FOLLOWUP: City sets timeframe for clearing SW Trenton RV encampment

| West Seattle news | Westwood

(WSB photo,s this afternoon)

Last week, we reported on the city saying it was “closely monitoring” the growing RV encampment on SW Trenton by Westwood Village. While, as we noted, there have long been a few RVs there, the number has increased in recent weeks to at least five, plus other assorted vehicles, and sidewalk obstructions; nearby residents said the nature of the activity there has changed. In their response to us, a city spokesperson also said a “resolution date for this site is pending.” Now, there’s a timeframe – half a dozen of the people who have reported this encampment via Find It Fix It forwarded us this update they received from the city late today:

In response to your recent email or customer service request submitted with the City of Seattle’s Customer Service Bureau or Find It, Fix It app, the Unified Care Team (UCT) would like to provide you with an update on the scheduled resolution for the large unauthorized encampment located along SW Trenton St. UCT is scheduled to resolve this site in the next 3 weeks based on available shelter and resources.

The City’s contracted outreach partners have been engaging at the site to make offers of shelter and provide connections to services in hopes of avoiding the displacement of any high-needs individuals into other parts of the neighborhood or repopulation of this site.

On the day of scheduled removal, any tents remaining on the site will be removed, and individuals will be offered storage of personal property in addition to an offer of alternative shelter. The Unified Care Team will then conduct a thorough cleaning of the site and removal of all trash and debris.

Following removal, this site will remain on a frequent inspection route in an effort to quickly address any attempted repopulation of the site. Frequency of inspection and removal of obstructions will be reassessed over time based on the level of site activity observed. If you observe a new encampment at this site, please report it using the Customer Service Bureau’s Unauthorized Encampment service request form or submit a service request using the City’s Find It, Fix It mobile app. As always, dangerous or criminal behavior associated with this site should be reported to 9-1-1 for emergency situations or SPD’s non-emergency number (206) 625-5011 for other criminal activity or incidents.

Once again, we would like to thank you for your patience throughout this frustrating situation and for communicating with us as we advance our efforts to keep Seattle streets, sidewalks, and public spaces clean and accessible to all.

Hearing about this, we immediately tried to follow up with the Unified Care Team spokesperson in the mayor’s office, but they’re gone for the holiday weekend, so we won’t likely be able to get followup information before Tuesday. The city has cleared at least three other roadside RV encampments in West Seattle that haven’t been “repopulated,” but the removals were followed by modifications of the area where the RVs had been parked – a new bike lane along SW Andover, eco-blocks along West Marginal, no-overnight-parking signage along Harbor Avenue.

RX August 30, 2024 (7:08 pm)

The spot on the other side of westwood, at the skatepark, has been vacant since the murders. Seems like the 4 hour parking signs are working. As much as I’d love them, ecoblocks seem impractical on trenton, but 4hr (or 6hr) parking with a no-overnight stipulation would still let the field be used normally.

Kyle August 31, 2024 (6:33 pm)

They already ignore the 72 hour law. What makes you think they wouldn’t ignore a 4 hour sign? Only people that would hurt are law abiding citizens who want to park there. The answer isn’t changing the amount of hours on the signs, it’s actually enforcing our laws.

Cat August 30, 2024 (7:33 pm)

The critical hub of clearly illegal behavior remains between the Post office driveway (accessing the rear USPS parking area) and the sidewalk along the south side of SW Trenton St (next to streetlight pole #2603/#1368435) The area beneath the large evergreen tree where the plants have been replaced with a tent. This is on the USPS property at 2721 SW Trenton St. Individuals line up for interactions at the large tent just south of the sidewalk.

B September 3, 2024 (8:44 pm)

Aaaand….multiple Post Office worker friends have told me they break into the USPS trucks behind the locked gate CONSTANTLY! So they’ve pushed for Federal crime charges on that group as well.

Rhonda August 30, 2024 (7:42 pm)

They need to hurry because there’s two new RVs there now.

Jb August 30, 2024 (7:56 pm)

There is a growing population for the past couple months along Myers Way from Arrowhead Gardens to Camp Second Chance that the city, county and state has obviously turned their head the other way after spending all that money and patting themselves on the back. The majority are RV’s and vehicles that were there before the clean up. Looks like that revolving circle is still in play.

