Homeless Man Tries to Get in My Car Near Lake City Encampment

Things Get Worse in Lake City

Neighbors have been flooding my inbox saying another encampment is forming in Lake City Mini Park. Sunday evening, I went to check it out when some insane nut job chased me all the way to my car and attempted to get inside. This is by far one of the most dangerous encounters I’ve had in Seattle. The folks here seem more mean spirited and aggressive. Many people living here have refused offers of shelter and services from the city and continue to use fentanyl in the tents.

This camp is also being blamed for a dramatic rise in vandalism and theft in the area. I recognized several men and women who simply moved here from the most recent Lake City sweep earlier this month. Otherwise, this park has been swept numerous times in the past which means city crews could clear this immediately. So why has this been allowed to flourish for weeks?

Nearby biz owners and residents say D5 Councilmember Deborah Juarez doesn’t return calls and clearly doesn’t care about this crisis as she finishes out her term in office. Will policy makers ever come up with a plan to deal with the men and women who constantly refuse shelter/services and choose to illegally camp on the streets? Whack a mole continues with no end in sight.

Been There Done That

City crews have cleared this Lake City Mini Park numerous times in past few years. This is a neighbor photo from 2021.

Rinse and Repeat

Vicious cycle continues. Lake City has some of the most problematic encampments. For some reason, city allows it to pile up instead of getting in front of these situations. This sweep happened earlier in August.

Avoid This Dude

Guy wearing the pink backpack is one of the most aggressive dudes at Lake City Mini Park. A few of the ladies are as well. They’ve hurled numerous objects in my direction. They do not like people coming through and questioning what’s going on. Let’s just say the tents are being used for more than sleeping purposes.