Concerns with Encampment Removal Policies

(Context: Letter in opposition to “obstruction” and “hazard” no-notice encampment removals.)

To: Seattle City Council, Mayor Jenny Durkan
Cc: Jason Johnson, Interim Director of HSD
Subject: Concerns with encampment removal policies

Beacon Hill Safe Streets is a community organization focused on making our streets and public spaces safe and welcoming for all. We are writing to express our concern about the City’s encampment removal policies. As reported by several local journalists and media outlets, the City appears to have shifted focus to no or short notice encampment removals. While members of BHSS have a diversity of opinions on the appropriate approaches to handling unsanctioned encampments and homelessness in general, we are concerned that these removals use justifications of “obstruction” and “hazard”.

As an example, one of the best connections between southeast Seattle and downtown is the Dearborn Ave Protected Bike Lane (PBL). An encampment had grown up along it between the curb and a fence. There is no sidewalk there and the encampment rarely encroached on or interfered with people using the bike lane. Other recent removals have similarly been in areas which were not obstructing.

BHSS wants to create streets and public spaces that are safe and welcoming for all. A major prerequisite for safe and welcoming spaces is unobstructed and safe sidewalks and bike lanes. It does not help our goal of safe and welcoming streets when the City justifies removing people from their only shelter claiming an obstruction that does not exist.

Please do not use claims that our most vulnerable neighbors are blocking sidewalks or bike lanes or otherwise making the streets hazardous when that is clearly not the case.

Sincerely,

Beacon Hill Safe Streets