Stop Seattle From Turning Our Parks Into Homeless Encampments

I am also deeply disappointed that our elected council members intend to vote YES, although they have received so many emails and calls from the people they were elected to represent, who are voicing opposition.

Save our parks

Strongly oppose the use of City Parks as authorized homeless encampment areas

Do some research. Council Bill 118794 will do nothing at all to alleviate the epidemic of Seattle's increasing homeless population.

No more Camping Anywhere!

I coach kid's sports in these parks, and it is already a dangerous environment at Georgetown playfield. We have to have parents stationed at the bathroom, and checking field prior to arrival of kids. If we allow people to camp there as well, I suspect we won't even be able to use the fields.

This is a terrible idea and it will do nothing to reduce homelessness.

I grew up in Seattle Woodland Pk I remember going over the years. I live in South Snohomish County now and we have nothing like this special park

The homeless make up less than half of one percent of the citizens of Seattle. Turning our parks over to homeless encampments would render them unfit for the other 99.5% of the population. The amount of garbage, drug paraphernalia, needles and human waste in our city already is a health hazard. Throw in a few bonfires, and you can guarantee that the Parks will be unusable for years, if not decades to come. What will be the effects on the wetlands? Where is the Environmental Assessment? This policy proved disastrous in Portland. Why should it suceed in Seattle? The 99% of Seattlites, the taxpaying public that pays for the Parks, deserves better. We already have the police turning a blind eye to criminal behavior by the homeless; how much worse does it have to get? Does the Parks Department have the resources to clean up garbage, human waste and needles from our parks? I take a small child to Golden Gardens. He can't walk barefoot, because of needles. He are frequently confronted by vagrants, people who are obviously drunk, high, or mentally ill. Several Level III sex offenders list the park as their address. All of this before it's "legal." I see people shooting up in Ballard Commons on a regular basis. We, the taxpaying public are being held hostage by a very small percentage of the population. It was a disaster in Portland. Don't let it happen here.

I"ve already emailed my comments several times to the City Council.

The City Council members and the Mayor should face a recall vote, and soon. They care nothing for their taxpaying constituents, nothing. They run roughshod over us.

Please do not allow this bill to pass!

We, the undersigned registered voters of the City of Seattle, petition the Seattle City Council to defer a vote on Council Bill 118794 for at least six months to allow time for the following: the City to conduct a study of the environmental impacts of allowing homeless encampments in public parks and other public spaces; the City's residents and businesses to provide input and alternative proposals that meet the needs of the entire community; and to submit Council Bill 118794 to the qualified electors of the City of Seattle for approval or rejection at the next regular election or at a special election in accordance with Article V, Section 1 of the City Charter. On October 14, 2016, the Seattle City council is planning on enacting Council Bill 118794 which would allow camping in over 5,200 acres of city parks throughout Seattle as well as sidewalks, parking strips and other publicly owned spaces. In addition, the City taxpayers will be required to provide water, sanitation and other services or pay a $250 fine to each homeless person affected (per violation per day). Homeless people belong in homes, rehab facilities, mental health facilities or other places where they can get the help they need. Not only does the proposed ordinance note help them, this law will lead to the devastation of our parks that we all have a right to use safely. It will also adversely impact protected wetlands, soils and environments. Finally, it will most likely attract more homeless persons from other locations to the City of Seattle, where they will expect to be provided free camping or other suitable housing. Council member Tim Burgess is the lone council member who has been vocal in his opposition. He calls the bill "irresponsible" and states, "If this legislation is adopted by the City Council it won't move one person [living outside in homelessness] to housing. It won't address drug addiction or mental illness by anyone. And it certainly won't clean up the piles of garbage we s

I totally agree with this reasonable and thoughtful petition!

Vote NO or I'm moving to Bellevue!

This is NOT a practical or compassionate solution to the homeless issue we face. PLEASE VOTE NO!

I hold you responsible for finding a better, healthier, and more community driven solution to this ongoing issue. I am a big supporter of homelessness and know there are better plans than this. I live next to three parks, am raising two children, both who have been accosted by homeless individuals in the Interlaken.

It's clear the city does not want to listen to the people of Seattle that are level headed and can see this is a dangerous and detrimental policy .

Absolutely not.

I totally agree with this reasonable and sensible petition. Giving anyone the right to camp any where will make this city unsafe. A daily fine for not supporting such camping is beyond reason.