with to his best. Or neat .or clean. Am Seeing if maybe people would like to help his Family and us rise fund to put him to rest with dignity! Thank you for your time. Gonzo helped me and I would like to do this for him.. God bless you all and have a blessed night

• Sillygoose June 20, 2022 (9:53 am)

  This shooting is just one of the reasons SPD should come out routinely and check ID’S of these people in encampments.  The city is allowing complete strangers to live and wander in our neighborhoods without knowing anything about them.  The city sends out cautionary bulletins about sex offenders moving into our neighborhoods but allow these unknown people live anywhere without any type of background check on them.  My guess would be 85% of them have criminal records and warrants hence the reason they are not willing to go into a shelter as you have to show ID, along with being clean and sober.  

  • ADMDevilsAdvocate June 20, 2022 (9:11 pm)

    Where did you get that stat? Do you know the names of your neighbors that live five houses down? Do folks with substance abuse problems ONLY live on the street? PS: Please let me know where I can fill out a background check and verify my ID so I can walk my dogs through your hood.

  • DBurns June 20, 2022 (9:48 pm)

    “Silly Goose” your comment baffles me. Routine ID checks? Background checks?Clearly you have not been paying attention. One of the biggest barriers for unsheltered people is getting an ID. And why might they not have an ID? Maybe it was stolen with their other belongings or lost in the shuffle of life. I have a home, and I have lost important personal items lots of times. But then I can go in my safe and grab my passport, get a piece of mail or a bank statement with my name on it and go get another ID, car title, Costco card, whatever I need. Imagine not having access to any of those things. Getting an ID is a HUGE process for these folks. And for a moment think about not having any ID and what limitations that could present each day. “The city is allowing complete strangers to live and wander in our neighborhoods without knowing anything about them” Really? This makes no sense to me. So because they’re unsheltered they should be subject to a random interview about who they are and whether they can wander about “our” neighborhoods? Do you know all of your neighbors and their criminal history? Are they all required to possess IDs and be sober in their homes? I don’t want people to have to live in unsafe and unsanitary conditions on the street, but not for what it means for me, rather for what it means for them. Here comes the hot weather, and like someone pointed out in another comment chain, when you’re unsheltered it’s difficult to do normal things like get a glass of water. Just imagine that for one moment, Silly Goose. 

    • flimflam June 21, 2022 (5:37 am)

      DBurns – if someone is trespassing I’d think that’d be legal grounds for an ID or warrant check. Most encampments are trespassing on public or private land.

      • DBurns June 21, 2022 (8:55 pm)

        Film Flam – and then what? Throw them in jail? Unreal. You’re seriously out of touch with the world. If that’s your response to my entire comment I feel very sorry for you, I really do. Best of luck. 

        • flimflam June 22, 2022 (6:41 am)

          DBurns – if they had outstanding warrants, yes, definitely “throw them in jail”. The trespassing is a perfectly legal pretense for checking for ID/warrants. I mean, you can’t be saying you are in favor of wanted criminals hiding out in camps?

  • Chad June 21, 2022 (8:01 am)

    This comment is a little over the top, but not too far from what could actually be a solution, and similar to one that has worked in other cities, Olympia included.  In Olympia, RV campers can apply for a permit to camp on very specific streets, and to get a permit, they have to agree to very specific rules-no drugs, no violence, no garbage outside the RV.  This is not an ID check, but at least it sets up rules of that can be enforced, and it separates the criminal RV campers from those just needing a place to park.  Without rampant criminal activity, such as what was happening at the Andover/Nucor site, people would probably be okay with campers, to a certain extent.  What makes us all  nervous is the rampant criminality, the drug buys, the rats and garbage.  If all of that was not happening, we’d all feel a lot more comfortable with RVs in our neighborhoods.  So maybe ID checks go too far, but some form of oversight, and at least a cursory social contract between parties could be a short term solution.

• Compassionate solutions June 20, 2022 (10:01 am)

  Sad to hear of this violence and this person’s tragic death.

