Homelessness

After I-90 Cloverleaf closure, City’s Navigation Team and cleanup crews move north to Poplar & Dean, Dearborn Street

May 19, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Crews will remove trash and debris from this area and close it to camping.

Following the closure and cleanup of camping at the I-90 Cloverleaf this week, City efforts will move north to South Dean Street and Poplar Place South, and along South Dearborn Street to 10^th Avenue South, beginning on Tuesday, May 23.

Since May 1, the City’s Navigation Team of specially trained Seattle Police officers and outreach workers has been conducting repeated, intensive outreach to individuals camping in both the Cloverleaf area and up through the areas that will be addressed next week. Monday will be another day of concentrated outreach, with the Navigation Team offering alternative shelter, individualized services and storage of personal belongings.

On Tuesday morning, the Navigation Team will return to work with anyone still on site. City field coordinators will assist people with storage of belongings. If an owner is not present, trained staff will sort through items and collect personal belongings for storage, unless items are clearly refuse, hazardous or evidence of a crime. Once areas are clear of people and their belongings they plan to take or store, cleanup crews will move in to remove trash and debris.

Side streets will be temporarily closed to parking to make room for City equipment.

With support from REACH, Union Gospel Mission and the Mental Health Outreach Team, the Navigation Team’s outreach at the Cloverleaf resulted in 26 of 56 people moving to alternate living arrangements, in addition to a number of others accepting various other services such as securing state ID, mental health evaluation and assistance, medical assistance, coordinated entry housing assessments, case management services and employment referrals. Similar services will be offered during next week’s cleanup.

Neighbors and other community members who have been generously supporting individuals living unsheltered in these locations with trash collection, meals and other supplies, plan to provide assistance to campers on Tuesday, just as they did during the Cloverleaf cleanup this week. The City welcomes these types of offers in advance, and can coordinate a space safely outside the work zone where volunteers can engage with people.

The Cloverleaf was closed on Tuesday, May 16. The areas along Dearborn shown above will be closed beginning on Tuesday, May 23.

On June 1, per an agreement with WSDOT, Sound Transit will begin utilizing the area roughly between South Dearborn Street and I-90, from 10th Avenue South on the west to South Dean Street on the east, as a staging area for construction of the East Link Light Rail extension.

These areas will be designated emphasis areas, which means that they will be posted with signs and regularly monitored. The removal of tents and belongings from posted emphasis areas does not require notice as with other encampments, though personal belongings will be stored when found.

This area will be cleaned next week and then closed to camping.

Nearly half of individuals contacted move to alternate living situations as City closes the Cloverleaf to camping

May 18, 2017 by Homelessness Response

On Friday, May 12, City crews posted notices of the impending closure in both English and Spanish around the site and on individuals tents, as shown here.

Yesterday, the City took the next step to close the area that stretches from the I-90 on/off-ramps at Rainier Avenue South (the “Cloverleaf”) north to South Dearborn Street to unauthorized camping. The area has experienced increasing public safety and health concerns impacting homeless individuals and the surrounding community, and some of the land will soon be put to use by Sound Transit for the East Link Light Rail extension project (see previous post for more).

Since May 1, the City’s Navigation Team of specially trained Seattle Police officers and outreach workers has been conducting repeated, intensive outreach to individuals camping in this location, offering alternative shelter, individualized services and storage of personal belongings. Over the last two weeks, the Navigation Team made more than 300 documented contacts to a total of 56 people in the Cloverleaf area. Prior to yesterday’s effort, many individuals had accepted and were moved to alternate living situations, with most moving to the City-sanctioned encampments where they will receive case management to get the support needed to move onto a more permanent living situation.

Navigation Team officers and UGM outreach workers talk with an individual to determine what services she may need.

By the time the Cloverleaf was closed to camping yesterday, 26 people had moved to alternate living arrangements, including 21 who moved to sanctioned encampments. As with other encampment removals, services beyond alternative shelter were offered, resulting in the following:

— Seven people assisted in securing state ID.
— Three people provided with medical assistance at the encampment site.
— Four people received coordinated entry housing assessments.
— 11 people connected to case management services.
— Six people referred to MID employment coordinator for assistance with housing.
— 32 total mental health outreach contacts provided on May 11, 15-16.

