FOLLOWUP: Here’s what’s happening at Myers Way east-side encampment as clearing begins

| Myers Way | West Seattle news

1:05 PM: As reported here, WSDOT announced Thursday that notices had been posted at the northeast-side Myers Way encampment advising the people there that site clearing would start this week. So we went by about an hour ago to see what was happening. In view from the street were predominantly law-enforcement vehicles and officers – both Washington State Patrol and Seattle Police – as well as a few junk-hauling-type trucks and one heavy-duty truck with traffic barrels/cones (and signage).

Also notable since the last time we went by a few days ago, fewer RVs. We’ll be checking with WSDOT later today to see if there’s an update on what was done today and what’s next. The WSDOT announcement Thursday had said the plan for this week was to “begin cleaning and repairing the site, removing excess vegetation, and making other modifications at the site to help prevent resettlement.” The agency also said more than 80 percent of the known occupants of the site – 52, per previous updates – had “been matched with shelter or housing that will work for them.” If you missed the original explanation of how the placement process works, it’s in our report on the most-recent community meeting about the encampment, held in July at Arrowhead Gardens senior-living complex on the other side of Myers Way, where residents say they’ve been beset by crime and safety problems as the now-being-cleared encampment continued to grow in recent months.

P.S. The last major clearing of this site happened five years ago.

ADDED 3:14 PM: Here’s what WSDOT spokesperson James Poling told us after we requested an update: “The site was vacated by 9 a.m. this morning, thus allowing WSDOT crews and contractors to begin site cleanup and restoration work shortly afterward. Contractors had begun towing some abandoned vehicles off the site during lunchtime hours. I would expect to see rearrangement of the concrete blocks along Myers Way sometime in the next 24 hours (pending equipment availability). This site is more than 20 acres on varying terrain, so this cleanup will likely be more than a week(s) rather than days.”

Jeepney September 5, 2023 (1:09 pm)

Will those responsible for the damage and cleanup be liable to pay restitution?

Jeff September 5, 2023 (1:32 pm)

I get WANTING the people responsible to have to pay, but come on man… By what mechanism could you even begin to collect that? Blood from a stone, and all that.
Trix Are For Kids September 5, 2023 (1:50 pm)

AHAAAHAAHAHAAA!! Silly rabbit, fines only apply to honest taxpaying citizens.
- 1994 September 5, 2023 (8:53 pm)
  
  Double the LOL after Josh!
Josh September 5, 2023 (1:52 pm)

LOL
k September 5, 2023 (1:56 pm)

They won’t have the means to pay it, but sure, why not add some charges that make it harder to get jobs, housing, and the stability required to live somewhere other than outdoors in a green belt? Poverty cycles are fun!
- Alki resident September 5, 2023 (5:12 pm)
  
  They’re drug addicts. They won’t be seeking employment. Quit making excuses for this behavior.
  - Nora September 9, 2023 (8:04 am)
    
    It is true. This region in particular is high with drug use. Nothing matters but the drug it’s like a baby. I saw a who I thought was a mom strolling in Seattle near an encampment to only see it’s not a baby in the stroller but drugs, lots of pill bottles in a bag. The drugs are the only baby and nothing else matters no one else matters all means necessary to get money for drugs. Saw a man drop his backpack one asking for money all these pill bottles came out. I think the brain is permanently damaged from the situation these people are in from the substances they’re taking.
The Earl September 5, 2023 (2:16 pm)

you and me.
Malkavia starnes September 7, 2023 (5:35 am)

I keep saying that should happen. The city of Kent fines you for illegal dumping. And the 3rd time you do it you go to jail. I feel those responsible for massive trash should have these consequences. I lived in an rv for years and I never left piles of trash. It’s ridiculous.

TIM September 5, 2023 (1:52 pm)

Nope, no consequences for any of this, no responsibility, just us

reed September 5, 2023 (3:44 pm)

Having to live on the street in a constant state of fear, malnutrition and exposed to the elements is punishment enough. Let me guess, lock them in jail for being poor so you don’t have to look at them, right?
- Josh September 5, 2023 (5:29 pm)
  
  Reed, they clearly have enough money for drugs, and yes, the overwhelming majority of them are on drugs. We live across the street from them so we see them walking IN THE SNOW with absolutely no apparent suffering — that’s a clear sign they’re using.But of course these days, everyone’s a victim. No accounting for personal responsibility, choices, etc..People need to realize housing isn’t a right, it’s a privilege the comes from hard work in school and then the real world, which results in the pride of self-reliance.
  - Sarah September 5, 2023 (8:30 pm)
    