  Hope we may learn more about what happened here.

  Folks living in encampments, without the basic security that housing affords, are so vulnerable out there.

  The Andover situation was untenable and not good for the neighborhood and needed to be dealt with. But, I do feel these individuals needs should be prioritized, as they are most vulnerable.

  Only a few accepted the alternative temporary options, obviously they must not have felt the options were a better situation for them. That says something.

  Maybe there needs to be more of a commitment offered to folks at these sweeps. Like a message of, if you go stay in one of these hotels/shelters/tiny houses and work with us, we will help you secure healthy and safe standard individual housing within 2 years. You can exit the program anytime, but if you enter into it, we pledge to help support you in bettering your circumstances and helping you secure affordable decent housing. This includes helping overcome any barriers you are currently experiencing. 

  • Lisa June 20, 2022 (11:13 am)

    Yes. Many feel that unhoused people are obligated to accept “whatever is offered”, but why should we expect anyone to give up the privacy of a vehicle for a cot with a curtain, or even a few nights in a hotel? Both of these options mean giving up one’s vehicle if one has no where to store it (if it’s towed one has to pay impound fees.) And why should we expect folks to move far away from their friends, family and any services they might be taking advantage of? There are numerous reasons why folks reject what is offered, and they are legitimate. The only option that appears to offer long term stability with the possibility of permanent housing is the Tiny House  Villages, and openings are few and far between.  Many/most of the THVs require sobriety, but don’t offer treatment services on site. The creation of “safe parking lots” has the same potential as tiny houses, but the city has been exceedingly slow to implement this option. 

    • neighbor June 20, 2022 (12:44 pm)

      I don’t feel that anyone is obligated to accept whatever is offered. However, if they prefer to live in a vehicle then they must do so legally. That means the vehicle must be in running condition and parked legally, which typically involves moving it regularly. I have no problem with people choosing their vehicle as the least-bad of their options, but I do take issue with people staking out a spot of land and thinking it’s their own. 

    • WS Guy June 20, 2022 (1:33 pm)

      People have no right to be unconditionally cared for on their own terms.  Even a 4 year old knows there’s no cake if he doesn’t clear his place at the table.  If a grown adult needs to be cared for – provided shelter, medical care, and so on – because he can’t earn it himself then he doesn’t get to be choosy.  Opting out and harming the community with illegal camping is not an alternative.  Especially if the goal of opting out is to enable a self-destructive lifestyle.   That doesn’t help anyone.

      • Compassionate solutions June 20, 2022 (7:21 pm)

        Providing inadequate options and solutions, which may further harm the person who is already struggling, doesn’t help anyone either, and seems a waste of resources that could be invested for better longer term outcomes. 

        Why bother providing any services if we aren’t going to try to truly help – meet the person where they are, identify their issues and needs, for whatever reasons they are struggling, their challenges and barriers to recovering a more functional life? 

        It’s not about being choosy, I’m not suggesting people can have whatever they want, rather helping people more skillfully with respect to their individual issues, needs, and what will actually help. Because there isn’t a one size fits all solution for everyone.

        Regarding cake, if cake might help someone recover from homelessness and trauma, I say, let them eat cake.

      • Jennnnnnm June 20, 2022 (10:14 pm)

        Well said as always. 

      • WS Taxpayer June 21, 2022 (6:27 am)

        1000% this.

      • Joan June 21, 2022 (10:04 am)

        Thank you for voicing what I have been thinking

      • Compassionate solutions June 21, 2022 (11:07 am)

        It’s not about giving these people whatever they want. It’s about identifying their needs and what will work and compasionately helping from that perspective. 

        People have a set of basic needs to be well and functional, and then also some unique needs, due to individual experiences, circumstances, issues, and health.

        Adults have a more complex set of needs in some ways than 4 year olds. And people who are struggling, especially with homelessness, have numerous needs not being met.