Neighbors served breakfast and coffee under the I-90 overpass on Rainier Avenue. They also organized an effort to pack “to-go” bags with food and water, and worked with the Navigation Team to have them distributed to campers.

Nine individuals declined any options offered. Another eight disclosed they would look for another place to camp. Still, the Navigation Team is seeing positive outcomes through offers of a comprehensive service package along with significant assertive and mental health outreach. This particular effort included essential support from REACH, Union Gospel Mission and the Mental Health Outreach Team.

A group of neighbors and other community members have been generously supporting individuals living unsheltered in these locations, including providing a weekly meal service, delivery of supplies and assistance with trash cleanup. Once the area was scheduled for closure, these neighbors reached out to the City to see how they could support the individuals during the cleanup. The City welcomed their assistance, happy to collaborate with these neighbors and provide a space where they served coffee and breakfast and could engage with individuals exiting the camp. This model could be replicated at future encampment removals, as long as it is coordinated in advance.

A member of the Navigation Team checks to see if anyone is in this tent and is interested in a to-go bag of food and water provided by neighbors.

Next steps

In addition to the Navigation Team and outreach working with individuals, City field coordinators assisted people with storage of belongings. Cleanup crews were on standby until people had moved. Today, City crews are continuing cleanup and SDOT has begun fencing work around the Cloverleaf. Parks and SDOT crews will begin vegetation removal and tree pruning tomorrow.

Next Tuesday, May 23, cleanup and closure efforts will move north to South Dean Street and Poplar Place South, and along South Dearborn Street to 10^th Avenue South. On June 1, per an agreement with WSDOT, Sound Transit will begin utilizing the area roughly between South Dearborn Street and I-90, from 10th Avenue South on the west to South Dean Street on the east, as a staging area for construction of the East Link Light Rail extension.

Crews collected trash and debris identified as garbage by campers or abandoned. If an owner is not present, trained staff will sort through items and collect personal belongings for storage, unless items are clearly refuse, hazardous or evidence of a crime.

Intensive outreach continues before removal of illegal camping along I-90/Rainier Avenue/Dearborn Street

May 11, 2017 by Homelessness Response

click to enlarge

As announced on April 28, due to increasing public safety and health concerns impacting homeless individuals and the surrounding community, the City is working toward removal of the illegal camping that stretches from the I-90 on/off-ramps at Rainier Avenue South (the “Cloverleaf”) north to South Dearborn Street. Last week the City’s Navigation Team began repeated, intensive outreach. The closure and cleanup efforts will stretch over two weeks – beginning with the Cloverleaf area on Tuesday, May 16, followed by South Dean Street and Poplar Place South, and along South Dearborn Street to 10^th Avenue South on May 23.

Outreach and offers of services tailored to individuals
Beginning May 1, the City’s Navigation Team of specially trained Seattle Police officers and outreach workers have been conducting outreach, offering alternative shelter, individualized services and storage of personal belongings to individuals camping in this location. So far, the team has visited the area last week on May 1 and 5, this week on Monday, Wednesday and today. The team will be returning tomorrow, May 12, on Monday, May 15, and will be working throughout the two-week cleanup.

During Monday’s and yesterday’s visits, the Navigation Team documented 93 contacts. Six individuals have accepted alternative living arrangements – four moved to the Georgetown encampment and one to the Licton Springs encampment, while another individual was referred to Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS). The Navigation Team is also maintaining a waiting list of individuals who are interested in moving to sanctioned encampments on Monday, when additional space will be available. Outreach assisted five individuals with securing their state IDs, connected six individuals to case management, and conducted coordinated entry housing assessments for two individuals. Additionally, three individuals were provided with medical assistance and several referrals were made for employment.

Today, an eight-person specialty mental health team supplemented the Navigation Team’s outreach work. This team of professionals engaged some 31 individuals living with persistent mental illness, offering support, making assessments and scheduling follow-up visits. The team provided onsite mental health support and companionship, basic needs including food, socks and water. The mental health professionals worked to help those experiencing anxieties around relocating to process their thoughts and feelings. Several of the individuals contacted responded positively to the engagements, with three immediately committing to relocating to a sanctioned encampment and another two scheduling follow-ups to discuss their final decisions.

