UPDATE: RV fire on Harbor Avenue

Mark July 3, 2022 (2:50 pm)

The amount of disrespect from the rv encampments along the green belt on harbor Ave is frustrating. It’s one thing to park there, it’s another to turn the area around the rv into a dump. And the city refuses to do anything.

Caleb July 3, 2022 (3:17 pm)

A good way to model respect would be to wait see if anyone got hurt in this incident before complaining about garbage? Just a thought.
- Mark July 3, 2022 (5:05 pm)
  
  No one was hurt, now what do you have to say?
  - one voice July 3, 2022 (8:11 pm)
    
    Think it should be said, that someone just lost their home and belongings.
    
    One thing I don’t understand is why there is so much fighting amongst each other, as if it’s not possible to recognize and be concerned for the humanitarian, social/community, and environmental issues related to homelessness, all at the same time.
    
    Could we all agree it’s complex, try to to be more respectful of each other, despite our differences, recognize and acknowledge impacts to others – not just our own experience – and maybe then we can work better together, to solve these issues, improve the world for all of us?
    
    Do our concerns have to compete with one another?
    - Tired of the entitled July 4, 2022 (8:58 am)
      
      Thank you, One Voice, the voice of reason comes out. If any of the housed people on this thread lost their home and everything they had in the world to a fire, the community would rally together to help. Instead these people who are down on their luck get kicked when their down. Where’s the compassion? These are people – many of whom are the working poor and priced out of the housing market. There are answers and we can find them if we can get past the vitriol. And as for the garbage – you can’t have it both ways, ie., complain about garbage but also come out and complain to the city when there’s a dumpster or a port-a-pottie placed there. Lastly, much of the recent violence is perpetrated AGAINST this community not by it. They are getting their windows shot out – their possessions dumped in the ditch – screaming, and yelling. Tire irons damaging their RV. This is all documented violence by some of those in the greater community trying to make them leave. It’s a hard, hard life. They don’t want it. Let’s please try to get your representatives to DO SOMETHING
    - Eran July 4, 2022 (4:50 pm)
      
      “These are people – many of whom are the working poor and priced out of the housing market. “If they are indeed the working poor, and are being paid below the cost of living, then allowing them to break the law and camp/RV illegally is simply an unfair subsidy to the employers. You are taking costs that should be coming out of someone’s pay (as they do for the rest of us) and socializing them to everyone, to the benefit of the employer. An employer who no longer has to pay what it costs to sustain the worker, giving them an unfair competitive advantage in the labor market. Society picks up the cost for homeless land use, waste disposal, loss of public space, destruction of property (eg burned down trees), emergency response (fire, police, ER, etc), and so on, and is deprived of taxes paid by a renter or owner needed to fund all these services. No, the law should be enforced and those who cannot afford to live in Seattle should be required to move and take their labor with them to lower cost of living places. Employers must be made to pay a living wage and that will only happen if there are not enough workers because they have been forced to relocate. Illegal RV camping is not a sustainable long term solution. Society should not condone breaking the law to finance the convenience of the underpaid or the greed of those who underpay them.
    - Jennifer July 4, 2022 (10:29 pm)
      
      The working poor and employed homeless are not living in RVs. Stop kidding yourself and look at what’s going on in those RVs. These are people with serious drug addiction and untreated mental illness. As they currently are, they cannot function independently, which is why there are such high levels of violence, crime, constant fires, and piles of trash concentrated around RVs, and leaving them to their own devices is the most harmful thing that we as a society can do. We cannot continue to allow this to happen without any sort of consequence – it’s killing people.
- Captain Drew July 3, 2022 (5:54 pm)
  
  Model respect to who? I don’t know about you, but I am beyond modeling respect to anyone that refuses services while trashing our city.
  - Also John July 3, 2022 (7:37 pm)
    
    I agree 100%! My empathy is gone. They behave as if Seattle is one giant city dump.
- Erich I July 3, 2022 (5:54 pm)
  
  Would waiting somehow have changed the validity of the comment?
- 22blades July 4, 2022 (6:32 am)
  
  If there was any respect to safe practices, they wouldn’t be a risk to their safety or property. Rules & practices exist to save us from ourselves. Flout them & everybody is at risk. If this happened in a dry winter day, that whole stretch might have been torched. My comment isn’t about the RV’s. It’s about clean, healthy practices.
  
  Respect is a two way street.
  - Compassionate solutions July 4, 2022 (11:08 am)
    
    There seems to be a lack of awareness of the logistical challenges these people have with properly handling their trash. They don’t have proper waste management access, or in many cases the money or functioning vehicles to being things to the dump. They don’t have multiple big trash and recycling bins and garage to keep them in. Maybe there are a few truly odd ducks who enjoy living in squalor or who want to make such a mess, but the majority do not, they are just ill equiped and resourced at the moment to deal with their belongings and trash. People living out of tents have the problem of no trash bags to begin with, and then difficulties keeping up with removing the trash around them. They would have to walk their trash around and find available garbage bins. We take for granted how having a home, and trash cans and bags, and regular pick up, makes the whole trash management thing easy. It’s understandable to be upset about the garbage. I’m environmentalist minded myself. But can we at least acknowledge the real difficulties these people are in, and talk about how we might the situation better?
BobP July 3, 2022 (3:51 pm)

Reports are no injuries. The area has turned into dump site and poses health and safety issues to those that use/live in the area and , as we’ve seen, those driving by. Who’s our city council person for District 1? It’s been a problem since we moved back to WS in 2017. Why is nothing being done?
- Jethro Marx July 3, 2022 (7:50 pm)
  
  The fact that you are asking random readers of internet comments who your elected officials are does not instill large amounts of confidence in your desire to bring about change by engaging with them.
Mr Henry July 3, 2022 (3:53 pm)

Agree 💯. But I guess until there is a shooting, a death, another fire, or rats take over the neighborhood the City of Seattle will do nothing. Shame on you Seattle Government. These camps have to be removed permanently.
- M July 3, 2022 (8:37 pm)
  
  Mr Henry, I agree with you 100%. It usually takes at least 2 shootings before the city does anything. I rode my bike down there yesterday and I had to ride out in the street. Too many homeless hanging around including one walking his pit bull dog. There was no way I was going to ride pass the dog. I have never seen it that bad in that area before including the garbage everywhere.
  - Jamie Brewer July 3, 2022 (10:20 pm)
    
    Way to villianize homeless people..in a Army Veteran… living in Seattle since 2016.. the first year I was homeless…I suppose in your eyes that makes me responseable for the war in the Ukraine, global hunger and whatever else you want to pile on
    - Michael Bailey July 4, 2022 (2:01 pm)
      
      There are two types of homeless, those that want help and are trying to make their lives and living situation better, Then there are those who don’t want any help, accountability, or any rules so they can just steal, do drugs and be a menace. The latter are the one’s I am interested in removing from the streets permanently. The first group I am all for helping and assisting.
  - Rocket July 4, 2022 (11:30 pm)
    
    It’s a club and you ain’t in it.Clear all the encampments, move them to a corner of the nearest golf course. Raze the golf course and build cheap and free housing. Relocate the campers onto the newly built housing. Convert the corner to a park.
  - Grace Salamanca July 8, 2022 (4:01 am)
    
    I know what pit bull your talking about. I went to check on a gal I met down there and make sure she was okay after the fire. I was afraid to get out of my Jeep because of that pit bull. I was told he’s actually great with people and just not good with other dogs. Please do not ride in the street and risk getting hit because of the dog. By the way, they told me the fire was set by someone else- so not by the people who lived in it. Not sure how true that is just what I heard today
scarey July 4, 2022 (12:10 pm)

This is what needs to be fixed first, the DEA and other Government Officials need to get the drug(s) off the streets and also the dealers. This crack/meth is not the same it is more addictive and making people go completely out of their minds. Read up on it.
https://dynomight.net/p2p-meth/

Dp July 3, 2022 (2:59 pm)

Well, another meth lab gone!!!

