FOLLOWUP: Schmitz Preserve Park encampment ‘resolved,’ city says

One week ago, we reported that the city said it had no plans to “resolve” that tent encampment at Schmitz Preserve Park. That apparently changed quickly: One of the readers who had contacted us got a message Tuesday that the encampment had been resolved after all. A Unified Care Team rep told them:

Our contracted outreach partners were out last week to engage with individuals at the site and connect them to services and resources. They left the grounds on Friday and UCT performed trash pick-up services yesterday and today [Monday-Tuesday]. We consider this issue resolved. Re-encampment can occur at a site; please continue to submit new service requests by using our Unauthorized Encampment service request form or on your mobile device using our Find It, Fix It mobile app. The information you provide will help the Unified Care Team (UCT) deploy the right teams and resources to address the issue as quickly as possible.

Big 5 Guy November 20, 2024 (5:10 pm)

That’s great, but it should’ve been resolved within hours of the first tent pitching.

Rogue Riot November 21, 2024 (10:28 am)

That would require us to allocate more resources to having those care teams and trash pick up as a community. Which I’m all in favor for!
Nick's Pizza November 22, 2024 (5:11 am)

We shoulda-coulda-woulda have a society that can take care of all of its people so some of us don’t have to resort to finding shelter in public parks.

Admiral-2009 November 20, 2024 (5:59 pm)

Big 5 Guy – Agreed!

Eddie November 20, 2024 (6:09 pm)

Would, coulda, shoulda. Turn back the WayBack Machine Sherman!

Lafayette neighbor November 20, 2024 (6:25 pm)

Considering how many trees and large branches fell in the storm last night it is a good thing outreach services was able to help.

snowskier November 21, 2024 (11:05 am)

Glad that this was resolved. Hopefully this marks a change in approach from the city as there should always be a plan to ‘resolve’ an encampment in a park.

momosmom November 21, 2024 (12:30 pm)

Don’t be too sure about a change in approach from “camping” in a public park if this State Rep has their way.State Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac), creates new categories of “constitutional and civil rights” for homeless people. It would allow the homeless in Washington state to live virtually wherever and however they please, barring cities and counties from meaningful enforcement.
- K November 21, 2024 (1:49 pm)
  
  For those reading this comment and wondering, the proposed bill is (not surprisingly) more subtle than the synopsis here. It would bar discrimination based on housing status, but would require those living outdoors to demonstrate that they are doing so because they have no reasonable alternative AND government shelters are full or functionally inaccessible, they also would need to live outdoors in a way that is “unobstructive”. They would not have any rights anyone else doesn’t already have. If you have no reasonable alternative to living on the sidewalk in front of city hall, and the government shelters are full or won’t let you in because of your emotional support lobster, you also have the right to live unobstructively on the sidewalk, with your lobster. Knock yourself out.
  - Dad November 21, 2024 (3:08 pm)
    
    No, we don’t have such a right. Not in the state or federal constitution or anywhere else in the logical universe.