Window August 30, 2024 (8:08 pm)

We all still need to make a showing at the sw community meeting on 9/11. 1)to make sure this gets done and 2) make sure this doesn’t just pop up again three blocks away

School’s starting August 30, 2024 (8:28 pm)

School starts next week and both Denny and Sealth students pass through or nearby this encampment on their way to and from school. The city needs to speed up their efforts to find a solution to this particular encampment.

1994 August 30, 2024 (9:30 pm)

Enforcing the parking limits would be a good start. I am guessing if the parking rules were enforced that should clear this mess by the start of school. Students, and the rest of us too, should not have to view this ongoing mess. Agree with the other commenters eco blocks would not be a good idea at this site. I don’t think we can eco block these messes away but parking enforcement can help!
- Brian August 31, 2024 (8:36 pm)
  
  Saying the quiet parts out loud I see. “No one should have to see this.” is some bleak stuff.

Marty2 August 30, 2024 (9:00 pm)

No overnight parking signage for this area would be better than eco-blocks, then street parking would be available for people that use the adjacent athletic fields.

Vee August 30, 2024 (9:15 pm)

Yes the overnite no parking is what finally worked on harbor
Desperately Seeking Saka August 30, 2024 (11:20 pm)

Cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks can still park between eco blocks. They’re spaced just far enough to keep the drug RVs out.
- WSB August 30, 2024 (11:44 pm)
  
  No, generally not. Not the ones on West Marginal – they’re closely spaced – as were the ones on Andover that preceded the bike lane
  https://westseattleblog.com/2022/06/followup-ecoblocks-installed-along-former-andover-28th-rv-encampment-site/

It's bad August 30, 2024 (10:07 pm)

Every time I drive thru, I’m seeing a drug buy in the open. People in cars drive up to make their purchase. And the RVs are in the lane, you have to drive outside of the lane to pass thru. It has not been this bad ever. I feel for the parents and kids coming and going to the ball fields. They can’t even park in that area.

Admiral-2009 August 30, 2024 (10:33 pm)

No more coddling, the City needs to enforce the SMC parking regulations vigorously the issue would resolve itself.

Darren August 31, 2024 (12:02 am)

Agreed. RVs have been a problem for over 10 years. The city officials and law enforcement need to step up their game. More than enough time to come up with a solution whether it’s enforcement or housing alternatives.
- Nathan H. August 31, 2024 (7:02 am)
  
  This isn’t a housing issue. It’s obvious to everyone except the willfully ignorant what’s going on here.
- dc August 31, 2024 (9:13 am)
  
  if only we voted in a mayor and city council on a mandate to raise taxes for services. oh wait, we didn’t do that, nvm
K August 31, 2024 (8:29 am)

I actually wish the city would vigorously enforce the parking codes and start ticketing/towing the boat trailers over 72″ parked on the street, fining all of the people parking their PODs on the street without a Street Use Permit, and ticketing the folks who’ve had their personal vehicle parked on the street for a week at a time while they’re on vacation, or sick, or working from home. I think if Parking Enforcement really did start enforcing all of the SMCs about parking, and enforced them equally (not just against the poor/RV people), there would be such an outcry from entitled NIMBYs all of those codes would be overturned within the year a la Lincoln Park Pickleball. I would REALLY enjoy watching that fiasco.
- WS Res August 31, 2024 (10:41 am)
  
  You said a mouthful. I’m thinking about the folks on 40th between Fauntleroy and Morgan who have been storing at least three covered cars on the street day in, day out, for all the years I’ve lived in the neighborhood. I quash my occasional urge to submit a “Find it, Fix it” report but it’s a perfect illustration of how housed people feel entitled to store their cars on the public streets indefinitely.

Don August 31, 2024 (8:40 am)

All the above comments are valid. The most blatant example of obvious criminal activity is when The Birdhouse coffee shop was a broke into and cameras showed man on bike stealing containers of ice cream . Well, later that morning as I was driving by post office, there were two empty ice cream cartons littering the road next to the RV’s.

Bbron August 31, 2024 (11:21 am)

yeah, folks take advantage of encampments to dump garbage so non-critical thinkers connect it to the people in the encampments. happens all the time with businesses illegally dumping, too.

Neighbor August 31, 2024 (11:00 am)

I don’t know the solution. All I know is one of these RVs had significant illegal activity happening in it on another street not long ago, before it was likely moved to where it is now. All they’re going to do is either move it back into another neighborhood where the activity will just continue. How do we stop that?