Working closely with our partners – including the Salvation Army, Union Gospel Mission, Compass Housing Alliance, DESC, Patacara and LIHI – the City is confident there will be alternative spaces available at the time of the cleanups for individuals who wish to accept them. These spaces include traditional shelter as well as the City-sanctioned encampments. As with other encampment removals, the Navigation Team offers services beyond alternative shelter, including: reconnecting with family/support systems, case management, mental health support, medical support, substance use disorder treatment referral, employment support, benefits activation support, coordinated entry housing assessment, state ID acquisition assistance and basic needs.

The City recognizes a group of neighbors and other community members have been generously supporting individuals living unsheltered in these locations, including providing a weekly meal service, delivery of supplies and assistance with trash cleanup. Unfortunately, the illegal camping is too extensive and lacks structured management to keep trash under control, prevent hazardous structures from being built, and deter negative behavior. On the days of removal, the City will identify a location outside of the cleanup perimeter where these volunteers will be welcome to engage with the individuals whom they have come to know.

Public safety concerns
While many people living in these encampments may not be involved in criminal activity, these large encampments tend to attract negative behavior. The already vulnerable homeless individuals and the surrounding community are impacted by this activity. Over just the last several weeks, a number of fires and violent crimes in this area have been reported including: a brush fire caused by a generator earlier this week; a significant fire that burned a large tent, surrounding property and trees last weekend; a woman who suffered severe stab wounds and reported being held hostage in her tent while being assaulted; several reports of shots fired and victims arriving at Harborview Medical Center with gunshot wounds; and a woman who was treated for injuries at Swedish Medical Center who reported a man beat her with a campfire grill and choked her with his hands and an extension cord. On April 27, the Seattle Police Department SWAT served a search warrant at a tent near South Dearborn Street and 10th Avenue South and seized a cache of handguns and rifles.

Next steps
After the cleanup, the Cloverleaf will be fenced. It will also be designated as an emphasis area, which means that it will be posted with signs and regularly monitored. The removal of tents and belongings from posted emphasis areas does not require notice as with other encampments, though personal belongings will be stored when found.

Navigation Center offers new model in former shelter space to help people off the streets

April 28, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Construction on the City’s Navigation Center, located in the Pearl Warren Building at 606 12^th Ave S., is approximately 70% complete, and is on track for a summer 2017 opening.

The Navigation Center model is important as our community moves to more “low-barrier,” 24/7 shelters in which individuals do not have to meet certain screening criteria. The enhanced model provides supportive services, meals, laundry, and other amenities. This is similar to the “Compass at First Presbyterian” shelter in the First Hill neighborhood announced earlier in April in partnership with Compass Housing Alliance and First Presbyterian Church.

A planned dormitory-style living facility that provides shower, bathroom, and laundry facilities, as well as meals and a place to store personal belongings, Seattle’s Navigation Center also will welcome pets, couples, and individuals as well as their possessions. Once fully open, the Navigation Center will serve up to 75 individuals at one time. Residents of the Navigation Center must be referred into the Center from authorized outreach workers; it is not a traditional “drop-in” center.

While this model provides a safe place for people who are homeless to come inside off the streets, it also brings their possessions off the streets, contributing to a cleaner neighborhood. On-site staff will serve as liaisons with the community around issues that might arise involving the Navigation Center operations and oversee the grounds around the center. This new model is another step in implementing the Pathways Home plan, the City’s framework for addressing homelessness, and replaces the night-time only shelter that has been operating in the Pearl Warren Building for the past two years.

Mayor Ed Murray met with a group of community representatives in March to hear their concerns about the decision to locate the Navigation Center in the Little Saigon Business District, which is part of the Chinatown/International District. The siting of the Navigation Center followed the City’s normal process for siting a homeless shelter.

In the meeting, the Mayor acknowledged the community’s concerns and given the nature of this project, directed Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim, Director Catherine Lester (Human Services Department), and Director Kathy Nyland (Department of Neighborhoods) to work with City departments to address some of the key issues that have been raised by the community. The City is actively working with neighborhood and community leaders to develop a plan that addresses some of the key questions and concerns that have been raised—such as those about public safety, programmatic elements of the Navigation Center, and economic impacts on the surrounding small business district–to ensure the successful opening of the Navigation Center in the coming weeks.

Any delays in the schedule could impact the operations of the Navigation Center and the urgent work of bringing some of the most vulnerable people off the streets and into supportive services and shelter.

