encampments

They’re Already Back Late last month, Mayor Bruce Harrell (@MayorofSeattle) sent in crews to clear a massive drug den along I-5 in downtown Seattle. Authorities say a DRUG TURF WAR fueled by a revenge plot and homemade BOMBS rocked this notorious encampment. Less than two weeks later, several people have already broken in and are now setting up shop. When I showed up Sunday morning, the entrance to the fence along Yesler Way wasn’t even locked. Not sure who is running point for security on this WSDOT (@wsdot) property, but it might be time to invest in better locks and more fencing. Taking Matters into Own Hands On July 27, this encampment was “deemed an emergency,” so the city took Read More ›

As city and county officials remain paralyzed trying to manage Burien’s out of control homeless encampment crisis, Kristine Moreland of “The More We Love” is building trust and relationships. “There are predators coming in from the community and preying on the people in here,” Moreland says as we walk past an encampment. She and her outreach partner, Chri Wee, are helping move men and women out of tents in the heart of downtown Burien into the services they need. They’ve been hired by local businesses to do the work politicians and the King County Regional Homelessness Authority have neglected. Together, they’ve moved more than two dozen men and women into housing or programs in just one month. “We celebrate because Read More ›

Game Over Ballard A few more days to go until the August 1 primary in Seattle. Sunday afternoon, I went to check in on the homeless crisis exploding in Councilmember Dan Strauss’ (@CMDanStrauss) hood. Strauss remains vulnerable in District 6 and is fighting for his political life. I assumed he would have figured out a way to clear some of the tents for the sake of optics. Instead, Leary Ave NW is a wreck. I have never seen so many tents lined on this street. The side streets are pretty bad as well. You can walk to all 38 tents in a matter of minutes. I’m not even counting the dozens of RV’s and structures. Just the tents! Based on Read More ›

If we define “home” as a solid dwelling fixed to a particular spot, many Native Americans were voluntarily homeless, as hunters and gatherers are. They would follow their food supply, which was on the move. How could they be convinced to change? European Americans wanted to convince Native Americans that a settled life was better. Their position was Housing, Food, and Clothing first. Their belief: If Native Americans saw they could be warm and well-fed in cold weather rather than freezing and hungry, they would voluntarily settle down. If they became accustomed to products of civilization like fine clothing and (some craftily said) alcohol, they would want to settle down. That worked for some but not for others. Native culture Read More ›

Breaking Thursday morning, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell (@MayorofSeattle) finally ordered crews to clear the notorious I-5 homeless encampment in downtown #Seattle. Even though it’s on Washington State Dept. of Transportation (@wsdot) property, the Mayor “deemed it an emergency,” so he was able to take control of this situation. I have been reporting for months now that the Mayor has always had this option. WSDOT’s problems have just become too much of a burden. The Mayor is clearly taking matters into his own hands. Otherwise, the investigation continues into this inferno, fueled by a DRUG TURF WAR involving homemade BOMBS. Witnesses say it was a REVENGE HIT JOB. Once again, this is not a housing crisis. A criminal enterprise was being Read More ›

A fireball engulfed several trees and tents along I-5 in downtown Seattle on Friday morning inside a well-known homeless encampment. The property is a Washington State Department of Transportation right of way, and witnesses say they heard propane tanks exploding and saw “a bunch of black smoke.” Fire crews responded immediately to extinguish the flames. Authorities say one man suffered injuries from the fire and checked himself into Harborview Medical Center. “We need to get these people off the streets,” one witness tells me. A hospital spokesperson says the victim is notorious graffiti vandal Casey Cain, also known as EAGR. His tag was found on a sink left standing amid the wreckage. The 36-year-old was out on bail for vandalism Read More ›

Clean-up has begun for a massive homeless encampment across the street from the Arrowhead Gardens senior living community in West Seattle. Diane Radischat, president of Arrowhead’s senior living association, is pleasantly surprised. She didn’t expect the removal to start this soon and says, “the clean up that’s going on today appears to be pretty extensive.” Crews began removing trash and dismantling the infamous swimming pool that had been set up on the property on Friday morning. Radischat says she refers to the people living there as “occupants,” and that she’ll “remain calling them that.” Monica Parrish set up the swimming pool and built a patio and says being asked to leave is “getting a little bit emotionally harder and harder Read More ›

Oh Boy WSDOT (@wsdot) and Gov. Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) are now dealing w/another out of control fire at a homeless encampment entrenched on a state right of way. There have already been multiple infernos at this downtown #Seattle location. @MayorofSeattle (video from Jeremy Harris) WSDOT Was Warned Look at this inferno back in March near the same spot. According state data, there are more than 2000 homeless encampments on state right of ways, many still in #Seattle. At what point does @MayorofSeattle step in. Questionnable Pace These encampment situations are out of control, even after millions of dollars poured into clearings and housing. That’s why I keep asking Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) about the timelines for removals. But right now, Read More ›

Across the street from Arrowhead Gardens senior living community on Myers Way in Seattle sprawls a massive homeless encampment. On Tuesday evening, frustrated seniors at Arrowhead Gardens unloaded their concerns over the encampment and slammed the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for mishandling the response. The seniors said they were “ashamed of the state,” and “feel threatened” living in close proximity to the encampment. The encampment has raised concerns about open air drug use, human trafficking, gun violence, and an overall increase in crime. Diane Radischat, president of Arrowhead’s senior living association, says a homeless person from the encampment “defecated in one of our washing machines.” A theme of the comments made Tuesday evening was a sense that the Read More ›

Lurking in the Woods The SWIMMING POOL is what really brought attention to this West Seattle homeless encampment along Myers Way. But for weeks now, I’ve been exploring the constellation of mini encampments in the deep woods nearby. Most of this is still on Washington State Dept of Transportation (@wsdot) property. I counted at least 40 suspected situations. Lots of drug use, trash, and no doubt there is run off going into the waterways. It’s an environmental disaster in the making. I also met one guy who is extremely talented and should be working. He built one of the craziest encampments I have ever seen with an underground tunnel system in the works. But the state might want to get Read More ›