Stop Seattle From Turning Our Parks Into Homeless Encampments

That is lazy by our elected officials to even consider using our most precious resource in such a way. There are other solutions they just require work.

Seattle city parks are our pride and joy. They cannot be turned into sacrifice zones.

I do not support using parks as homeless encampments, this is not a long term solution and will only cause more harm. Rehabilitation and education programs, as well as permanent housing is money better spent. City Councils highest priority should be on human beings.

[email protected] write them NOW! flood their email in boxes! the mayor too, but his "email" redirects to his webpage. guess he doesn't want to hear from his constituents

The homeless need shelter and care, not to be told "hey, just go hang out in the park". It's not good for them, and with tents occupying playfields and other park areas, everyone else will be prevented from using our limited green space. Don't do this.

Kathie Madsen did not write the above but did write the stray animal phrase below. We don't have housing for mentally challanged or addicted people. Seattle is not even affordable for most working people. America is not for the people, it is for the wealthy that don't care about others.

Please take care of our homeless! The City of Seattle managers must have various options in caring for our neighbors in need. The park solution is not a viable solution. Thank You...

This goes too far and is not a solution. This has been tried in Portland and failed miserably. There is no possible way this provides needed sanitation surrounding camps in our parks. The solution is to provide housing and address the issues causing homelessness, not to open parks to camping. Use my tax dollars for that. We all pay for clean sanitary parks and for the preservation of that undeveloped space. We should pay for a solution which this is not. Read the bill, no way the city is equipped to provide these resources. This is a terrible bill and idea.

I love in Belltown, and this won't work. Keep our parks safe, and do something that actually *helps* the homeless - this is a band-aid solution, and won't work. Did whoever came up with this plan do any research??? --Caroline Dwyer Sanik Master's of Public Policy Georgetown University, McCourt School of Public Policy Class of 2014

The presence of encampments deters my family and my children from experiencing the nearby parks. We paid a premium for our home because of the proximity to these parks, expecting that the price was worth supporting these amenities. We viewed ourselves as stewards as well as beneficiaries. We used to volunteer extensively to keep them clean, remove invasive plants, restore native plants, and help with the salmon runs and the park's historic orchard. Now the parade of men who glower at us along trails as they descend to their campsites, running over us with overloaded bikes on trails that forbid bikes, creating cut through paths and camping pads that crush restoration, cause us to avoid the park. Even on nearby streets as we walk our dog, the taunts from the campers (perhaps their minds are altered by illness or drugs) remind us to consider that people who are not of sound mind can't be trusted to behave appropriately and not cause harm. We avoid them, and the park where they lurk, yet our taxes support the amenity. We will no longer volunteer to maintain the park -- out of concerns for personal safety, we will not risk removing the human feces, spent needles, and waste we see left behind by people who are using a public park without respect. It is not just parks, it is under highways. When I had to slam on my breaks traveling north on I-5 express near 45th street to avoid hitting a camper who decided to cross the highway along with his friend who had just made it to the other side, I endangered my children in the car, and the people driving behind me who nearly hit me. I called the police when I arrived home, only to learn that I should have called while slamming on my breaks because they can only do something during the active trespass. That's crazy. Every time I travel on I-5, my passengers now have the phone ready to call. Fortunately, we have not encountered another person running on the highway in front of us, but we have 6 photographs (and cou

First let me say thank you to the City Council for their hard work in taking on this heart-breaking issue. With that said, please reject this and look at other ideas. This idea is short-sited and damaging urban policy. Please host an idea-lab instead. In an Idea-Lab citizens around the city and experts from around the nation get to submit their ideas for how to house our homeless neighbors. Highlight the best ideas in a TED-like public forum (or series of public forums) and then allow citizens to vote on their favorite ideas and the council who vote on which ideas they like. Then work to implement the best ideas through our democratic process. Please don't forget that these are human beings you're moving around with this disliked policy. Passing controversial legislation that impacts our homeless neighbors is risky for another important reason: it will likely be short-term. If this becomes policy it will be in place just long enough for thousands to move into our parks. Then they will be asked to move yet again as controversial legislation like this is likely to be replaced with sensible policy after the next council election cycle. It's just not fair to do this to people. They need real shelter. Please do more to find them real shelter. You are up to the task of protecting both people and our parks, and it starts by finding consensus on how.

This is NOT a good solution. Look at Portland.

NO

please dont do this

Homelessness is a difficult and sensitive issue..but this is a proposal that could have far reaching, unexpected concsequences. Need to carefully consider health and environmental impacts of people camping in areas not designed to support this. Of course crime is also a grave concer - police and fire are already overburdened, how will they be able to respond to camps that are literally everywhere?? Public lands are for everyone not just some constituents. Please reconsider this drastic measure that had been recommended by people who do not live in Seattle..you can address their concerned with better oversight and planning..not by angering and risking the safety of Seattlites!

It should be different solution.

A more complete study of the impacts to public property, especially our parks, and how to provide more permanent solutions to people experiencing homelessness should take place before adopting an ordinance. There should also be a more comprehensive outreach and engagement effort to include all stakeholders.

Terminate work on the proposed ordinance expanding rights for the homeless now. It is a disaster.

Reject "open space" camping.

This Bill is very shortsighted. It will do nothing to improve the health and wellnsss of the Seattle homeless population and this is what we need to focus our dollars on. Allowing encampments in Seattle parks and neighborhoods will create more problems in the long run. Crime is up in areas where encampments are located and fragmented homeless encampments will make it even tougher for these populations to get the services they need. Has the City thought about what these encampments will do to local property values and how the reduction in values will impact property taxes? Please vote No on this Bill.