The City’s Human Services Department has contracted with the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) to operate the center and offer shelter as well as supportive services and case management to quickly transition clients into housing. DESC’s mission is not merely to offer shelter, but to end the homelessness of our community’s most vulnerable people, through an integrated array of clinical services and supportive housing that allows men and women to reclaim their lives and reach their highest potential. They also will work with clients needing healthcare, including substance abuse treatment and mental health services. HSD is also contracting with Operation Sack Lunch (OSL) to provide food and meals on site. OSL’s mission is grounded in a commitment to addressing food insecurity by providing nutritional meals, education and advocacy in service of the most vulnerable.

“To best serve those living unsheltered in our community, our services must recognize the individuals left outside of our current system,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “Some of our most vulnerable neighbors face mental health and addiction challenges, or have other individualized needs, such as partners, pets or possessions, that the Navigation Center is designed to address. This new approach to addressing the growing national homelessness crisis, which has impacted thousands here in Seattle, allows the City to fill a gap that has prevented many from accessing services and shelter.”

City will conduct intensive outreach prior to removal of illegal camping along I-90 from on/off-ramps at Rainier Avenue to Dearborn Street

April 28, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Due to increasing public safety and health concerns impacting homeless individuals and the surrounding community, the City will begin working toward removal of the illegal camping that stretches from the I-90 on/off-ramps at Rainier Avenue South (the “Cloverleaf”) north to South Dearborn Street. There have been several fires, multiple reports of violent crimes associated with individuals in this area, and a consistent problem with accumulating garbage. Additionally, there are concerns about the safety of campers and pedestrians near the Cloverleaf and drivers navigating the busy exit ramp, which is WSDOT-owned property.

Starting Monday, May 1, and continuing up through the removal of these encampments, the City’s Navigation Team of specially trained Seattle Police officers and outreach workers will conduct outreach, offering alternative shelter, individualized services and storage of personal belongings to individuals camping in this location. The closure and cleanup efforts will stretch over two weeks – beginning with the Cloverleaf area on May 16, followed by South Dean Street and Poplar Place South, and along South Dearborn Street to 10^th Avenue South on May 23.

After the cleanup, these locations will become emphasis areas, which are places where an encampment has become a consistent problem. Emphasis areas are posted as such and are regularly monitored. The removal of tents and belongings from posted emphasis areas does not require notice as with other encampments, though personal belongings will be stored. On June 1, per an agreement with WSDOT, the area roughly between South Dearborn Street and I-90, from 10th Avenue South on the west and South Dean Street on the east, will be utilized by Sound Transit as a staging area for construction of the East Link Light Rail extension.

Public safety concerns

While many people living in these encampments may not be involved in criminal activity, these large encampments tend to attract negative behavior. The already vulnerable homeless individuals and the surrounding community are impacted by this activity. Over just the last several weeks, a number of fires and violent crimes have been reported in this area, including: a brush fire caused by a generator earlier this week; a significant fire that burned a large tent, surrounding property and trees last weekend; a woman who suffered severe stab wounds and reported being held hostage in her tent while being assaulted; several reports of shots fired and victims arriving at Harborview Medical Center with gunshot wounds; and a woman who was treated for injuries at Swedish Medical Center who reported a man beat her with a campfire grill and choked her with his hands and an extension cord. Today, the Seattle Police Department SWAT served a search warrant at a tent near South Dearborn Street and 10th Avenue South and seized a cache of handguns and rifles.

Balancing support to individuals with negative impacts of large encampment

A group of community members has been organizing support for individuals living here, including offering supplies, collecting trash and providing meal service on Sundays. While their efforts are very generous, unfortunately, the illegal camping is too extensive and lacks structured management to keep trash under control, prevent hazardous structures from being built, and deter negative behavior. The City has been communicating with these volunteers and is open to continuing to work with them on ways to support homeless individuals, but not in this location.

Two weeks ago the City conducted a cleaning emphasis along South Dearborn Street, and last week collected garbage at the Cloverleaf and removed the campers around the staircases that provides access from Rainier Avenue South to the Metro bus station on I-90. As part of those efforts, the City’s Navigation Team conducted outreach, offering alternative shelter, individualized services and storage of personal belongings to individuals camping in this location.