        There isn’t an easy one-size-fits-all solution to offer these folks currently, that will likely result in a longer term positive outcome. Think that is why many don’t accept the options offered. They recognize this for themselves.

        We can do better.

        • WS Guy June 21, 2022 (9:51 pm)

          Who decides what is a want and what is a need?  Your original post made is sound like it’s up to the urban camper.  

          If Seattle’s RV safe encampment program is the guide, those “needs” cost taxpayers $1,750 per RV per month.  That is way too much to cover at scale for a city with a $119 million budget deficit.  It’s also unfair to people who are on a low fixed income, behave themselves, and don’t get free services.  And that level of service might attract campers from all over.  I’m sorry but the services should be full of rules, very basic, or else someone is going to have to seriously streamline the government’s costs.

        • Compassionate solutions June 22, 2022 (7:04 pm)

          Great question. Think most adults have a sense of their needs. Especially folks in homeless crisis, they are out there thinking a lot about the help they are needing and can’t access.

          If you were in their shoes, who should determine your needs? Should what you feel you need be heard and respected, and at least given consideration, in creating a plan forward?

          I’m sure there are a lot of advocate workers out there frustrated they can’t offer better options for people, in many cases. 

          Also, something interesting perhaps to think about… Sometimes when someone can’t meet a need, they will creatively substitute for a want that is accessible to help cope. You might not think someone needs something that you would categorize as a want, but that thing might help them in the interim, to hold on, while some needs aren’t being met. You might not think an item of comfort as a true need, but someone who has been lacking in comfort, might be emotionally in need of some comfort. For someone who has been lacking in safety, or victimized, they might really be in need of their own space, not a congregate shelter. Whereas you might judge any roof and 4 walls as meeting their need.

          Don’t know all the answers, and agree with you that costs needs to be factored into new options and solutions. Would seem to make good economic sense though to invest for better longer term outcomes, rather than to spend perpetually on ineffective programs for people that will continue to need resources over the long term.

          Thanks for the discussion.

  • Housing first June 20, 2022 (12:19 pm)

    We know how to solve homelessness, it’s called Housing First: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_FirstThe problem is that’s not the policy we have pursued, and as you note, many of the options that we DO make available to the homeless don’t meet their needs, or are worse than their current situation. 

  • Brent Comer June 20, 2022 (2:44 pm)

    I am one of these individuals! And I am vary worried I will be next. Had a man with a baseball bat come and hit a friend of mine just because we were homeless!! And they don’t have any place to put us ? No help for the most vulnerable? With all that money the city received to fight homelessness? Where did it all go? 

    • Compassionate solutions June 20, 2022 (8:17 pm)

      I’m so sorry for what you’re going through, and for what happened to your friend, that is awful and scary. Also for the challenges of connecting with housing help.

      If you feel like sharing, what do you feel you need at this juncture, to help lift your from your current circumstances? What are some of your challenges and barriers? If you could simply ask for what you need, what would that look like? Completely understand if you don’t want to share this here.

      May you be safe.

    • Not Safe in North Delridge June 20, 2022 (8:56 pm)

      Brent, I see you. I know that homeless neighbors who are not involved in the drug or sex trafficking business are far more likely to be abused by those who are. And you don’t deserve it. I don’t lump in all our homeless neighbors together in a homogeneous group. I wish for your safety. 

    • Raina June 20, 2022 (9:13 pm)

      They bought hotels outright. Then we’re sued by housed neighbors and the lawsuits are tied up in “not my neighborhood”court bureaucracy. Now, drained budget and people still outside. Sounds like they were padding private pockets and embezzling money personally. 

      • CAM June 21, 2022 (1:28 am)

        That’s a nifty conspiracy theory. So the government bought hotels, all the while knowing that the people living in the neighborhood surrounding the hotels would sue the government to stop the unhoused from moving in, but they bought the hotels from their friends so they must have gotten some kind of kickback in the beginning, meaning that they never intended anyone to move in ever and it was really just some big scam all along? There are plenty of real deal conspiracies right there in the open that require our attention right now. We don’t need to create new ones. 

