Stop Seattle From Turning Our Parks Into Homeless Encampments

I understand fully the predicament homeless people are in, I too agree that just finding new places is not going to solve the problem we need avenues in which to help these people in a more significant way, not just moving them from one place to another. I have to always consider the fact that circumstances may put me in their position and because of that I have great empathy for them, but shuffling them around is not going to help in the long run. We must find ways to address the root problem, so many times in this country we only look at the aftereffect of what is happened and not the root and this is why we can never fix it .

I'm the compassionate mom of two young girls who like to roam in our neighborhood parks. I don't understand how this helps anybody and urge you to look at alternative solutions.

There has to be a safer way to help the homeless than what the City Council is proposing through Council Bill 118794.

Any one can come & live in our neighborhood as long as they will pay our high property taxes.

Have the City Council Members actually walked the places in their districts that are being proposed? some of the sidewalk locations are very strange, such as along a cemetery.

We do not need this kind of camping. This city looks bad enough already. What we need is a mayor and city council that can do something about the problem rather than this hairbrain idea and asking the taxpayers for more and more money to fund this.

Reject current plan on use of parks for camping. Spend 6 months seeking solutions for homeless. Reject threats of lawsuits by organizations that wish to usurp rights of citizens.

I strongly disagree with this proposal.

This bill is an absolutely ridiculous statement by city council. Disenfranchised persons deserve our compassion but please do not mistake this legislation as a compassionate solution. Enabling and helping are not similar concepts.

Don't do this!!! It's no real solution to this problem. And it will cause lots of problems with the citizens that want to feel safe using their parks.

This is not ok! Our City is becoming an embarrassment. It is dirty and dangerous. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS BILL TO GET PASSED.

We have come so far in the south end to make our parks vibrant, well used, safe places for children and families to spend time. I fear this bill will undo all of that. I am a Little League parent, am I going to have to fear moving people's tents out of the outfield so out teams can play, or tell my kids to not retrieve a ball in foul territory because there is garbage contaminated with needles lying around? This cannot happen. It's a cop out by the City that hurts everyone that works hard and pays taxes to provide parks for our families to use everyday.

As a social worker and public health professional this solution for homelessness (already proven disastrous) is asking for further public health issues (sanitation, etc.) and not an effective solution to a social problem that needs to be addressed with effective solutions, not repeat a failed solution. This solution will only burden the very professionals who are already overburdened. I would like Seattle to try more innovative solutions, albeit temporary solutions (sanctioned tiny house villages or steel modular housing units) it would be a more focused and safer solution than camping in the parks and traffic strips (NOT SAFE!). Let's use some common sense.

I've seen people sleeping/camping in parks w/ playgrounds and schools - that's not a good mix nor use of parks and open areas.

Vote NO.

As a Seattle resident who has and continues to pay exorbitant property taxes,this is a terrible idea. If your desire is to drive taxpayers out of the city,this is the way. Parks,green belts and public areas are for everyone. Those homeless that refuse services to get them off the street,and if applicable,off drugs, have no right to inhabit our public spaces and parks.

This is not the solution, come up,with real solutions without compromising parks.

Please do not implement this outrageous idea.

This is a lazy pseudo solution that leads to many public health risks and cannot be tolerated. A responsible government will fix the root of the problem, rather than proposing something to make the problem worse and make it even less convenient for people to get help.

We must inundate the Seattle City Council with emails--I doubt that our complaints will be heard by them in this forum. I emailed my "representative" Ms. Sawant" and also cc'd the rest of the Council. Time is short!!!