Navigation Team and cleaning crew emphasis: South Dearborn Street and I-90 at Rainier Avenue South

April 13, 2017 by Homelessness Response

This week the City began a focused effort to address trash and provide individualized outreach services along South Dearborn Street and I-90 to Rainier Avenue South. The schedule for each of the three areas of focus is outlined below:

South Dearborn Street: Trash and Debris Cleanup

April 12-13: Crews are collecting trash and debris along South Dearborn Street from South Sixth Avenue to Rainier Avenue South.

The “Cloverleaf” at I-90/Rainier Avenue South: Litter and Garbage Removal Along Sidewalk

I-90 Cloverleaf. On April 18 the City will remove trash from the orange area along the sidewalk. The Navigation Team will conduct outreach to individuals in the area on April 14, 17 and 18, offering services, shelter and storage of belongings.

April 13: Signs will be posted providing notice that the City will be conducting a litter clean-up along the sidewalk surrounding the encampment at the Cloverleaf at the I-90 exit to Rainier Avenue South (see image). Campers are not being asked to leave the broader area, but will be asked to move back from the sidewalk to create a safe work zone.

April 14: The City’s Navigation Team of specially trained Seattle Police officers and outreach workers will be conducting outreach, offering alternative shelter, individualized services and storage of personal belongings to individuals in the Cloverleaf area.

April 17: The Navigation Team will continue conducting outreach and offering storage of personal belongings to individuals in the Cloverleaf area.

April 18: The Navigation Team will continue conducting outreach and offering storage of personal belongings to individuals in the Cloverleaf area and assisting with clearing a safe works zone along the sidewalk. City crews will collect trash and debris along this area.

Metro Staircases at I-90/Rainier Avenue South: Outreach and Encampment Removal

Tents along the walkway to the Metro bus station on I-90.

April 13: Signs will be posted providing notice that the City will be clearing obstructions around the staircases that provide access from Rainier Avenue South to the Metro bus station on I-90. This area is being cleaned for public safety reasons. Unauthorized camping around the staircases and the trash that has accumulated creates potential hazards for both pedestrians and campers using the stairs.

April 17: The Navigation Team will continue conducting outreach and offering storage of personal belongings to individuals around the Metro staircases.

April 18: The Navigation Team will continue conducting outreach and offering storage of personal belongings to individuals around the Metro staircases, and help move any individuals still there out of the area. Once individuals are clear of the area, City crews will clean up the trash and debris left behind.

Note: There may be City staff in the area around Poplar Place South and South Dean Street, assessing the situation, but there has been no cleanup of any kind scheduled for that area at this time.

City invests in responsive solution for local homelessness crisis

April 12, 2017 by Homelessness Response

The City of Seattle has awarded $1.3 million in funding to Compass Housing Alliance to create an enhanced 24/7 homeless shelter opening in summer 2017. The funding acknowledges Compass Housing Alliance’s proven and innovative, person-centric approach to providing shelter and support to Seattle’s homeless population. Compass Housing Alliance will combine safe shelter, complete wrap-around services and intensive case management to bring 100 new, much-needed shelter beds to King County. This model aligns directly with the City’s Pathways Home plan announced last fall.

“The City is very excited for this shelter to open,” said Catherine L. Lester, Director of the City’s Human Services Department. “This shelter is an example of our commitment to making investments that are person-centered. As we continue to implement the principles in Pathways Home, we will continue to invest in services, like this shelter model, that are meeting people where they are and providing individualized services and supports.”

The new Enhanced Shelter is a direct response to the real needs of people who need both immediate and longer-term support to successfully transition out of homelessness. It also provides space for people to bring their possessions, and to come inside with their pets or companions. These accommodations can reduce the barriers persons living outside are facing that typically prevent them from staying in shelters.

Compass Housing Alliance has partnered with Seattle First Presbyterian Church at 1013 Eighth Ave., to house and operate this new shelter initiative. Leaders of Seattle Presbyterian Church are excited to provide the space necessary for this shelter’s unique purpose.

“The 24/7 enhanced shelter model offers individuals the opportunity to stay in one place while searching for a permanent solution, rather than returning to the streets each day and hoping for a bed somewhere that night,” said Janet Pope, executive director of Compass Housing Alliance.