Bbron August 31, 2024 (11:22 am)

services and resources like evidence has shown across the world…
MyThruppence August 31, 2024 (1:30 pm)

By enforcing the 72 hour maximum parking ordinance. At least they would have to move all their crap every 72 hours, and will soon grow tired of all the moving and dealing with the vehicles that cannot propel themselves. Literally hassle them into moving out of the city/county/state and I am all for it. Letting the groups grow is where the problem begins. Letting folks continue spreading the detritus for six weeks before dealing with it is unacceptable. This is why 72 hours was chosen. We must enforce the 72 hour parking ordinance, all over the city and at all times/cases until folks learn that it is nothing but endless hassle/ticketing/stress. It clears the streets of the derelict private vehicles AND continually keeps the criminals on the move. And yes, they are indeed criminals. Look up the definition if you are in doubt.

Whisky Woods August 31, 2024 (11:08 am)

3 weeks?, Seattle Municipal code states 72 hours.

Scarlett August 31, 2024 (11:26 am)

The West Seattle bloodhounds at at it again, sniffing the wind for evidence that an RV is parked illegally somewhere. Children? Schools? Forget that this didn’t stop some from punching down on encampments in the industrial area, far from the nearest school, it doesn’t seem to bother many here that a local aerospace is the biggest producer of armaments that will be dropped on school age children on the other side of the planet.

anonyme August 31, 2024 (1:47 pm)

Where on earth did you make the connection between people who are against encampments and companies making bombs to drop on children? What possible evidence could you have for such a convoluted claim? Or are you just throwing feces at the wall?
Question Authority September 1, 2024 (11:01 am)

Your on another tangent again, it seems you’ll always find blame with society yet you inevitably benefit from the same evil overloads daily.

Admiral-2009 August 31, 2024 (11:43 am)

K – I disagree with your assessment regarding parking, the vast majority of us support vigorous parking enforcement equally to everyone. I had a old pick up truck I parked on the street and diligently moved every 3rd day, it’s simply not that hard to comply with the parking code!

K August 31, 2024 (1:56 pm)

Agree that it’s not hard to follow the code. But if you live in a neighborhood where all of the housed resident are diligently following the city’s parking rules like you are, you live a charmed life indeed. I know exactly which tarped vehicles WS Res is talking about; I’ve passed them myself. There are housed people all over the city happy to use the city parking strips as their personal storage for whatever, and yet I have never seen a post here insisting the city crack down and fine all of the people who use city parking spots to store their lumber/dirt/mulch for months on end without permits. At least the RVs are housing people. Empty trailers, gravel, and junk cars, not so much.
Window August 31, 2024 (5:12 pm)

Agree the rules should apply to all. That said, vehicles and RVs parked longer than 72 hours that have garbage, human waste, drug paraphernalia, and stolen items spewing out of them tend to draw more attention.
Bbron August 31, 2024 (6:14 pm)

eh, car shuffling is just as much a nuisance than staying in the same place for 72 hours. it’s the same as a child repeating “I’m not touching you” while holding their finger and inch away. sure it fits within the letter of the law, but the spirit is to prevent storage of vehicles on public streets which you’re still doing.

nachobeaver August 31, 2024 (1:39 pm)

you don’t need to sniff for evidence its being done in plain sight the police are there right now!! searching what looks to be a fairly new stolen bmw with no plates if anyone is missing it??

Marcus August 31, 2024 (4:01 pm)

Why a “time frame”??? We need a rapid response team. Catch them in the act!! Tow the vehicles to the city impound lot. Arrest the criminals. It is like we are advertising a raid days before the action. Be funny if not so serious.

Melissa August 31, 2024 (4:18 pm)

There were some quiet folks living there for quite some time and they were cleared out. Now we have these folks. We seems to have an increasing tendency to lump all unhoused people together, as if they’re a monolith of badness. That’s narrow-minded and reductive. There are badly behaved unhoused people, just as there are badly behaved housed people. There are also folks who have run out of social safety net or family support and should be supported.

David September 1, 2024 (4:18 pm)

I would bet that if this were in front of the mayor or chief of police’s home that it would be more quickly cleared – I think that they should move to the newly peaceful street on Alki Point

Sorry, comment time is over.