FOLLOWUP: What Councilmember Saka says about Sunday’s encampment violence

| Crime | West Seattle news

(Sunday traffic-camera image of response at 35th/Alaska)

The three men attacked in what police describe as a “violent robbery” at an encampment near the east side of 35th/Alaska remain hospitalized today. We covered the incident for hours on Sunday, and, noting that it happened on city-owned parkland, sought comment today from District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka. Here’s the statement we received, which also touches on the other city-land-encampment incident we covered a short time earlier:

I was horrified to hear about the robbery and assault in an encampment at Rotary Viewpoint Park yesterday, and I want to thank the Seattle Police Department for their quick response. Violence is never acceptable, especially in public spaces like our city parks where people should feel safe. Unfortunately, that has not been the reality at this park for some time.

Over the last two years, my office has consistently escalated community concerns in the Triangle neighborhood to the Unified Care Team, the agency responsible for remediating unsanctioned encampments, while also pushing for stronger responses when services are repeatedly declined by these individuals.

Recent incidents, including the fire near The Home Depot along Sylvan Way, show that our city clearly needs to do more, and I look forward to working with the Mayor, my Council colleagues, the Unified Care Team, and regional partners to expand shelter options and address these issues.

We have also inquired with Mayor Katie Wilson‘s office regarding when we’ll get an announcement regarding the hundreds of new shelter spaces expected to open around Seattle within the next two months or so.

Seaview Jack March 30, 2026 (2:28 pm)

Saka’s response is further proof we’re in an infinite loop of inaction. Literally two paragraphs apart (in the same statement) he identifies a problem with individuals refusing services and then says the solution is to work with the Mayor, et al, to expand shelter options. If people are refusing services how does adding more services fix the issue?

WS Res March 30, 2026 (2:45 pm)

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Because if you add services that people actually want (e.g. tiny houses, rather than congregate shelters that kick you out every morning) then more people will accept services.
My two cents March 30, 2026 (2:51 pm)

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IT appears that Saka/Council/Wilson (and the previous administration and representatives) all seem to be like a dog chasing their own tail … only difference is the dog figures it out eventually. Well, Seattle citizens can eagerly await the next PR exercise.

KT March 30, 2026 (2:51 pm)

I look forward to working with the Mayor, my Council colleagues, the Unified Care Team, and regional partners to expand shelter options and address these issues.He must have this canned statement ready to go at a moment’s notice, all he has to do it hit send!

Tax Payer March 30, 2026 (2:52 pm)

All everyone just heard was, “blah, blah, blah, blah….”

DRW March 30, 2026 (2:58 pm)

Your lips move but I can’t hear what your saying.

Marcus March 30, 2026 (2:58 pm)

Allowing people to live on the streets is not a companionate society though others will differ but to what means do they differ. Continued squaller and unhealthy conditions. Untreated addiction and mental health. Violence and crime. For the unhoused who contribute to crime, yes to jail they go to detox. For those who are lost then forced housing and treatment. We have an entire political system that is progressive and the present philosophy is certainly not progressive in nature.

Jort March 30, 2026 (3:02 pm)

I’m surprised Rob didn’t recommend some more street lights as a mitigation! As you can imagine, he’s tried nothing, and he’s all out of ideas.

PSPS March 30, 2026 (3:17 pm)

Some people refuse services because they come with strings attached that they either won’t or can’t accept (i.e., give up pets, partner, drinking, drug abuse all in advance.)

If you look at how other countries around the world deal with this, the only one I’ve seen that has a consistently positive outcome is called “housing first.”

Jimmy K March 30, 2026 (5:49 pm)

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Once more, for the chronically and deliberately obtuse: please explain how exactly does “housing first” prevent these types of crimes committed against and by the homeless population. Short of giving every homeless person that shows up in Seattle a house, followed by all of their housing expenses paid in perpetuity, as well as a monthly allowance, how does gifting them a house fix anything?
- k March 30, 2026 (7:53 pm)
  
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  Well, this started as a dispute over space in tents, so if everyone had their own home, it literally wouldn’t have happened. You picked a terrible example to try and say “housing first” couldn’t help.
  
  Broadly speaking, even if someone is very motivated to engage in services, it is difficult to follow through with ongoing program requirements when so much energy has to go into securing safety and shelter each night. Any conversation about engaging in services is moot when those very basic needs are unmet. There is a TON of research and literature supporting the “housing first” model. You are welcome to read it for yourself instead of asking WSB commenters to summarize it for you.
  
  I do want to acknowledge and appreciate your willingness to share your ignorance on the subject. Housing vouchers do not last in perpetuity. Depending on the program, they all have a sunset, that is known to everyone when they are approved. They do last for a few years, enough time to secure more stable employment and complete other services, but they do not last forever. They are also not “gifted” a house. There is a spot in transitional housing, that becomes a permanent housing unit when funds make that possible via income or vouchers. No one enjoys transitional housing enough to live there forever. There are too many rules and too little privacy. Literally not a problem that exists in the real world.
  - WS Person March 31, 2026 (12:31 pm)
    
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    “if someone is very motivated….” And right there you lost so many. If it’s our tax dollars paying to support people, it should be mandatory treatment. I don’t mind helping but there’s no chance I want to support someone who’s not moving themselves forward.

J March 30, 2026 (3:20 pm)

In other words “nothing will be done”! I’ll go back to hiding in my office and only attend ribbon cuttings and supporting personal programs that make me seem like I actually do something!