According to Pope, offering a safe place alongside nutritious meals, allows the time for a full assessment of each individual’s needs, to build trust and work toward addressing the barriers to stable housing.

“Compass Housing Alliance has nearly 100 years of experience serving a vulnerable population and have advocated for this system-changing, 24/7 model within the four shelters that we operate. With this enhanced shelter support, individuals can readily secure the appropriate resources to navigate the system toward a successful housing placement,” Pope explained. “The new shelter follows the successful model that Compass Housing Alliance has implemented across our other shelter and housing programs. We can have greater impact in developing a 24/7 facility of this capacity.”

“We follow a faith tradition that champions the concerns of the last and the least in society,” said Reverend Heidi Husted Armstrong, who is currently pastor of Seattle First Presbyterian Church. “We are so thankful to partner with Compass Housing Alliance and in helping people, our lives will also be changed.”

The site also will have an on-site manager to interact with the community, and address issues and the environment around the church grounds.

There will be a community meeting to discuss the shelter on May 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Seattle’s First Presbyterian Church.

Reducing hazards under low bridge structures, beginning with the Spokane Street viaduct

April 11, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Last week, there were three significant homeless-related fire or fire hazard incidents around critical bridge infrastructure in Seattle: the RV fire under the Spokane Street viaduct/West Seattle Bridge on April 6, a propane tank explosion and fire underneath I-90/Edgar Martinez Way near Airport Way (across from the Field) on April 5, and removal of 26 propane tanks stacked around the base of a Magnolia bridge support column adjacent to a homeless encampment on April 4.

On April 6, Two RVs burned under the west end of the Spokane Street viaduct where it meets the West Seattle Bridge.

Camping under low bridge structures can present a hazard for the City’s essential infrastructure, especially when there are concentrations of flammable materials such as pallets and mattresses, and a likelihood of open flames or vehicles with mechanical issues. SDOT engineers are particularly concerned about the concentration of approximately 30 RVs underneath the western most end of Spokane Street where the structure is the lowest because RVs are composed of a combination of chemicals and flammable materials that burn very hot and present a significant danger to bridge infrastructure. According to SDOT, RVs include many of the same chemicals that brought down I-85 in Atlanta last week.

“Safety is our priority and having encampments and recreational vehicles under the West Seattle Bridge poses public safety risks especially if there are flammable/volatile materials being used to cook and heat inside the vehicles,” said Scott Kubly, SDOT director. “We are working with other City agencies to ensure maintenance access under our structures by keeping the area clear of potentially hazardous materials.”

RVs, furniture, tents, a barbeque and a burn barrel are among items found under the Spokane Street viaduct on Friday, April 7.

“The Seattle Fire Department has responded to a number of fires under the Spokane Street viaduct, including one last week where two RVs were destroyed and another in January where a man died in an RV fire. The concentration of occupied vehicles, tents, pallets, furniture and debris under the low bridge structure has created a specific fire hazard that needs to be addressed for the safety of the vulnerable people living there and the bridge itself,” said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.

The City is addressing the immediate hazard where the RV fire occurred last week, clearing that area of any RVs, vehicles, tents and other materials. SDOT has set a perimeter that encompasses the median along Spokane Street, from under the base of the West Seattle Bridge to Colorado Street on the east, that must be cleared. That area will then be fenced off to allow SDOT and Seattle City Light to perform repairs and maintenance, including following up on necessary lighting system repairs.

SPD’s Sgt. Zerr and REACH outreach workers, all members of the City’s Navigation Team, get ready to begin offering services and alternative shelter to people living under the Spokane Street Viaduct on Thursday, April 6.

On Friday, April 7, the City provided notice to individuals who were on site that clearing of the area within the perimeter described above would begin on Tuesday, April 11. Recognizing the large number of RVs and other vehicles present, many of which are not operational, the City expects this effort will take several days, possibly into next week. The Navigation Team has also been offering services and alternative shelter to these individuals, outreach that will continue as long as necessary.

Additionally, on Friday the City began notifying RVs and vehicles parked all along the median under the Spokane Street viaduct to the east of the perimeter at Colorado Street that the City will be focusing enforcement of the 72-hour parking law. SPD is assisting with notification and will be leading that enforcement effort as the Navigation Team focuses its outreach efforts on people living in tents in that area.