• Auntie June 20, 2022 (10:02 am)

  Yet another reason to clear out this encampment. This is right next to the creek – guess where a lot of their garbage and human waste is going? Into the creek that the city spent millions to restore.

  • Compassionate solutions June 20, 2022 (2:14 pm)

    Also concerned for the environment and WS creeks. Hoping there may be compassionate solutions to help these folks relocate to better living options. 

  • ADMDevilsAdvocate June 20, 2022 (9:01 pm)

    Guess where all your garbage and human waste is going?

    • WS Guy June 21, 2022 (12:19 am)

      An environmentally managed landfill and a sewage treatment plant would be my guess.

    • Auntie June 21, 2022 (9:48 am)

      Oh, please! Certainly not untreated into Longfellow Creek! I pay over $100 a month to have my garbage picked up and sewage services (included in water bill).

      • Compassionate solutions June 21, 2022 (3:59 pm)

        Their comment may have been an allusion to the sewage spills we occasionally have in the sound?

        https://westseattleblog.com/2021/04/sewer-overflow-off-alki/

        One thing that really upsets me in regards to the creeks is the illegal dumping of paint!

        https://westseattleblog.com/2021/06/longfellow-creek-polluted-by-suspected-paint-spill/

        More community trash pick ups around waterways would be a good thing.

• skeeter June 20, 2022 (11:49 am)

  This encampment is way way way too close to a school with 400+ students.  (Louisa Boren STEM K-8.)  I will be asking the city to remove the entire encampment.  My daughter in grade school recently had to witness a man attacking a woman at this encampment during school drop-off.  (Yes, 911 was called to report the assault.)  

• MrB June 20, 2022 (11:51 am)

  The sad reality is it takes a shooting or gun death to get the City’s attention. 

• Nothing June 20, 2022 (11:57 am)

  Rest in peace doggie… You will be missed by many

• Over It June 20, 2022 (12:12 pm)

  Two of the RV’s formally found at this encampment have now relocated on 29 and Brandon across from the Camp Long gate.  I’m concerned that this new location will grow in numbers. 

  • Jenava Sexton June 20, 2022 (1:04 pm)

    There have been the same set of rvs and cars on Brandon for months. Recently at least 2 or more have been removed. I don’t think those are from the 25th and Juneau camp, unless there are new rvs today. I live near 29th and Brandon and walk the trail regularly past three encampments: 29th and Brandon, 25th at the substation, and 25th and Juneau. There was really one really big nuisance rv at Brandon that was expanding into the woods and even caused a fire last summer. Sorry to hear about this violencia. Sounds like it’s time to disperse that camp.

• JoAnne June 20, 2022 (12:37 pm)

  How bad do things have to be before we stop allowing these camps?  I hear homeless people screaming and fighting every day and night.  They should not be allowed to carry on like that.  If they were in jail, maybe they could get sober long enough to make better decisions for themselves.   Just because they can’t earn $100K does not mean they shouldn’t have to work at all!  Stop making excuses for this and STOP normalizing the self-destruction and self-degradation of these camps!     

• Canton June 20, 2022 (1:17 pm)

  When will the city be more transparent about the HALA program? The developers are supposed to keep some units below market rents or pay a fee. Where are these below market rental units? Where is the money going if the developers paid the fee instead. All I have seen is a single homes being torn down for multiple townhouses that are out of range for alot of people. We are a few years into this program now. Where are these affordable units or where is the money that was collected?