WSB July 3, 2022 (3:29 pm)

Police and fire cleared quickly, as noted above, and SFD’s investigator was not sent, indicating no suspicious cause suspected, but we’ll be asking in our followup inquiry too.
- Xana La Fuente July 8, 2022 (6:30 am)
  
  You should definitely follow up because I heard it was arson. At least started by someone other than whoever owns it/lived in it. BTW, the black one, got hit by a guy who fell asleep at the wheel. In his company truck. They had to jump out and pull his foot off the gas. It moved their RV 5 feet. Their attorney is dragging the whole thing out. I know this because I am a witness. Im happy to give you the attorneys contact. They literally CANT move if they want to get paid. I said they should get on the news. See if the company that guy drives for likes being blasted on TV. The cops never even breathalized the guy. Or checked to see if RV occupants were okay. The female that lives there used to work for a senator. Shes super smart and young enough to change her life. The huge RV in front of them, no one knows whos it is. The people across the street who work in the auto detail place told me they didn’t know, but told black RV guys that it ” was theirs ” and they were ” keeping it there for a friend ” so maybe you should find out. I’ve knocked on them door. Now one inside. It gets picked at by the tweekers. Gas was taken out long ago. So there is NO reason that one cant be towed. I refuse to park over there because Im not going to get raped or murdered just because my jerk neighbors don’t like my RV. I tried to be down there but its just too dangerous. So that’s the story with 3. The other ones, why dont you send someone over to ask each person what the exact situation is. By the way, there is a RV storage right there. But the guy is a jerk and he only takes new RV’s. Both street outreach teams are not just offering people housing. I don’t know where people get that from. The news I guess. But I can prove it. Where as no one here can prove that those specific people ” refused ” housing. That’s simply not true. It doesn’t even make sense. You could always AirBnb it if you REALLY prefered living in a RV I suppose! Yes, as crazy as it sounds, addicts can navigate AirBnb. They are not zombies. Last year WSB posted about a RV fire. There were 4 replies. One was asking if there was a GoFundMe for the people who lost their home. Of course someone had to immediately shame them for even thinking of helping a stranger, but look at then compared to now. Something is different. Covid changed people. That damn meth and Fentanyl is everywhere. But guess what, A LOT of ” normal looking ” employed people are doing both. It’s not getting through the Border passing all these checkpoints and people aren’t making millions of dollars on it from a few hundred people living in RVs in Seattle. They are an easy target. I am begging you to try to be more tesponsible as a outlet people go to and trust. And either stop posting about ” The RV’s ” or actually investigate what exactly is going on.

Vee July 3, 2022 (3:29 pm)

I was walking in area when happened, almost went that direction but didnt. Just drove by. that whole section of R V,s is a dump, trash all over, and now 2 large ones that were on alki a nd had tickets are now parked in Saltys parking lot

Retired July 4, 2022 (1:25 pm)

Not Salty’s😎
- WSB July 4, 2022 (4:06 pm)
  
  For accuracy’s sake, it’s not. The lot with the two RV’s (and other cars) is a City of Seattle-owned street end (SW Bronson).
Grace Salamanca July 8, 2022 (2:28 am)

One belongs to someone who parking dude is pretty much letting stay there. The other one is MY business vechicle. Its not any longer than the huge tow truck that is always parked on Alki. I have paid rent on Alki at same apt almost 10 years. However, I did not spend $10G on a RV to park it by my place. I intended to take my business on the road. Travel. See family & friends. 10 days after I bought it the brakes pretty much went out. I’ve taken it to Les Schwab in Georgetown, had a mobile mechanic come twice, both screwed me over. So if I have all this support and an apt and still can’t get on the road, you can bet that the other older RV’s are having the same problems. What they need is laws that prevent older RV’s from being sold period. It was all remodeled inside so I got suckered. The fact is that the older ones just have too many problems to keep mobile. I have been defending RV’s on here this whole time, but I now see that they arent helping my plight at all! You need to know something though. Since I’ve had my RV, all of the agencies that do reach out work for housing- Ive spoken to them all. And I was honest, but since I was thinking about getting a different apt and qualify since I’m disabled- more now than I already was after getting hit on my bicycle last Halloween and left on the road to die- most likely by a drunk driver, I went through the motions so-to-speak and I can tell you that all this help that they say they are offering on the news- its B.S. and I can and have been trying to prove it. I even emailed a couple of investigative reporters. My next step is calling the mayors office. And the governors office. I want to try to get a law passed similar to the lemon law- but for older RV’s. I want to call it The Clementine Law. I dont know why, just sounds old timey and its easy to remember. But I should have had some legal recourse when I bought my RV. If we don’t do something to stop the sale of them now then its only gonna get worse. But back to the outreach people. Kelli at Salvation Army, works with this guy Johnathan in this special division that only helps people living in vechicles. They didn’t know anything about the RV’s by the gym on Andover. Which by the way, I’ve been a member there since 2012 when it was Allstar Fitness. So I told Kelli, you shoulf go help the people over there. She had NO IDEA where / what I was talking about. If they had gone over there and actually offered housing, maybe call the RV’s wouldn’t be on Harbor now. They dropped the ball big time. One day she texted me and said ” were coming out to WS ” and I said ” Why to spread more false hope ” I BEGGED her to help me with my SSDI application. And about housing, first she said ” We can get people into HUD Housing ” then she says ” Bad news, they are out of money until June ” well this was in April. That was only 2 months. Its not like they were out of money until November. For someone who was willing to walk away from a broken down RV which many of the ones that just moved to Harbor seem to be, thats not long to wait. The right thing to do would have been to ASK ” Would that work for you ” ? See when people already feel like they have fallen through the cracks, you cant be wishy washy like that. She also said her boss had paid for someone’s tires and battery. I was like well then why dont you ask her to help with my brakes ” she said ” Im going to talk to her tomorrow ” I never heard back from her about it. Just to say they were coming through. Think about it, has the news actually SHOWN ANY PROOF that they offered housing? Proof of any success stories? Proof that these specific people simply said said ” No thanks ” ? Look, I want them gone too. They make my life 100x harder right now. But please dont single out certain RV’s and think you know their story. By the way, me and the parking guy on Alki, Harbor, & Beach Drive have an understanding. He said ” I know you try to move every 3 days ” After I got towed 2 weeks ago, and they totally messed up my RV, now Im even further away from leaving WS. I was close, until that happened. He felt bad after we spoke for almost 20 min. So constantly complaining about my specific RV is not going to get them to tell me or ticket me again. You might see an orange sticker but he knows that I know the rules. What had happened that specific week was I had moved a bunch of stuff out of my storage and I did not want to move it into the storage room at my apartment building because there’s these horrible people living there that steal everything that’s not nailed down. And we were promised that they were going to be getting evicted soon, so I was waiting to bring in my expensive vending tents for my business until they were gone. Also I never saw any orange sticker. I was literally about to go out there that afternoon and move and start vending and then be able to leave the area. As a matter of fact my friend’s dad tried to buy my RV that weekend and I was like screw it I’m going to go ahead and sell it to him but once he test drove it and we realized just how bad Lincoln Towing had screwed it up he decided not to buy it. I actually had to hand him back all of the money. So that backfired big time on whoever was complaining. It kind of hurts my feelings because I’ve been a member of this community for a long time and I’m constantly at the beach picking up trash. I was out there with my huge floating flamingo during covid lockdown pulling kids up and down the beach- people’s kids that I don’t even know, trying to show the kids a good time since everything was closed. And what do I get? Eggs thrown out my vehicle. Windows broken. Dirty notes left on my window. In the meantime the three vans that come here every summer that actually came early this year the black van the white van and the tan van that have surfboards on them- nobody says anything about those vans because they’re new and expensive. And I noticed nobody’s complained about the huge RV in front of the building with the pool that’s got cones all around it. It’s been sitting there for two weeks. I guess that’s not a problem because it’s new. All I’m saying is that I understand why people don’t like all of the trash and all of the drugs and crime surrounding the encampments but that doesn’t mean they have to freak out every time they see an RV. Obviously if someone is painting their RV and has it all lit up and they’re moving it around it’s not a homeless person. Lastly, when I asked him why dont they go tow the RV’s on Harbor, he said ” Were working on it ”
Grace Salamanca July 8, 2022 (3:49 am)