Seattlite March 30, 2026 (3:32 pm)

Saka’s response is rote as best. Saka needs to make a solid commitment to WS’s citizens with a starting and ending timeframe of cleaning up the out-of-control homeless population. There are multiple complex layers to solving the homeless population. Saka is an elected public servant who is expected to keep citizens safe, solve monumental problems like the homeless population. Today, I can say that I do not feel safe in WS with the plethora of drug addicts, alcoholics, mentally ill that are roaming around the streets.

snowskier March 30, 2026 (7:21 pm)

These folks aren’t living outside because they can’t take their pet into a shelter with them. These are people who have continually declined all offers of help. Time to make the offers mandatory, you can’t stay here in the park, you get to leave now. We can offer you a ride somewhere else, jail, rehab. We’re looking at a drought this summer, wonder how fast that greenbelt can burn councilman?

Loni March 30, 2026 (7:22 pm)

Respectfully, if we truly care about children, then we also have to care about the adults they become. You cannot claim to protect kids while refusing to build the infrastructure that will support them as they grow. Housing matters, but infrastructure matters first: stability, mental health support, medical care, crisis response, education, life-skills, and practical pathways that actually work in the real world. Age is a number. Risk is a level. If the system only reacts once someone reaches a certain age or category, then it is already too late for too many people.

Foster Parent March 31, 2026 (6:22 am)

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I have some really bad news for you about the child welfare system…Have you ever stopped to wonder why juvenile crime jumped up in 2023 and has been rising ever since? Stability is, unfortunately, not a priority at all, and that is enshrined in state law (HB 1227)

Big G March 30, 2026 (8:36 pm)

As a first responder in King County I can tell you there are plenty of shelter beds and apartments available. All you have to do is abide by a very very simple set of rules. No drugs in the shelter or apartment complex, no selling drugs, no prostitution or promoting prostitution, and no physical violence.
The only reason anybody “refuses services” is because they are engaging in these activities. And the city’s response to pawn them off via motorhomes in our neighborhoods is totally unacceptable. These are violent, dangerous people, who are often armed.
I have called Council member Saka’s office a half dozen times now about an RV on my street near Morgan Junction, 4 blocks from Gatewood Elementary, where I walk my son to school every day, and my neighbors walk their littles. I have yet to receive a call back.
I have called SPD 3 times now, and they have contacted the person, and met with me and literally told me there is nothing they can do. The officer’s response, was “this is why none of us live in Seattle, b/c the mayor and council don’t let us keep the community safe.”
It’s only a matter of time before a child is assaulted, or worse killed, by someone and their blood will be on the mayor’s and council’s hands.

westseattlebob March 30, 2026 (8:56 pm)

Just waiting for the Duwamish greenbelt to go up in flames this summer as that camp on the corner of Highlandpark Wy and Marginal gets more and more junk in the forest along with campers. If you head up the road past the gate and come to the power lines there is even more down an unsanctioned trail that is beyond disgusting. FIFI doesn’t work and i can only send so many reports before they ignore me more……

Sylvan Resident March 31, 2026 (5:54 am)

“I’m energized by the opportunity to deepen our cross‑functional alignment with the Mayor, my Council colleagues, the Unified Care Team, and our broader regional ecosystem as we collectively advance scalable shelter solutions and holistically engage the complex, interdependent challenges before us”

DC March 31, 2026 (8:59 am)

Literally not a word of concern from Rob for the three unhoused people who were violently attacked and are still in the hospital. Apparently if you are homeless its your own fault and actually the real victims are the housed people who don’t like seeing it. The heartlessness is stunning. Praying for a quick recovery for those attacked.

Ruckus March 31, 2026 (9:56 am)

“…Together, we will holistically engage our complex, interdependent challenges—primarily by renaming them, workshopping them, and forming subcommittees to explore their future potential. While outcomes may remain aspirational, our alignment will be impeccably documented. Onward, in perfect coordination, toward unclear results.”

dzag March 31, 2026 (10:47 am)

Being nearby this neighborhood my heart goes out to all with addiction and mental health concerns. I have to wonder if we all got together and paid for transportation for the encampment to go to Lincoln park or higher end wealthier neighborhoods if the city council would take this more seriously. We’ve put in our time and support in this area and maybe another park or neighborhood could take a turn? Mane this encampment could go where the pickleball courts were planned ?

natinstl March 31, 2026 (10:58 am)

Same old, same old. Same policies, same outcomes. I noticed all the tree that have been removed by the Home Depot, tents etc. only a matter of time before they have a fire and those townhouses are threatened. I was so excited to move to STL 20 years ago, it was vibrant, on the upswing… it’s disheartening to see the status of the city now. At least I used to feel relatively safe in WS, no longer. For all the talk of San Francisco, I was there last week and it was in much better shape, clean, they’re arresting folks for openly doing drugs, didn’t see any tents…I want to help those that want help, but all we do is enable more drug use from those that don’t.

Mike March 31, 2026 (1:39 pm)

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I just drove by there headed home from Home Depot this morning. It looks like they did just have a fire there. You called it.
- WSB March 31, 2026 (2:27 pm)
  
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  We reported on the fire Sunday.

SafeSpacesWS March 31, 2026 (11:09 am)

If current approaches aren’t reducing the impact of encampments near schools, childcare providers, and parks, should we be looking at land use or zoning tools as part of the solution?Has anyone spoken with land use attorneys or planners about what options might actually be feasible here?

Bryan Green March 31, 2026 (2:57 pm)

Nothings going to happen unless the community takes action. I live off 35th very near the park and would love to organize folk to talk with councilmember Saka and demand an immediate plan. Reply to this thread if you’d like to be a part of this group.