  • WSB June 20, 2022 (5:31 pm)

    Here’s an update on the Mandatory Housing Affordability program (that’s the actual name of the program HALA set up).
    https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattles-mandatory-housing-affordability-program-ramped-up-in-2021-new-data-shows/
    Here’s the city Office of Housing page about the program
    https://www.seattle.gov/housing/housing-developers/mandatory-housing-affordability

  • Where did the money go? June 20, 2022 (8:21 pm)

    That is a excellent question? Where did all the millions go towards? Chase it sure didn’t build any new developments? It’s evident that funding is being mishandled and that stricter over sight of such allocation of funds wether its federal funding state funding regardless of where the funds are coming from there needs to be some serious over sight to ensure that it actually goes towards projects geared to actually acquire property and build developments strictly for low income indiduals to receive a unit where subsidized housing with rent dues based on said individuals income actual using the funds for rental assistance instead of just taking these funds and fattening current salaries only expanding on pay scales. Doesn’t seem at all practical let alone to actually assists

• d June 20, 2022 (1:46 pm)

  Saddened to hear about this and sorry for their friends and family’s loss.

• Mj June 20, 2022 (1:50 pm)

  Lisa – another option is old school that is get a job and pay rent, Appodment units can be rented for less than a grand a month or renting a room in a house.

• AL June 20, 2022 (2:41 pm)

  This is ridiculous.   They are just moving from one local to another.  If the filth and the crime didn’t follow them that would be one thing.  But it does.  Over it- brace your self.  These folks need to do something different than park their RV’s on residential streets.  Yes- they deserve homes and privacy and compassion- but what is the cost?  Other folks that live in houses, apartments, condos, whatever.    Why do the citizens of these towns that actually pay rent or a mortgage or property tax need to bow down and feel unsafe in their own backyard?  Is that OK too?  I am sorry this happened to this person, but not at all surprised.

  • Not Safe in North Delridge June 20, 2022 (8:51 pm)

    With all due respect, this has nothing to do with RVs. The victim did not live in an RV, and the shooter did not live in an RV. People feel quite free to comment on a situation they know nothing about all so they can project their assumptions onto a violent crime that the actual members of the community know exactly what happened. RVs have zero to do with what happened here. The people in the rvs around this encampment are far more likely to be the victims of violent crime from the encampment than the perpetrators of it. 

• Ryan June 20, 2022 (3:08 pm)

  I live in the neighborhood with my kids, I’ve paid my office manager to spend months and months filing reports on the Find It, Fix It app to no avail, I have personally filed multiple reports on the Find It, Fix It app about the RV encampment on Brandon Street. Should my kids have the same rights as these homeless people that choose  to break the law and live in the squalor they do.I’ve actually spoken to one of the RV residents… All of his family lives outside of seattle. So I asked him why is he living here? His answer because SEATTLE doesn’t impose the rules the same as small towns do.  🤦‍♂️time to give homeowners their rights back and some sense of security

  • My two cents June 20, 2022 (6:42 pm)

    Herbold is of no use either.

• Short term solutions June 20, 2022 (3:21 pm)

  Great, closer to my kids.  camp long will make a lovely encampment.  Even scarier when considering the failed offer to these campers years ago for a city-sanctioned place to park provided they are drug free, failed so miserably in past years.  

  • WSB June 20, 2022 (5:03 pm)

    The previous “safe lot” plan did not fail because of the campers. The city dropped the plan (which as we had reported extensively included a plan for one in West Seattle) because it was spending too much money.
    https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-mayor-drops-plan-for-second-safe-lot-for-those-living-in-cars-rvs/

    Datapoint re: Camp Long … it’s long had encampments.
    This WSB story headlined “City clears Camp Long homeless encampment” is from … 14 years ago.
    https://westseattleblog.com/2008/05/update-city-clears-camp-long-homeless-encampment/

    • Short term solutions June 20, 2022 (9:55 pm)

      Thank you for the links.  I have no doubt camp long is an attractive spot.  How about the man who disappeared just a couple years ago…and his car was found there.the city does what it can, and 2 days later the tents are back up on 35th with stolen bikes and drugs all over.  Rich ladies buying drugs at the dead end under the ws bridge. To Seattle’s credit they haven’t largely turned to ineffectual vagrancy and drug arrests to solve this humanitarian crisis, but frankly at some point the bill will come due.  Ignoring crime completely because they’re in a camper makes little sense to me.  We definitely have a housing crisis, but it seems like a lot of wolves preying on the other homeless that the city isn’t doing much about.  Even the tents cleared just last week on 35th and Alaska are already going back up

      • WSB June 20, 2022 (9:57 pm)

        Where are you seeing tents on 35th? We’ve driven by Rotary Viewpoint Park and the stadium entrance every day, most recently a few hours ago, and didn’t see any.