By the way, your talking about my business vechicle and it did not have a ticket. If it did, then someone took it off before I saw it. I live on Alki and have paid rent here for almost 10 years. Before that I had a house above Thriftway. Ive spoken to D.O.T. and to the parking dude on Alki. He said that he knows I try to move every 72 HRs. I would be in N.M. seeing my dad, had the chode who sold it to me for $10G not ripped me off. If people were not being so awful to me, I might not be so stressed that some days my blood pressure is too high to work on my exit plan. About the other RV, nicest guy in the world. His mom just died. He took her all over the country in that RV. He was on Alki 2 days and hated it. Went back to that parking lot, where apparently parking police are not bothered by him parking there. I went there for a couple of days because he was doing some work on my RV. It was damaged when it was towed 2 wks ago. One guy at Lincoln Towing got fired for the damage they did to my RV. The tow bill- taxpayers will pay it- because it was illegally towed. I also had the chance to sell it, but it fell through because of the damage Lincoln Towing did. I don’t know why you are keeping tabs on us, but at least keep better notes. Because your simply wrong. Neither of us had a ticket. We would both like to leave and go up to Diablo Dam or down to Lake Shasta- I didn’t buy a RV to park it outside of my apt. Why would anyone do that? So I can see why you might be making all these assumptions, but this is about the ENCAMPMENT. If your going to complain about any big RV, theres one bigger than mine parked in front of the building with the pool. Its got orange cones around it. They have been there over a week.
Xana La Fuente July 8, 2022 (5:59 am)

Wait so they didn’t do anything wrong. Except the part you made sure you added that they both had tickets. Which isnt true. One is mine. The other is a nice man’s who did some work on mine. For free. Neither of us got tickets the days we were parked by each other on Alki. He didn’t like it there, and I left to go work because my RV is my business vechicle. He went back to the city owned lot next to Salty’s. I went the next day so he could repair the damage Lincoln Towing did. So you just don’t like RV’s? That’s fine. But just say that. Because this thread is about a fire on Harbor Blvd. where there is a bunch of RV’s parked. And apparently its getting messy. I wouldn’t know. Were not all connected like some big chain gang of misfits. I don’t like all the scooters and rental bikes all over Alki by my apt. where I’ve lived almost 10 years. But I don’t lie about stuff regarding them. I report actual stuff that happens on D.O.T.s website. Like I had to do the other night when these kids were throwing cones at passing cars. From rental bikes. That’s dangerous. And they are unsightly to me. Just like RV’s are to you. If you have to lie to make someone look bad, at least make sure its someone that doesnt read or write or own a phone / laptop I guess.

John Smith July 3, 2022 (3:33 pm)

Let’s hope this triggers the city to respond and have the RV’s and broken down vehicles removed/towed. But unfortunately not even a shooting at the previous encampment area triggered a quick response to clearing it by the city. An RV lot for safe dumping of human waste may be a nice compromise and temporary solution to this issue but that would take the residents of said RV’s agreeing to park at the RV lot opposed to on city streets and even in parking lots like Salty’s gravel lot where 2 RV’s are already parked currently and it won’t be long before more join them for tax free waterfront property where their waste and leaking chemicals can wash away into Elliott Bay. Protect the environment at all cost cause the local marine life didn’t vote for this.

Shannon July 3, 2022 (3:52 pm)

Unt you have walked have walked a mile in their shoes John Smith, you have no right whatsoever, to whine about other PEOPLE’s living conditions. NONE!!!

John Smith July 3, 2022 (4:07 pm)

@Shamnon I respectfully disagree. I as well as all other seattlites have every right as tax payers to complain and demand better of our city. Enabling homelessness & lawlessness is unacceptable and inexcusable under any and all circumstances! Glad to see the mayor’s willingness to clear illegal encampments and tow vehicles that aren’t moved every 72hrs (per the law for all). All citizens are responsible to follow the laws and glad the mayor is willing to have said laws enforced and clean up our city one encampment clearing at a time. Enabling the homeless to remain living in encampments and broken down vehicles isn’t compassionate but the opposite of compassion and also these broken down vehicles leaking fluids into our waterways and the trash filled encampments are horrible for our environment as well, which most in Seattle say they care so deeply about.
- ledeman5227@msn.com July 3, 2022 (7:21 pm)
  
  100 percent correct The only fault is the silent majority not going to the city council meetings and shouting like Savants vocal minority
  - Kevin on Delridge July 4, 2022 (9:22 am)
    
    You have no ideas. There is a reason this “majority” is silent, they are morally and intellectually bankrupt.
- Kadoo July 3, 2022 (7:29 pm)
  
  Amen!
- M July 3, 2022 (8:42 pm)
  
  John Smith. I agree 100%
wscommuter July 3, 2022 (4:13 pm)

I respectfully disagree with you. I bicycle past these RV’s almost daily – I’ve watched the development of long-term intent to settle on Harbor Ave (I assume many have moved from the recent shut down behind the steel mill) – I have watched not just the garbage, but the open display of numerous bikes that I’m pretty sure are stolen and in various stages of being cannibalized to sell. I see some chemical bottles that I suspect have to do with some illicit manufacturing within some of the RV’s (but readily admit I could be wrong). I see the filth piling up. If the RV can be driven to this location, if these folks are purely down and out, then they can drive to a dump site to get rid of their garbage. But I am pretty sure most don’t care that they are despoiling another public space. I don’t want to see anyone living this way – I support building sustainable housing that provides care and dignity so that we can get people out of cars and RV’s and tents and into real shelter (and I support paying more taxes to pay for this). But let’s not kid ourselves that too many of these folks are drug-addicted and making their choices with that reality driving their lives. That should be unacceptable to all of us.
- Alki Jack July 3, 2022 (10:53 pm)
  
