Stop Seattle From Turning Our Parks Into Homeless Encampments

Concerned about the water quality of Lake Washington with camping potentially allowed along much of the area from Madrona to Seward Park. Human waste spilling into Lake Washington is a public health hazard for everyone using the lake.

Homelessness is a complicated issue and this solution is a band aid at best. It continues to enable rather than empower those without permanent homes. Does not address the criminal, mental health or chemical addiction issues prevalent with the chronically homeless. It also does not take into consideration what homeless advocates and experts express as ways to help the homeless, And, will most likely impact how our parks are used and cared for. We can do better than this.

We all pay to support the parks...not to live in them. There is no way I'd want to visit parks or take my children to parks where people who don't fit in society are living. Being economically challenged by a job loss or unexpected financial downturn is another thing. We have housing for those who can follow rules.

We don't let stray animals run the streets and we owe humans more than living in filth. How we treat the needy is a statement on our morals.

WHEN are the TAX-PAYING constituents of this city going to be protected from the homeless flouters of civility and law and order? Give the city back to its law-abiding citizens!

Strongly oppose this Bill.

My concern is most in regards to camping near playfields and schools.

Keep the parks safe for the kids.

Stop the insanity!!!

This does nothing to solve the problem.

Bad for the city Bad for residents Bad for business Bad for homeless

I'm 69 years old and my favorite activity is walking my dog in our lovely city parks.

Strongly oppose

This would cripple our parks - something in Seattle that has been precious to me as a child in Seattle.

Better, safer and more appropriate options are available. This is not in the public interest whatsoever.

Our Community Volunteers have spent decades, and hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours removing invasive species, planting native plants, encouraging and restoring wildlife habitat. it can easily be undone in two years of transients sanctioned "camping" in our wild life spaces. The human destruction, human waste, trash, squalor and biological hazards left behind in most all other "homeless camps" will be indicative of what our parks, Green belts and natural wild life spaces will become if the Seattle City Council is reckless enough to pass this ill-conceived and destructive law. This proposed law would be devastating to the flora and fauna of our fragile wildlife spaces. How long will the endangered Bald Eagles that nest in Seward Park continue to nest there? Not to mention the hundreds of other species that will be negatively affected, killed or chased away. The City Council needs to attend a few educational nature walks and volunteer a few hundred hours stripping out invasive species before they simply hand away our fragile and precious community wildlife spaces. They seem to be spending money on everything but the actual, real, solution. Family housing, no matter how basic, functional housing has flushing toilets available, running cold and hot water, bathing facilities, heat. Safe sanitary housing. Be at free, subsidized, transitional, reduced rent, permanent or emergency... Actual housing is what is needed. Actual human habitat, functional housing with flushing toilets, running cold and hot water, bathing facilities, heat. Safe sanitary housing is what is needed. Not Architect designed garden sheds, not use shipping containers, not human chicken coops, and certainly not tents. Human housing.

Figure out the homeless problem without ceding public land--you'll never get park funding passed again in the future if we can't use the parks for families!

Urban camping is not OK.

Our city needs to work out a comprehensive and compassionate solution to the problem of homelessness. Having homeless people "park themselves" in our parks is neither compassionate nor comprehensive and will likely make the problem far worse. Shelve this plan and work on something better.

This is a ridiculous plan. I already dodge homeless people who scream and yell at me, and human feces when I walk through Discovery Park. Last week a guy asked me if he could have my coat- offered to f**k me for it. Unbelievable! I am not demonizing homeless people. Merely recognizing that camping is not housing. Without access to sanitary stations, (that do not exist), this proposal only increases clean up problems and imperils public safety for all involved. I believe our tax dollars can be used more effectively. Why not buy a few decommissioned Ferry boats, retrofit them to include small apartment like spaces inclusive of toilets and showers and add a communal kitchen, rec room etc, and provide access to counseling and treatment services so they, to some degree, mimic the features of many condominiums? This, I think would be a much saner, safer, comfortable plan for all involved.