        • SSS June 21, 2022 (12:17 am)

          It’s about 2/3 the way the hill against the fence between alaska and the road the mount is on. There is a nice desk chair sitting outside the tent. There was another hidden at the very top of that grassy area hiding behind the orange construction sign but I can’t tell if it’s still there.  Be careful walking in camp long beyond the cabins and the large grassy area several people wandering on paths that are out of it. 

    • WS Guy June 21, 2022 (12:27 am)

      Per the link the Ballard safe lot was 20 vehicles costing $1,750 per month each to service.  The West Seattle was 10 vehicles at the same cost.  Incredible.

• Delly June 20, 2022 (3:30 pm)

  This encampment has been a problem for a long time. I personally have called the police for gunshots (definitely not fireworks.) And my goodness the trash spilling into a protected green-space.These are not down on their luck individuals/medically susceptible persons in my experience. These are bad actors. It is disturbing to see them on a street with a child-heavy apartment complex, daycare and Louisa Boren school. This encampment has to go immediately.

  • WS Res June 20, 2022 (6:08 pm)

    These are not down on their luck individuals/medically susceptible persons in my experience. These are bad actors.  How interesting, you’ve interviewed them all I guess?

    • Not Safe in North Delridge June 20, 2022 (9:33 pm)

      Get off your high horse. We have lived next to these people for years. We can see and hear what’s going on. 

      • WS Res June 20, 2022 (10:38 pm)

        We can see and hear what’s going on.  Indeed.

        • Not surprised neighbor June 21, 2022 (10:34 am)

          WS RES — Why are you doubting? Well, actually, yeah. We do. We are adjacent to the encampments, we walk by every single day, we watch. We watch construction equipment get stolen from construction sites and show up at the campsite. We watch garbage, needles, drug paraphenalia, stolen bikes, stolen yard art, stolen objects from our garages show up at the campsite. We see and hear explosions, fires, gunshots, beatings, robberies. We smell chemical odors and feces. We see them with our actual eyeballs that are in our heads. We talk to the campers who are not outright threatening. The man who was murdered was unfriendly and intimidating. I have exchanged glances and nods with him for the past three years, but he wasn’t the type of person who slowed down and said hi. Do NOT try to tell us what we are an are not experiencing. We are personally, directly affected and have done everything we can to try to attract city attention and get support. If you live on or near the corner of Juneau and 26th you have a right to have an opinion about this encampment. If you don’t, you don’t get to second guess our lived experience. 

        • Jethro Marx June 21, 2022 (9:38 pm)

          As your extensive comments show, you can pretty much say all manner of stuff here in the comments section of the internet. Really interesting twist on the ol’ “lived experience” buzzword, though! It sounds like you have had to put up with a lot of unpleasantness.

        • Compassionate solutions June 22, 2022 (7:37 am)

          @not surprised…Sounds like an uncomfortable situation you’ve had in your backyard.

          For someone in his circumstances, and it sounds like surveilled and looked at reproachfully by displeased neighbors, might understand why he wasn’t more jovial in passing. That’s a stressful life!

          You may not like hearing this, and I expect to be jumped on, but, I would bet, he felt some of the housed neighbors, were intimidating and unfriendly, too.

          To those who have a lot of fears due to their presence, have a suggestion.  can almost guarantee that if you approached these folks with love in your heart and brought them some food, just for the sake of a kind gesture, you would walk away feeling less tension and fear.