  I agree many many of them do not want to move into housing. They are drug dealers and heavy users and like this life style. Separating them into groups that want/need help with the others is the problem.
  - Xana La Fuente July 8, 2022 (6:38 am)
    
    You know all this how?
- Tired of the entitled July 4, 2022 (9:05 am)
  
  WSCommuter – you seem reasonable. There are definitely those who have drug and mental health issues out there. The city and county need outreach workers to get down there and get these people off the street and the help they need. There are lots of precedents for how to do that. Our city isn’t doing it. So they get mixed in with the working poor and those who are simply priced out of the market. Those people are afraid of these guys too! I have spoken to these people, have you? I challenge you to do so. They are just people. Most are not drug addicted and mentally ill. They can’t make those who drive up and have issues, leave. If we had permitting like in Olympia there could be rules and porta-potties and garbage cans. There could be safe-parking areas away from the main streets, like Harbor Avenue where these former army vets, low-wage workers, families, etc. could peacefully and legally live. That’s what they want. There are solutions and our city spends the millions allocated for this simply continuing to “study” it and continually hire new people that don’t know enough.
waughtown July 3, 2022 (4:50 pm)

Last time I checked, Shannon, this was still a free country with freedom of speech. If anyone wants to complain about the filthy and squalid conditions that exist in these RV (and other homeless) encampments, then we are free to do so. Allowing people to continue live in these conditions is not humane. Using moral relativism to silence those who express frustration over the failure of our local government to tackle crime, drugs, and homelessness is simply perpetuating the problem!!!
- one voice July 3, 2022 (8:36 pm)
  
  Shannon has as much a right to free speech as you.
  - B July 4, 2022 (1:13 am)
    
    Whoathon would agree with that. But I guess you didn’t see his point about moral relativism. That’s the point. Most people expressing frustration don’t WANT people living in these conditions; that’s kind of a given. So they comment in harsh but real terms to move the conversation forward. We don’t need people reminding us that we are talking about human beings. We get that. We are talking about human adults making choices. Just like all of us. So I think we can handle some adult talking points. Hard as they may be for butterfly ears to hear
    - compassionate solutions July 4, 2022 (6:40 am)
      
      No one chooses to be homeless. Even when it appears to be a choice, to them it was what they had available or lack of other choices. There are often complex and profound reasons for why people end up in such circumstances. But this doesn’t suit the narrative of choice and blame and punishment, some seem to prefer. The ongoing oversimplifications and statement of people simply choosing these circumstances, or denying the help they need, is lacking in awareness and understanding, and is just as frustrating for some of us as the frustration others are feeling about the impacts of homelessness in our backyards. We aren’t going to solve anything by just expressing frustration and anger and hatred and blaming these people. The real issue of housing availability and affordability, should be enough reason alone to take a step back from your ‘adults-with-choices’ blame game. There are many more reasons contributing to homelessness, and real problems to solve, but we aren’t going to get there without better understanding and some compassion first. Some of the commentary expressing frustrations seems to lack awareness and understanding and compassion for folks experiencing homelessness. That is why you have other commenters voicing these aspects, because they are missing in the conversation, and are essential to solving these issues. One thing that some may not even be very aware of is that there are people actually profiting off of keeping others down and blaming them, both individuals, organizations, and systems. I see it out there, and it’s disgusting.Open your eyes everyone, it’s complex, it’s shameful, and it’s time to dig in and find solutions to make our world a better place, with liberty and justice for all.
    - B July 5, 2022 (6:19 pm)
      
      Compassionate Solutions. This is just flat wrong:”No one chooses to be homeless. Even when it appears to be a choice, to them it was what they had available or lack of other choices. “My personal experience will never allow me to believe your naive view that “no one chooses” it. I’ve seen two clear examples of friends – one a teenager and one a 50yo resourceful individual that many on the blog will know of – who had every opportunity to live at homes, so long as they worked and contributed. Freedom from responsibility was a more attractive choice, regardless of the unhealthy and stressful impact it would have on them. Choosing homelessness is a result of choosing other things that lead to being unhoused. In both my examples that I know personally, both chose a homeless path because the horrors and trials of living in a safe house and contributing was just sooooo awful and lacked excitement. They were made the offer many times and they CHOOSE to continue their independent path on the streets.
    - Compassionate solutions July 5, 2022 (9:12 pm)
      
      Maybe you happen to know of some interesting exceptions, or maybe your view of the situation from where you sit, is different from theirs, and not complete in respect to their whole experience or issues. For one thing, drug addiction is often seen as a choice, but it’s a serious issue that can be extremely hard to overcome, so that is not simply a choice. When teenagers leave home, there can be complex issues at home which lead to this. Also, when I say no one chooses homelessness, I’m referring to actual homelessness. Not folks that are on some temporary nomadic adventure and could easily return to housing, but folks who have a lack of resources, support, and access to workable, safe, housing.
    - Tired of the entitled July 4, 2022 (9:13 am)
      
      You can speak for yourself but you can’t speak for the others here. You say these people are human beings “we” get that. Lots of people here do not get that. They are lumping the “homeless” into one big bunch of grimy, filthy, garbage loving lepers. These are people with different stories and different issues. I am starting to hate the word “homeless” because people do associate it with the mentally ill and drug-addicted. There are others out there, the majority, who live in fear of these and want only a legal, safe place to live so they can work their way out of this. These attitudes are not helping. Also, it is not true that those of us who speak differently than your opinion want to leave these people on our streets. Not at all! This is definitely inhumane but your blame for this is misplaced. They don’t want the garbage and they do work at it. Many, many of them. but there’s no where to put it and the city refuses to take it. Let’s work together on solutions instead of nothing but complaining on blogs. We have common ground here. Let your councilmembers know you are sick of the inaction and things need to move faster to fix this with the piles of money they have to do so. The situation is getting violent and more and more dangerous for all daily.
BJ July 3, 2022 (6:00 pm)

@Shannon: Your naive and irresponsible comment here is completely out of touch with what a mature, realistic approach to this kind of societal issue should be. Read deeper into some of your fellow reader’s responses. There are some good points in here. Leave the inflammatory, Twitter-mindset remarks to the tabloid websites/platforms.
Harbor Ave Resident July 4, 2022 (3:03 pm)

Ok Shannon, I have a couple questions for you speaking of walking in someone else’s shoes. 1)say that tonight, the encampment packs up shop down here and makes their way to the font of your property wherever that may be. What initial steps would you take?2)starting day one, trash starts piling up in the curb gutter, on your planter strip and sidewalk. Smaller trash blowing throughout your yard, at what point do you approach them and how would you go about doing so?3)The open air drug use begins, with doors facing sidewalks and patio sets and pop up tents being setup to facilitate a communal place for drug use. How would you manage this situation?4)If you are a west Seattle resident then you understand the shortage of parking that already exists. The 10 RV’s now cover the span of your property leaving you nowhere to park but down the street leaving your vehicle in a non visible and unsecure location. Man groceries are going to be a pain! How would you handle this?5)Multiple gunshots fired off in who knows which direction! Cops are called but don’t show up for hours, if at all! How is this handled?6)vehicles being improperly parked on top of being illegally parked, access to trash services is impeded. Improperly parked vehicles make access for most large service vehicles mostly impossible, causing further disruptions in possible first responder access to someone with little time to spare. What steps can be taken to mitigate these issues? This short portion of a very long list, are actual recent events within the last 3 weeks that have happened on harbor Ave at the encampment, not hypothetical questions, these are situations I have experienced first hand. Where do you start Shannon? And when does your sympathy become compromised? And please understand this isn’t an attack on your views I’m just truly curious how someone else walking in my shoes and the shoes of us living with these very issues daily would go about handling the situation. Thanks
- c.s. July 5, 2022 (8:45 am)
  
  Listen, I hear you, and I think what those of us speaking up as advocates are truly asking for is for increased awareness, understanding, humanity, and compassion for the people in these RV and encampment situations. For that to be part of the conversation and solutions. I’m pretty sure others aren’t asking for people to tolerate crime on their doorstep or for these situations to remain and worsen indefinitely.
  