In general, the City has been focusing its efforts to address the homelessness crisis on working with individuals in tent encampments, especially the ones with the greatest public health and safety concerns for the individuals and the surrounding community. The Navigation Team has been finding success with many individuals, finding solutions that fit their needs and helping move them into safer living situations. Other City crews are addressing the trash related to encampments and illegal dumping in general around the city. In addition to these efforts, we will be assessing these low bridge structures around the city and will prioritize efforts to address immediate hazards.

Response to the RV fire under the west end of the Spokane Street viaduct

April 6, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Early this morning, the Seattle Fire Department responded to an RV fire near East Marginal Way South and South Spokane Street. An RV caught fire when the owner attempted to start the vehicle and the fire spread to another RV. SFD extinguished the fire and there were no injuries. The Seattle Department of Transportation inspected the bridge and found no structural damage.

Last week, the City worked to remove a nearby tent encampment along the bike trail adjacent to the north end of where Spokane Street meets the West Seattle Bridge, as well as clean trash all along the Spokane Street corridor. Secondary to that effort, the City has been working on a plan to move the RVs and tents camping under the Spokane Street viaduct with the goal being no camping at all under the viaduct.

While closing the area to all camping will take a bit more time, we are now addressing the immediate hazard where the fire occurred early this morning.

The Navigation Team has been there all morning, doing individualized outreach and offering alternative shelter. For today, we are focusing on removing the two burned out RVs, which will first require moving other RVs and tents in that immediate vicinity to create a safe work zone. The Navigation Team is assisting with moving people a safe distance for that to occur.

Over the next 10 days, the area under the western end of the Spokane Street Viaduct will be cleared of all people and structures and a work zone perimeter will be established to allow SDOT and Seattle City Light to perform repair and maintenance unrelated to today’s fire. Outreach will continue up to that point to work with the individuals living there and find them alternative shelter.

We are beginning to assess the working condition of the RVs and other vehicles all along the Spokane Street as we work to close the area to all camping. Outreach will lead the engagement with any individuals living in tents or RVs.

Camping under low bridge structures presents a hazard for this essential infrastructure. In addition to other efforts to mitigate the impacts of the homelessness crisis, including working to move people into alternative shelter and cleaning trash, we will be assessing these low bridge structures around the city and will prioritize efforts to address immediate hazards.

People and pets living unsheltered

April 3, 2017 by Homelessness Response

The Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) often receives calls about animals living with homeless people. Some callers are concerned about the welfare of the animal while others are looking for ways to support these pets and their human companions. SAS responds to each of those calls based on priority level of the individual call and the shelter’s ability to respond with available resources.

Seattle Animal Shelter staff talk with a pet owner living in an encampment. They provided this individual with food and supplies for her cats.

Anytime there is a situation of instability or a lack of resources, there is an understandable concern for any animals involved. However, the situation itself doesn’t automatically translate to abuse and/or neglect. Just as in any part of a community, it is individual situations and actions that contribute to harm of an animal. This is true whether the animal lives in a house or a tent. Often, homeless individuals meet their pets’ needs before their own, and the animals are provided with a level of companionship that some pets living in homes do not see. Likewise, the pets provide their humans comfort as they live in an uncomfortable situation.

Many animals that shelter staff encounter appear to be healthy, friendly, social and well cared for, with strong bonds between the animals and their people. If SAS does have concerns for welfare, depending on the severity and circumstances of the situation, they attempt to provide resources to include spay/neuter certificates and supplies (collars, leashes, crates, food, etc.) and information for low- or no-cost veterinary services. If SAS encounters situations of animal cruelty or abuse, it has the authority to and will enforce the Seattle Municipal Code and RCW related to animal cruelty.

How to help

kittens There are several resources that help to meet the needs of homeless individual’s pets. One is the Doney Memorial Pet Clinic, a free vet clinic and pet food bank for low-income people. You can learn more about the clinic and donate or volunteer at http://www.doneyclinic.org/.

Another organization doing great work is Furry Faces, a small group that focuses on keeping people with their pets by paying for vet bills or supplies and working with pet owners to find creative solutions to help them keep their pet. Find out more, donate or volunteer at http://www.furryfacesfoundation.org/. Through the generosity of donations, the Seattle Animal Shelter provides spay and neuter certificates to both organizations for distribution to the community.