          It’s good to be aware of potential safety concerns for children in regards to illegal and unsavory activity, but might be good to hold in perspective, there are a lot more instances of children being harmed in their homes, than there are by homeless individuals with drug addiction issues.

          Know this perspective isn’t most popular, but feel these people don’t have much of a voice, and deserve to have some compassion on their behalf. They are people with hearts and hopes, fear and pain, too.

    • Delly June 21, 2022 (12:14 pm)

      I believe I have witnessed every visible person at this location (god knows how many are hiding in the trees). They are, at best, drug addicts.

      An excerpt from my email to Lisa Herbold:  It is disturbing to see them on a street with a child-heavy apartment complex, daycare, and Louisa Boren STEM school. If we cannot prioritize protecting them (versus a gym…) then who are you protecting? This encampment has to go immediately.I fear it is only a matter of time before these vagrants harm a child. If that happens, I will never be able to ignore your inaction. I genuinely think we are on borrowed time with this encampment. PLEASE. WE NEED ACTION NOW.

      • Most U don't have a clue June 24, 2022 (12:05 am)

        Everyone that I’ve met that stays at that encampment the last year would kick somebody’s a– for harming a child.No I don’t live there. I am a neighbor tho

    • James June 21, 2022 (3:14 pm)

      Well said WS Res. These commenters are the bad actors IMO. A lot of them were lying about the RV cleanup and rats and all kinds of other things (I know because I volunteered to help shelter those in need) and they were posting unchecked on this blog. Too bad comments aren’t verified and add to mass hysteria about the poor. 

      • Al King June 21, 2022 (4:52 pm)

        James. There is NO “mass hysteria about the poor” you’re making that up. What there IS is a desire for criminal activity and squatting be addressed and people held ACCOUNTABLE. You do believe in accountability don’t you??

        • James June 22, 2022 (7:19 am)

          Yeah, you’re holding the WRONG PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. It should be the politicians and corporations and their CEOs not paying wages to cover cost of living in the areas they want to exploit labor skill to make themselves money. They’re the problem. Stop criminalizing being poor.

        • Compassionate solutions June 22, 2022 (8:00 am)

          Some of us believe in community accountability, too.  We recognize that we are all human and connected, have some accountability to these issues, and some responsibility to help one another.  Where is the accountability for whatever has contributed to their circumstances that were not within their control- for traumas that happened to them, lack of available supports and affordable housing, etc?

          Was just reading the other day about some scientific research which shows that those with a sense of more power and wealth demonstrate less empathy.  This seems to be one of the challenges we are up against in trying to find solutions together, this disparity of power and wealth in society, to some degree, is contributing to a disparity of empathy and compassion, too. 

• Lee Bruce June 20, 2022 (6:32 pm)

  As a former resident of this community this news saddens and surprises me greatly as since the DESC housing first homeless shelter entered the community several years ago crime, vagrancy, homelessness and drug activity became non-existent in the community and nearby greenbelts.The DESC homeless shelter staff cared greatly about the community they would swiftly address any issues and held monthly community cleanups and community dinners for the poor, while housing a community store ( Delridge Co-op).

  • Most U don't have a clue June 24, 2022 (12:01 am)

    Maybe the man- Levi- that ran that desc building when it first went up cared & helped people, but now that desc building is just another scumbag business that makes a huge profit off the misfortune of others & gets donations that do not go to the people who they’re supposed to.. 

• HoldenOn June 20, 2022 (7:54 pm)

  I’ve cycled past that “encampment” south of Juneau very near Longfellow Creek, at least twice a week for the past two years. I’ve been stunned and ashamed to see our fragile salmon streams used as toilets. Why are we so tolerant? Part of my ride uses the cycling path to Alki. Parked just north of the new “Self-Storage” and south of the 7-11 on the east side of Harbor Avenue SW are no less than three RV’s. Homeless? These are active businesses selling drugs. Their customers arrive by car and either park in front of or behind the RV. Almost immediately the seller exits the RV and walks to the car window, often a current model AUDI, Lexus or Porsche. Very casual. No effort to conceal what they are doing. Why do we allow this? Seattle has traffic cameras everywhere. Why is there no surveillance of these precious recreation areas that we Seattle taxpayers provide. My taxes (since 1981) keep going up while the toxic messes pile up. 