  Some of us want to see conversations that include care for the people and a want to solve the larger issues, better assistance and long term solutions for people who are in these conditions, rather than them being forced to move from place to place, or into other inadequate situations that won’t really help them better their lives.
  
  Having said all of this, if there is crime, health, and safety issues affecting you in your home, you have to take care of yourself. You have every right to report crime impacting you at your home.
  
  At the same time, you could reach out to city leaders and express concern and ideas for helping people in these situations.
  
  As far as how to approach the situation you are describing? Did you try to approach and talk to them at any point about any of these concerns? Might be a little late now, but maybe could have tried to have an introduction and productive conversation soon after they parked, something like:
  
  ‘Hey, there, ‘I’m Harbor Ave Resident,’ I live here and wanted to say hello. Are you all just stopping through or how long are you planning to stay parked here? I usually park out front of my house and feel like I can’t with your RV here, is there any chance you could move up a bit? Also, I’m used to peace and quiet, and I have allergies so smoking near my home wouldn’t be good for me. I don’t want to ask you to move, or want to cause you any trouble, but these are some concerns I have. I don’t mind if you park here as long as you respect my concerns. Btw, I just made some muffins, are you hungry, can I bring you some?’
  
  Just one possible approach.

Lex July 3, 2022 (4:10 pm)

This is my fear for the campers behind pur hones near the South Seattle college. We have written the city many times, submitted the complaints as requested, called the police and even written the mayor. If the campers catch fire it will then set the city trees that hang onto our property on fires and our homes along with it. They use propane etc to bbq near dry overgrown grass that the city owns. I’ve messaged what a serious safety issue this is but the city does not care. We can’t enjoy our back yards and afraid to let my dog out. I’ve been living here 26 years and I’m at a loss of what to do. These encampment dwellers have more rights than a property owner does.

Agreed July 3, 2022 (5:17 pm)

“These encampment dwellers have more rights than a property owner does.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

I’ve been reporting the SW Marginal Place encampment (the site of numerous fires next to the Pigeon Point green space, as recently as Thursday) for a year and a half and am still being told Parking Enforcement can’t make the RVs move because they are occupied. But if I started running a chop shop in front of my home, I’m sure enforcement would happen.
Paul July 3, 2022 (5:40 pm)

Hey Lex – You are not alone in your frustration. I too have been writing the city non-stop about the campers on 16th. The city really should have anticipated that the campers next to the Nicole plant would disperse into the neighborhood. The irony of all of this is that I live on 16th and have received a ticket for parking my pop up camper on the street (disconnected from my vehicle) after a whopping 4 hours. The double standard is not lost on me. Now I’m off to send another note to our useless council member and slightly more useful Mayor.
- bill July 4, 2022 (5:26 am)
  
  Paul — your camper was probably cited for being too wide to park on a residential street. Has nothing to do with the 72-hour limit.
  - Paul July 4, 2022 (8:17 pm)
    
    I’m struggling to figure out if you are being sarcastic or genuine. I’ll assume the latter. I was not sighted for my pop up being too wide, at least that not what the ticket said. The city has created two classes of citizens, those who have to obey the law and those who do not. If the city wants campers on the street, repeal the laws that prohibit them. If they don’t, enforce the damn law! You can’t have it both ways.
    - Grace Salamanca July 8, 2022 (3:26 am)
      
      Don’t you love how people tell you why you got a ticket? I move my RV every 72 HRs just like the parking dude told me to do, and yet I just got a sticker after not even 72 hrs. Same signature. Guess I need to talk to him again. Plus it was on the ground. I only found it because I was picking up trash just now. Its borderlining on harassment, yet the same broken down RV’s that everyone is complaining about are left there. Thats what no one in this thread is understanding. D.O.T. knows exactly whats going on, on Harbor Ave. Now that there are tents and its officially an ” encampment ” they probably CANT tow them. So people trying to follow the rules are the rules like you and me are the ones getting ticketed and towed!

Auntie July 3, 2022 (4:35 pm)

Don’t hold your breath for any action here. There was a fatal shooting and a fire at 26th & Juneau and the encampment is still there. What does it take?!?!?

Jill July 3, 2022 (4:44 pm)

That side of Harbor Ave has become quite an eyesore because of the RVs and accompanying garbage. You can’t live on a public street, period. And clearly it’s a safety issue…lucky it didn’t catch other vehicles/property on fire. It isn’t humane to allow people to live in such squalor. Come on, Seattle. Do something to clean this up and get people housed.

Derek July 3, 2022 (4:44 pm)

The condition of many of the RVs on Harbor Ave make this inevitable. We cannot tolerate this squalor to continue and put everybody else at risk. We need to provide a safe place for the people in the RVs to stay, perhaps a lot somewhere with resources like vehicle mechanics / social work / drug rehabilitation etc. What if this fire had resulted in an explosion and hurt either the RV dweller or a pedestrian?Let’s start enforcing the laws we have and stop tolerating this flagrant abuse of our city and our resources. Let’s stop being a welcoming beacon of tolerance of abuse so that people stop flooding in from other places.

Mark July 3, 2022 (5:44 pm)

Well said

Peter July 3, 2022 (4:57 pm)

Sad to see how many people are gloating about someone home burning, or writing them off as criminals without any evidence. I miss the days when West Seattle was place where people cared about others.

Jill July 3, 2022 (5:10 pm)

If we cared about people, we wouldn’t LET them live in such squalor.
Gina July 3, 2022 (5:21 pm)

Peter, I don’t read gloating but anger & frustration of many people about ineffective government and no accountability to the conditions these homeless camps/campers do to the environment, neighborhood & the campers themselves. Living in the squalor isn’t humane by any standard but when you throw millions of dollars at a homeless/drug situation and nothing gets better thats a black eye on the city government. You can’t expect people to keep accepting this and the crime that follows in their neighborhoods
wsres July 4, 2022 (7:26 am)

I am not sad about this. I usually have a lot of empathy for others, but the people living in the trashed RVs have been offered many alternatives over the years and they keep choosing trashy RV and many (if not most) steal to make a living or to feed their drug habits. If you want to help these people then go help them, but I am done with empathy for them. It is time to tell them to make other choices. Our city has been trashed by them and I really wonder how many red states are sending their addicts to the west coast in crappy RVs? So tired of the problem being a problem and our city is just tolerating it with no solutions.
- Frank July 4, 2022 (11:31 am)
  
  ^^^^^^^ Exactly

Liz July 3, 2022 (5:01 pm)

Lovelyyyyyyyyyyyyy the Alki Trail. Don’t you want to be walking your dog by that. Stroller your baby. Rolller blade!