    Considering how much angst there is in west Seattle over the various encampments and other visible signs of people not having access to safe, adequate housing, I think we’d all benefit from viewing housing as a human right, not a privilege. Personally, I think a housing-first approach is humane and offers the best chance of positive outcomes (including recovery from addiction), and that’s why I support it. But if your priority is not having to see people who are in active addiction living in encampments in your neighborhood… housing them solves your problem, too.
    - Canton September 6, 2023 (8:18 am)
      
      By that approach, every single human should have free housing. No need to earn it, just give it.
    - Michael Hock September 6, 2023 (1:03 pm)
      
      Yes.
    - Sarah September 6, 2023 (2:02 pm)
      
      Yes! Wouldn’t that be great? Imagine how much easier it would be for people to improve their quality of life if they were guaranteed safe housing. The threat of lost housing keeps people in abusive relationships and exploitive jobs. Lack of access to safe, stable housing makes getting sober all but impossible for many people. Getting sober is so hard even if you have a home and the resources and support to sustain you through the trial and error of recovery. It’s in our collective interest to make it more possible for more people to get into recovery.
    - Lauren September 6, 2023 (8:22 pm)
      
      Yes.
    - makes sense September 7, 2023 (11:15 am)
      
      The idea of free safe housing is interesting. In reality, what would that be like? Something like a college dorm with a cafeteria? A hotel-style setting? Any restrictions on drug use/alcohol? Dedicated medical staff? A detox area? Job counseling, interview prep, even skills labs? Maybe even consideration for people who absolutely don’t want to get off drugs, maybe a safe place to use and have access to medical care? And where would it be located?
- Admiral rest September 9, 2023 (8:09 am)
  
  It is not being poor but making poor choices that not only impact them but us as a community. Yes the poor choices will make you poor too. Yes it becomes a cycle and it’s not so easy change things for the better. Addiction especially is life altering that destroys family and relationships.

Admiral-2009 September 5, 2023 (1:55 pm)

Jeepney – good question, especially in a City that purports to want to treat everyone equally.

k September 5, 2023 (2:30 pm)

That’s state property.
- Tim September 5, 2023 (7:02 pm)
  
  Still our money

HP2 September 5, 2023 (7:03 pm)

Well said Josh.

MsL September 5, 2023 (7:05 pm)

WSB, any info on what’s going on with the triangle shaped median between Ambaum, 12th, and SW 120th that’s mushroomed over the summer? It’s brimming with tents and buzzing with people and it seems to continue to grow, despite the lack of space.

WSB September 5, 2023 (7:11 pm)

Noticed that but it’s in Burien and that’s out of our coverage area, even for our WC site. Most Burien encampment coverage I’ve heard in regional media was focused on the clash over a downtown site.
waikikigirl September 5, 2023 (8:33 pm)

My husband drives past the Ambaum site at 3am everyday going to work and everyday he says there’s either someone wondering back and forth on Ambaum, someone making a drug deal, someone using the sidewalk as a bathroom… we’ve seen small children sitting by a tent presumably living there. Now school is back in session and there are homes and apartments with children needing to walk past this site to and from school and bus pick up/drop off site, I have no idea what its going to take for the City of Burien to do to help or move these people. This is a sad, sad affair for everyone.
- Question Authority September 5, 2023 (10:27 pm)
  
  It’s not Burien’s responsibility to deal with it, King County and the KCRHA have the funding and service providers to deal with it. That group ended up at that site by choice because they refused to accept numerous offers of assistance while at other now closed locations within the downtown core. Burien has the DESC building being constructed right now that will hold 95 clients, it was pushed by the County and that’s plenty of burden on Burien already.
bill September 5, 2023 (9:06 pm)

I think the Seattle Times ran an article about that space being unincorporated King County, so Burien has no jurisdiction.
- WSB September 5, 2023 (9:27 pm)
  
  No, that is not correct. It’s all Burien along Ambaum south of SW 116th there (and starting a bit further north, west of Ambaum).
  
  You can also find the site on King County Parcel Viewer (where everything in the area is coded “jurisdiction: Burien.” – TR

Claudia Williams September 5, 2023 (7:22 pm)

Interesting comments. And I’m sure they’re all from “good Christian folks” right?!

waikikigirl September 6, 2023 (6:18 am)

Christianity or any religion has nothing to do with the comment I made.
Accountability September 9, 2023 (8:27 am)

Christians do not have enough influence over the situation. My in law family member was a life long addict abandoned her kids, what saved her? A church. She was cleaned up in the church and kept off drugs for many years. I hold the churches accountable for not doing enough. For many years they played a vital role in caring for the community and even schools. I know the political situation has become harder for churches in the Seattle area but I still hold them accountable to do more for our community.

1994 September 5, 2023 (9:02 pm)

Good to see some action on this sad situation! Government official’s inaction leads to poor outcomes for people in these camps, the land, and the surrounding neighbors. The campers inaction to their living situation itself is a guaranteed poor outcome for them.