  • James June 21, 2022 (3:12 pm)

    Maybe the concern should be housing humans before worrying about salmon for the people who have homes. I don’t mean to be crass but you’re looking at the effect and not causes. And drug dealing occurs because people need to make ends meet in a brutal economy.  Not defending it but I understand why it happens. Capitalism breeds social inequality.  That’s the sad truth.

• mjc June 20, 2022 (7:56 pm)

  This is a good spot for some yellow eco blocks! 

  • James June 21, 2022 (3:10 pm)

    No I do not want these ugly hostile things all over the city. They’re a joke.

    • Question Authority June 21, 2022 (10:40 pm)

      Those blocks are a solution driven by need, It’s otherwise known as cause and effect.

• Rocket June 20, 2022 (10:48 pm)

  The housed populations excrement goes to super fancy treatment centers.  Do you honestly think that there is no value to sanitation?  How disconnected have you come from the basic realities behind your own existence.  If we hadn’t taken the basic realizations behind germ theory and started doing things like properly disposing of our bodily wastes and washing our hands 95% of us would never have been born.  Citizens of a city should indeed care about where their waste goes.  Even if you are just being devils advocate it is insanely boneheaded to think that the same thing becomes of your pee and poop when you put it in a toilet vs directly on top of the ground or directly into a stream.  You are just arguing to argue and in doing so are making yourself sound incredibly stupid.  

• Rocket June 20, 2022 (10:54 pm)

  WSRes, I imagine based on you posting on this story you are aware there was a murder in that encampment last night?  Even if they aren’t ALL bad actors (whatever definition you might use for that is up to you on a range of one who destroys salmon habitat to murderer of humans) it is safe to say there are bad actors down there.  SMH.And here we fight amongst our middle and low class selves,while the rich all around us pay little to no tax and make all of their money off our backs using the infrastructure we built with our tax money and labor and which they use for free or at a huge discount compared to us, about what to do about the human tailings left over once they have made their profit.  It’s all going according to plan. 

  • Pessoa June 22, 2022 (7:56 am)

    Yes, and we all deserve part of the blame by our own self-interest and unwillingness to make personal sacrifices.   The same grotesquely skewed economic system that people complain about is the same one that they profit from, or prop up because they are too spineless to withdraw from it   There is always someone else to blame – a president, a congress, a Supreme Court, a corporation –  except ourselves. 

• Captain obvious June 21, 2022 (3:30 am)

  Word.

• Delridge neighbor June 21, 2022 (2:52 pm)

  Maybe the neighbors in our community would be interested in hiring private security guards to patrol the neighborhood?  Enough is enough…

• Most U don't have a clue June 23, 2022 (11:53 pm)

  I live in the area & have met the man that was shot & killed – they called him Gonzo & he was always keeping the younger people camping in the area in line & giving advice & food if u were hungry. This shouldn’t have happened, & is sad. THE SHOOTER DID NOT COME FROM THIS AREA- HE DIDN’T CAMP HERE, & from what I understand- has killed a few people. He came to this camp to kill Gonzo. And I don’t know of any other violence going on at this camp.  The problem isn’t the homeless people or ‘ addicts ‘ or whatever – the problem is this society doesn’t take care of each other & when that kid who was getting abused grows up & isn’t a cute kid anymore – no one gives a sh-t about em- and most of the ‘services’ only exists on paper.I would say that at least 85% of homeless people I’ve met this last 7 years have been raised in foster homes or seriously abusive homes.. and never got the help they needed. Cause it doesn’t actually exist.

  • Compassionate solutions June 25, 2022 (11:12 pm)

    I hear you
    💛

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