Patience July 4, 2022 (7:48 am)

We have been walking though the lovelyyyyyyy Puget Ridge area daily for years which includes South Seattle College, Arboretum, and Chinese Garden. For the last 4-5 years, there has been an RV (that disappears for a few days every few weeks) that has parked on the east side of 16th, just south of Findley. The occupants have never left anything on the ground around their rig. There was a few month period where the occupant would hang a bucket under the black water release pipe – a few of us over that time, had witnessed a guy at various times dump the bucket’s contents into the storm water drain at that corner.(many of us reported it).Since the Andover RV clearing, we now have eight RV’s over here, one of which is a dilapidated 5th wheel that was towed over here on “Andover clear-out day” by a tow truck who had covered up their business name with a removable magnetic looking cover. These rigs are starting to spill their contents onto the road and sidewalk. I drove by the repurposed Uhaul rig the other day -three people were standing behind it with the door rolled up. I was curious to see how they may have reconfigured it to live it. It was not being used to live in – it was crammed with so much stuff, none of it looked like someone’s life’s collection of goods – but looking closer, there was a mishmash of items (lots of bikes/bike parts, lots of items that look like things various people leave in their yards that may have been taken, etc.). It appeared that these folks were possibly looking thru their “loot”. I definitely felt some “sketchy” vibes. . . . I just hope this area does not become the next Cambridge/Barton “dump” that has terrorized that neighborhood between 15th/16th OR like what is taking place off of 25th/Juneau and spread out along the once beautiful Longfellow Creek Trail.
- Grace Salamanca July 8, 2022 (3:13 am)
  
  Patience I told the cops about a group of bicycle thiefs who unfortunately live at my building on Alki, I was told this actually twice in the last month ” theres nothing we can do unless we see it being stolen in the act ” I think they had a U-haul at one point. You seem very observant. I dont like that that dude was dumping his grey water. Please continue to be observant, but realize not all RV’s are homeless people. My RV is my business vechicle. Where I park by my apt that Ive lived in almost 10 years, there is always plenty of parking, yet I get complaints. I have to hang out in it at night to guard it, and I see who is leaving trash and speeding 80 mph up and down Alki, often the same cars- they are young people. I saw a bad wreck a few nights ago. I see everything from my RV window. Thats why I wonder why they mess with me. Im the clean one who picks up everyone else’s trash even though I have to do so hanging onto my walker. Im in so much pain my blood pressure is at ” crisis level ” pretty much all the time. I hope your area there cleans up and I hope you have a nice summer.

William Clements July 3, 2022 (5:03 pm)

It’s time to insist Seattle treat Harbor Avenue at least as well as Andover street where many of these RVs came from. Write to Lisa.Herbold@seattle.gov and make our voices heard.

NoRv July 3, 2022 (5:43 pm)

Her full time job is to be an advocate for her constituents. Isn’t everyone tired of emailing her about the same stuff over and over? And for her reactive replies saying “I called this person and I emailed that person”. Her term doesn’t end until 2023. Remember this when you vote.
- Eldorado July 3, 2022 (7:36 pm)
  
  VOTE HER OUT!!!!
- momosmom July 3, 2022 (8:31 pm)
  
  “And for her reactive replies saying “I called this person and I emailed that person”. Her term doesn’t end until 2023. Remember this when you vote.” And then Lisa Herbold will do something so spectacular that it’ll make everyone forget what she hasn’t done and they will vote her back in!
Paul July 3, 2022 (6:25 pm)

Writing to her is a waste of time. I’ve never gotten a response back on the probably 30 emails I’ve sent. She is just there to collect her 129k a year.
- B July 4, 2022 (12:50 am)
  
  Just wrote her. W no animosity, just the question of what’s being done. I ended with the question if West Seattleites should take the issue upon themselves to resolve it…much like Fremont has tried, etc.

M July 3, 2022 (5:21 pm)

Here’s how you solve this: No more enablement. No more
camping. EVERY single person MUST submit to triage and accountability for
whatever actions they have taken under the guise of VICTIM. Use military bases,
jails, prisons, mental hospitals to do the triage, along with churches and
other aid resources. This can include every advocate with a spare room claiming
this is a homelessness issue. IT IS NOT! This is enabling victimhood.
Encouraging the glide path to insanity and death for the people they claim to help.
Each person must commit to addressing their addictions, mental illness, and
crimes, co-create a plan of recovery, seek advocacy, and rebuild some semblance
of a dignified life. That means being accountable for your behaviors and
actions. Spend the hundreds of millions on lock down facilities where people
get clean and sober, unwind their other maladies and get their lives back.
Re-learn and earn dignity, self-worth, self-reliance.

The alternative? Continue shredding the social fabric and
destroying lives, annihilate the last molecules of empathy in every taxpayers
heart and achieve the EXACT OPPOSITE of what advocates say they will accomplish
with this sh*t show status quo.

End the enablement infinity loop.

Karen July 3, 2022 (10:03 pm)

M, you’ve covered it!! Well said.
Alki resident July 3, 2022 (10:10 pm)

You couldn’t be more spot on.
RW July 4, 2022 (6:19 am)

M is exactly right. Action must be taken.
Compassionate solutions July 4, 2022 (7:00 am)

Wow.

You’ve managed to completely deny many real contributing factors in society for people having these difficulties, also denying many of these people their real experiences of hardships, and in some cases victimization and abuses, which may have contributed. And there are people applauding this?

Anyone else find this disturbing?

Advocates don’t want the status quo and these circumstances to continue. We want change and compassionate solutions for the urgent betterment of peoples lives and for our communities.
- Harbor Ave Resident July 4, 2022 (1:41 pm)
  
  The contributing factor to there SELF “vilification” is rampant fentynal use. You can’t walk by there without witnessing at least one person with a foil in there hand a straw in their mouth openly smoking the most potent and deadly drug in the world, all with the 100% guarantee that they won’t be bothered. How about that major safety issues to traffic with over sized vehicles and trash hanging way over the fog line, the damage to the driver side back end of virtually every unit down there is clear evidence of this. How about them not moving when SDOT gives them notice and places No Parks out so SDOT/ Parks department workers can make it safe to maintain the center strip. How about the bio hazard garbage that is left in piles for days if not weeks that makes a very high volume public trail a potentially deadly situation for a child who gets distracted by it and falls into it on a bicycle, or finds interest in some piece of junk in the pile and comes into contact with items that are legally considered BIO hazardous waste as if fentanyl and meth are smoked in a closed structure that is exactly what these piles are. Not to mention the toxic run off from when it rains. These individuals have every available disposal service that everyone else does provided to them by Seattle tax payer dollars, yet even then can’t figure out how to be a decent enough citizen to not call throwing all of their trash out into a pile, then moving up a vehicle length and doing it all again taking the trash out. There is constant catalytic converter thefts along this stretch, break ins daily, gun shots bi weekly….. point being to all of this I could go on and on and ON as to why the projected vilification of these individuals in completely justified. To all of you defending them, post your home address and I’ll deliver it to the Harbor Ave RV park and let them know they should choose from the list as the homeowners at the addresses are sympathetic to their complete lack respect for community!
- Roddy3 July 4, 2022 (9:59 pm)
  
  I believe “compassionate solutions” have been attempted for far too long. I vote for M’s plan.
  - Kevin on Delridge July 5, 2022 (9:03 am)
    
    A vote for fascism. Thanks for making your true self known.
anonyme July 4, 2022 (7:33 am)

M, you nailed it.
Kevin on Delridge July 4, 2022 (9:35 am)

Everything on the individual. No accountability for the society we’ve built and individuals like yourself reinforce. The problem is that YOU do not want to take accountability as a willing accomplice in creating the current conditions of our society.

