FOLLOWUP: City posts encampment-sweep warning at Roxhill Park

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

After last week’s shooting at Roxhill Park, we asked a city spokesperson whether the park’s encampment was slated for clearance. The answer, as reported here, was noncommittal. The park has continued to have incidents, particularly fires – four calls in one day alone, and a report by the cleanup group A Cleaner Alki that fire had intruded into the park’s peat bog. Now, there’s proof the city does plan to sweep the park’s encampment: That notice shown in the top photo, seen today and photographed by a reader, warns people camping in the park to have their belongings out by Friday morning (August 28).

Jissy August 25, 2026 (4:16 pm)

WHACK-a-MOLE!!

Neighbor August 25, 2026 (5:05 pm)

About time! I know these people will just move elsewhere, but let somebody else deal with them! Our community has been ransacked for far too long. We deserve a reprieve.

Admiral2009 August 25, 2026 (5:44 pm)

SMC 18.12.250 prohibits camping in Seattle Parks, it’s past time the City enforce the code and stop letting an encampment take root on the 1st place.

flimflam August 26, 2026 (9:30 am)

Exactly, enforce the law and don’t allow these camps to grow into these entrenched messes.

Stu August 25, 2026 (6:08 pm)

Don’t wait until there’s a shooting, to sweep/outreach to get people services.

Curious George August 25, 2026 (8:05 pm)

That’s not the way our city works…bite of Seattle for example.
- WS Res August 26, 2026 (1:47 pm)
  
  Ah yes, the notoriously neglected… Seattle Center encampment…. And the Bite shooting had nothing to do with unhoused people at all, but teenagers with guns.

KBear August 25, 2026 (7:50 pm)

Oh, I can’t wait for the city to enforce the codes. Homeowners parking their boats and rvs on the planting strip because they can. Paving over the planting strip without a permit. Parking on the street longer than 72 hours. Blocking driveways and sidewalks.

flimflam August 26, 2026 (9:31 am)

Uh, what on earth are you talking about?

1994 August 25, 2026 (9:56 pm)

I say fill the bog with water and make it a year round bog. Make it a place full of soggy ground, lots of bugs, native snakes, lots of thorny shrubs, noisy birds, owls for night noise, maybe a few bat houses…so it is not a desirable place to spend the night.

Save the Bog August 26, 2026 (3:22 pm)

Agree, minus the snakes. The city should gift to a conservation organization, since they refuse to care for this resource.

snowskier August 26, 2026 (8:11 am)

Love the idea of dumping water into the peat bog to rebuild it’s health and deter squatting. You shouldn’t have to shoot someone to get a park cleared of an encampment.

Concerned August 26, 2026 (9:11 am)

The Parks Department should consider trimming and maintaining the tree canopy in this area to improve visibility and reduce conditions that may make the park an attractive location for unauthorized camping. This park has been reported numerous times, and concerns have repeatedly been raised about escalating safety issues and the potential for a serious incident to occur. Unfortunately, those concerns do not appear to have been adequately addressed. It is deeply concerning that the situation escalated to the point where someone was shot before meaningful action was taken. While city officials and community leaders often express concern when these issues are brought to their attention, residents and neighbors are frustrated by the lack of visible, sustained follow-through. The community deserves proactive action and accountability to ensure that public spaces remain safe for everyone.

wscommuter August 26, 2026 (10:15 am)

On a related note, I’ve noticed a recent surge of campers (mostly smaller campers) on Alki Ave towards the west end of the public beach in the last week or two. Counted 11 vehicles there yesterday morning at 7:00 when I rode my bike through that area (the tell is the use of screens of some sort to maintain darkness inside the vehicle and the condensation on the windows). So we may have a problem emerging at that location.

CoolBreeze August 26, 2026 (4:19 pm)

Given all the time and effort conservationists and residents have put into the protection and restoration of the bog & Longfellow Creek headwaters over the years, it is good to read this. May the City remain committed to protecting this important ancient wetland going forward.