Start by looking in the mirror. Same goes for Karen and Alki Resident who have nothing to offer but an approval of a comment so devoid of utility or humanity that it makes you wonder if they are bots.

This is fascism folks, it is right on our door even in a “progressive” place like Seattle.
Roddy3 July 4, 2022 (9:54 pm)

M – You’re absolutely right. Smartest comment on this thread. Now what?

Odd son July 3, 2022 (5:26 pm)

RVs have been catching fire for about 10 years, just in case people didn’t know. RVs that have caught fire have damaged public and private property. Someone above said it’s time to tow these/put an end to it. I agree. It’s way past time to deal with RVs.

NoRV July 3, 2022 (5:29 pm)

WSB -are there any stats from the city on how many of the “campers” are native to the area? It’s long assumed that people relocate here because we don’t enforce laws against encampments or crime. I wonder if that would change the opinions of the commenters that feel this group is just “down in their luck”. In reality, there are more than a few opportunists in these encampments.

WSB July 3, 2022 (5:55 pm)

We’ve had this discussion before.
People in many cities want to believe “oh, those homeless people all came from somewhere else.”
The Seattle Times mentions this as part of this exhaustive report from a few years ago.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/do-homeless-people-come-to-seattle-for-help/
- CornholioRex July 3, 2022 (6:50 pm)
  
  “Exhaustive.” :)
  - B July 4, 2022 (1:35 am)
    
    That ‘exhaustive’ report is so bad, it’s a lot easier to believe the opposite of what it purports to find. What kind of questions are those?….’where did you last sleep on a couch’ versus, ‘where did you grow up to be 13 years old and in what state, and when did you leave’? As a city hosting someone, these are kinda fair questions since it’s publicly accessible for anyone else on the grid paying taxes in the same city, etc.
    - sna July 4, 2022 (8:23 am)
      
      This is probably the best and most up to date “where are homeless from” data we have from the Jan 2020 point in time count. The results weren’t published, but the high level data was released via a FOIA request. High level, currently homeless who were surveyed and asked “where did you last have stable housing?” 66% said last had stable housing in King County. 42% last had stable housing in Seattle. And 23% from out of state. What’s not and has never been released is the data breakdown between unsheltered and sheltered homeless.
    - GLGregory July 4, 2022 (11:55 am)
      
      And what percentage of King County services/budget for those who are experiencing homelessness are provided within Seattle city limits using City of Seattle dollars?? If it’s higher than 42% than Seattle residents are disproportionately effected.

Letter July 3, 2022 (6:01 pm)

Is there a template letter that we all can use and and the email addresses of the city council to send to….thanks

Michelle July 3, 2022 (9:32 pm)

I feel bad for the people that lost their home. Because I’m pretty sure that RV was somebody’s home. And I’m glad nobody was hurt. That’s all that needs to be said.

Nwe July 3, 2022 (10:28 pm)

I was thinking the same thing. I hope people and pets are ok and am sad for the folks who lost their home and belongings today.

Jon July 3, 2022 (9:38 pm)

If you’re contemplating a move out of Seattle, just do it. I used to get riled up over stories like this one. Since moving to the Eastside a year ago, I just get a sense of validation that we did the right thing for our family by moving. I read WSB weekly just to see what’s up because we still have a house there. Our only regret is not leaving sooner so our kids could’ve started eastside schools sooner.

B July 4, 2022 (1:43 am)

Nawww Jon…we want to stay in WEST Seattle and fight for it to be the best version it can be. Maybe without the RV trash that is in no way a result of West Seattle rents getting a little higher, as availability became plentiful. We’ll stay and fight for the best because West Seattle is worth it. Enjoy Bellevue. Quitter
- Tired of the entitled July 4, 2022 (9:32 am)
  
  “Maybe without the RV trash that is in no way a result of West Seattle rents getting a little higher, as availability became plentiful” What? ?A “little” higher?? So you. B, are among those who think people love living in trash and rats? They “choose” this instead of the “plentiful” apartments? And then this makes them despicable? What an elitist attitude. Wake up. Nobody wants this and West Seattle rents are ridiculous. No person working full-time and minimum wage can possibly afford them even with a two-person income. We need safe parking lots, permitted locations – which are truly plentiful. Solutions please – not elitist comments like this. And by the way, Jon, if you want to raise your kids up without any knowledge of the reality of the poor in a lily white neighborhood then you will just be raising up more people without any ability to empathize nor come up with realistic solutions.
  - Frank July 4, 2022 (11:38 am)
    
    If they cannot afford to live here that’s the way of the world…move to Iowa or somewhere they can afford. I would like to live in Malibu but can not afford it, should I be able to live on the street at the beach there?
    - Grace Salamanca July 6, 2022 (2:36 pm)
      
      Its comical that you think its the RV’s that are responsible for everything. Thats what Im hearing anyhow. I know for a fact that a lot of the theft in WS is by rich kids not driving an RV. Tried to tell the cops they said they can’t do anything unless they see them in the act. D.O.T. told me they were ” working on it ” r.e. RV’s that are not running / broken down on Harbor. So use the app on D.O.T. venting here is useless trust me. I really wish they were gone so people in WS would have someone else to blame all their problems on. Its not about affording housing. There are mentally ill and disabled people there. Just like in all the RV’s in Ballard and every other neighborhood in Seattle. We just got hit recently with this getting bigger and now everyone’s freaking out. Also this doesnt mean that every RV is someone homeless.
    - Grace Salamanca July 6, 2022 (2:41 pm)
      
      Frank You say RV’s like its the vechicles fault. Go talk to each person. Maybe you’ll realize their situation is more complicated. For all you know they could be here visiting family. Harbor IS the designated area for RV’s. D.O.T told me they have no plans to tow them
  - B July 5, 2022 (6:33 pm)
    
    I just drove by a 1bdrm apt for rent just blocks off Alki for $995. That is reasonable. If you refuse to work, sure that’s expensive. But I work for minimum wage and tips and I can make this work. It’s not elitist to compare your own situation to the situation of others when you can see the same opportunity for others right there in front of you. If I didn’t even have to look for this $1000 1bdrm to find it, I promise you there are more options like it.
    - Compassionate solutions July 5, 2022 (9:25 pm)
      
      So you found one of the affordable apartments out there, unfortunately the need for affordable housing is greater than what is available, and many people might have barriers to qualifying or securing this apartment.
  - Grace Salamanca July 6, 2022 (2:10 pm)
    
    Thank you, its people like him or her that truly make WS horrible. Not the RV’s.
Auntie July 4, 2022 (12:07 pm)

Yup – you can just up and move to Mercer Island, where homelessness is simply not allowed. Lah-de-dah!

Alki Jack July 3, 2022 (10:58 pm)

Time to do a clean up if nothing else. The trash and other junk is really starting to pile up. Harbor Ave looks horrible now.

D July 4, 2022 (5:42 am)

M, your post may be rejected by some but it’s the best description I’ve seen of what should happen. Our current efforts, even as they slowly increase, are not keeping up with the growing numbers. There are many reasons people are in this situation and poverty and cost of living are the main factors for a only subset of the people. A reset of all their lives is called for, in a range of settings that address their needs and in some, not all, mandatory and not optional. Drug dealers and the operators of chop shops, for instance, need something different than drug users and people fleeing domestic violence, for example, and yes some people should face jail but certainly not all or likely not even a substantial majority. Stabilize people, treat people and help them get on a journey of recovery, and then support them to move on to the greatest degree of independence that works for them (e.g. some many need long term supportive housing). We’re playing whack-a-mole and it absolutely isn’t working.

Scubafrog July 4, 2022 (5:49 am)

Herbold should’ve been recalled in 2021, during the ‘defund’ debacle and “chaz”. As an aside, It appears the 72-hour enforcement doesn’t apply to all, or any rv’s anymore. I am glad no one was injured. And, this is just proof that ‘sweeps’ just move people from one encampment to another, solving nothing. They’ll keep being reshuffled. Or perhaps remain on Harbor Ave. And no effort from Harrell thus far to bring in new SPD, month 6.

waikikgirl July 4, 2022 (7:04 am)

Isn’t the Cities “rule” if there are 5 or more RV’s then a sweep will be enforced? We drove thru the area Sunday about 2 hours before this fire and counted at least 10 parked and cluttered RV’s, does this mean a sweep will be happening soon?

Paulie July 4, 2022 (7:45 am)

I am glad they are away from my house by Andover street, and the rest of you can see what we dealt with for over 7 years.

Mj July 4, 2022 (9:32 am)

For years City politicians have stressed the need to treat everyone equally, it’s far past time they follow through on this and strictly enforce parking and littering codes. No more double standard.

As a bicyclist that ride’s Harbor Avenue regularly the filth is astonishing and very disturbing.

Further many of the RV vehicle’s encroach into shared travel lane that reduces safety for bicyclists riding in the street.

WS Environmentalist July 4, 2022 (11:32 am)

First, to writers comments regarding many of us being callous to the plight of the RV dwellers: are these RVs parked on your street? Do you have the smell of human feces in your nostrils when you go out for a walk or bike ride … or battle with your dog to not eat human excrement or paraphernalia. Do yo find trash and poop in your front yard? Hmmmm? We apartment and homeowner residents have rights too and they being quashed by drug dealing thieves whose operate with impunity because they know Seattle will not enforce our own city ordinances/laws. Have you distributed fliers to invite RV dwellers to move onto your safe haven street where YOU will welcome their piles of trash, old tires, gas cans, propane tanks and disgusting living habits? Doubtful, as you are likely NIMBYs. Second, is my Me Too about the dangers of unregulated RVs and encampments in neighborhoods. They have no running water nor sewer facilities. I don’t know where they get water but I do know that they dump untreated sewage into the street gutters which is a violation of city, county, and state health codes as well as state and federal EPA regulations. If you want to support the RVs and encampments then do so in your yard, street and neighborhood where they are welcome. They have long past worn out there stay on Harbor Ave. Re the question, “who represents District 1”, I think that is a rhetorical question as Lisa Herbold is non-responsive to the emails and calls she receives regarding these WS illegal camps. Therefore, who does represent District 1? It certainly is not Lisa Herbold.

SEADOG July 4, 2022 (11:34 am)

Abandoned vehicles and RVs need to be removed immediately. If there are people living in them, then move both out of our neighborhoods into designated zones where their needs can be addressed. These people are committing crimes (theft, squatting). What about the rights of people living nearby? Property taxes for most have DOUBLED since 2016 and somehow nothing can ever be done.

Pessoa July 4, 2022 (1:03 pm)

Now, for a dose of reality for those lecturing others about dignity, self-worth, self-responsbility and self-reliance. In a perfect world all commendable principles, but hypocritical bromides in an economic system that is no longer a free market system in the best sense, but a cozy and repulsive entertwining of state and private business interests where a capitalist vulture like Warren Buffett is idolized by both conservatives and progressives as some kindly grandfather type, a financial guru to emulate. You can lecture RV’ers about moral integrity, but what about the thousands of medium to large companies who suffered no financial pain during the pandemic, yet lined up at the government trough to be slopped down with free money, in the billions? And what about the millions of Americans who rail at the homeless about thrift but have benefited from artifically set low interest rates over the past decade, plumping up their assets, to the detriment of savers and the low income? Could this describe a few of you out there? And what about that inheritance that someone never lifted a finger to earn, a substantial pile of money handed to them from mom and dad, tax-free? Oh, that doesn’t count, right? I can hear the cries now: “Double-taxation! Mon Dieu!” All societies fail when individual virtue and responsibility are extinguished, no matter the system of governance. The signal of a failing society is one where everyone – everyone – is cowardly looking to place the blame on someone else instead of examining their own failings and culpability.

Sal July 4, 2022 (3:31 pm)

Mon Dieu!
Rocket July 4, 2022 (11:36 pm)

Good to know there is at least one kind hearted critical thinker on this peninsula.Lets all do our best and be good neighbors.

J July 4, 2022 (5:27 pm)

Require law enforcement to do just that, enforce the law. A parking spot is not a living space. This is just one of many reasons why. When law enforcement is allowed to use excuses as to why they can’t do their job then the situation will allows escalate, ALLWAYS. Literally it doesn’t matter why those campers are there. They should have been towed long before this. A public space is one that is available to everyone in the community. Someone living there instantly makes it a private space. That is the only thing that law enforcement should be worried about. But now it has escalated to private property burning down and pollution and trash spread by the perpetrators that have a great excuse why they aren’t going to be responsible for the damage to public spaces. Our taxes are ridiculously high and lawmakers excusing away this bad behavior is just making them higher.

flimflam July 4, 2022 (7:02 pm)

I agree with your intent but make no mistake – the police aren’t allowed to enforce the laws in the manner you speak of, regardless of how little it makes sense.

Kathy July 4, 2022 (7:03 pm)

If the City wants to turn a blind eye to people living in their cars or RVs, I can live with that, no problem. But if parked on the street, they are occupying a parking space, not a campground. The adjacent park and multi-use trail are for the use and enjoyment of everyone. Whomever (Port, SDOT or Parks) is responsible for the trail segment should not allow personal belongings to be left indefinitely on public property. Lack of cooperation should result in removal to a dump. People love to complain about this, but, like potholes, if no one files an illegal dumping report through the normal channels, how do you expect anything to be done about it? Use the “Find It Fix It” app to report illegal dumping to the City. If a bunch of people do this on a regular basis, there will be a response. Be a good citizen and do your part, maybe find a little courage to take a photo and send it in. Be sure to say in your report how many days/weeks etc that you have observed it.