Homelessness Response Blog

Homelessness Response Blog

Homelessness Task Force progress reports

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City Updates Encampment Removal Rules

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The number of people living unsheltered in encampments has increased substantially in the last several years. Unauthorized encampments sometimes obstruct the normal use of public property and sometimes are health and safety hazards for encampment occupants and the general public. Removing unauthorized encampments reduces their impact on the surrounding community but also disrupts the lives of the already vulnerable people living in them. Since 2008, the City has had specific rules for the removal of encampments that balance providing services and alternatives to people living in encampments with the health and safety benefits of removing encampments.

The City finalized new encampment removal rules on March 15, 2017, with an effective date of April 3, 2017. During those three weeks, the City will train all staff and contracted workers on the new rules. Where possible and permitted by current rules, the City will implement the new rules earlier. For example, the City is already using the criteria for prioritizing encampment sites for removal, and placing written notice on or near each tent or structure that will be removed.

  • FAS Encampment Removal Rule. This rule describes how and when the City will remove encampments.
  • Multi-Department Administrative Rule. This rule harmonizes the administrative process by which individuals may be excluded from City property and requires City departments to follow the FAS Encampment Removal Rule (above) when removing an encampment.

In summary, the rules outline the City’s process for:

  • Prioritizing encampments for removal.
  • Providing notice when an encampment is scheduled for cleanup.
  • Offering outreach and alternative shelter options.
  • Cleaning up an encampment site.
  • Collecting, cataloguing and storing personal belongings and how individuals can recover their property.
  • Immediately removing obstructions and immediate hazards.
  • Identifying and specifying emphasis areas that will be subject to daily inspection and immediate removal of any encampment-related materials.

See more on the Unauthorized Encampments web page.

Background

In 2016, Mayor Murray formed a Task Force on Unsanctioned Encampment Cleanup Protocols to make recommendations on changing the encampment removal rules. In October 2016, he announced the Bridging the Gap to Pathways Home plan. This plan increases short-term support to people living without homes while longer-term strategies are reorganized. The plan also called for rewriting the rules for removing encampments.

The City published draft rules on Jan. 31, 2017, and as part of the rule-making process, solicited public comment on the proposed rules. The City has made a variety of adjustments to the rules to incorporate ideas provided in public comment, including:

  • Specifically including personal paperwork and identification in the definition of personal belongings, which belongings the City will store when it is safe to do so.
  • Requiring that notice of encampment removal be verbal as well as written when possible.
  • Clarifying the definition of an obstruction and of an immediate hazard.
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Royal Brougham encampment cleanup — the day after

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Due to public safety concerns and serious health hazards, on March 7, the City closed the Royal Brougham encampment. An estimated 37 encampment residents were on location when the City’s Navigation Team and other outreach workers arrived at 7 a.m. A total of eight organizations provided supportive services to the encampment residents, including:

  1. Healthcare for the Homeless
  2. Downtown Emergency Services Center (DESC) HOST & Crisis Solutions Team
  3. Evergreen Treatment Services REACH Program
  4. LEAD Program
  5. Seattle Union Gospel Mission – Outreach Team
  6. Salvation Army
  7. SPD – Navigation Team Unit
  8. Seattle Fire Department

A tent was set up, staffed with various care providers, including nurse, outreach workers, housing coordinators and case managers. In the tent, encampment residents had access to seating, water, hand warmers, hats, mittens, donuts, sandwiches and hot chocolate.

March 8, the day after: workers begin to clean up debris and garbage left behind after the Royal Brougham encampment closure.

While the scene at the site today is still very grim, all encampment residents received offers of services and many accepted referrals and offers. Below is a recap:

Individual Kind of Referral/
Supportive Service		 By Organization Outcome Notes
Adult Male Mental Health SPD (Officer Newburn) & DESC DESC – Crisis Solutions Center was called out to assess client Evaluated and transported to Crisis Solutions Center
Adult Male SUD Salvation Army NW William Booth Center Intake Completed
Young Adult Couple (M&F) Housing UGM Transitionally Housed in Motel Working with MID to secure housing
8 Adults
(M & F)		 Housing Assessments REACH Completed VISPDAT Are on waitlist for housing
1 Adults Mental Health DESC-HOST Evaluated for HOST Program. Outreach to follow.
3 Adult (Females) Housing REACH Referred to Hammond House
1 Adult Male Veteran Services REACH Connected with Vet. Case Manager. Will be working with REACH case manager
3 Adults
(1 Male, 2 Females)		 Storage & Reconnect with Family Salvation Army Possessions transported and taken to storage. Pursuing reconnection with family and more permanent housing arrangements. Potentially with family.
1 Adult Male SUD REACH Referred to Seattle Indian Health Board
3 Adults Identification REACH 1 Completed the process 2 have appointments with REACH case manager for securing state ID
3 Adults Case Management REACH Reconnected with DESC-SAGE Case Manager Contact was made with case managers by REACH outreach staff for reconnecting clients.
3 Adults Family reconnection REACH Interested in bus tickets to return to be with family and supports They are going to get in touch with REACH to determine an exact date.
1 Adult Male Shelter REACH Tent purchased for individual Individual’s tent was damaged.
7 Adults Medical Healthcare for the Homeless 2 people’s feet warmed.
2 people’s hands warmed.
1 assisted with complaints of chest pain (refused to go to hospital).
1 connected with primary care physician and educated on glaucoma.		 Healthcare for the homeless nurse provided medical services in addition to education and outreach. Schedules for Mobile Medical van were passed out.
5 Adults Relocation REACH Assisted in relocating to various new locations At new outdoor locations

Please note: Some individuals accessed services from multiple agencies.

In addition to services provided to the people, the Seattle Animal Shelter checked in with pet owners on site and reported all nine cats they saw appeared healthy, plump and well-cared for. They also provided supplies, including:

  • Provided temporary housing for a mother cat and two kittens while their owner transferred to a different location. Later in the day, shelter staff returned the cats to their owner and provided him with a carrier, two cat beds, spay/neuter certificates, 36 cans of cat food and a one-year cat license.
  • Provided the owner of a mother cat with five kittens a 16-lb. bag of food, 18 cans of cat food, two plush beds, spay/neuter certificates, six collars, six harnesses and two collapsible travel water bowls.

An encampment resident asked the City to store his grill. It was catalogued and will be stored for at least 60 days.

Finally, approximately 18 people accepted the City’s offer of storage of personal belongings and one person has already made an appointment to pick up his items today. Including unclaimed items left behind, a total of 55 storage bins of belongings and other large items like grills were delivered to the City’s storage facility yesterday. Belongings will be held for at least 60 days and can be recovered by calling 206-459-9949.

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The Navigation Team

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Navigation Team Feb 2017

The City of Seattle has launched the Navigation Team–a specially trained team comprised of outreach workers paired with Seattle Police Department (SPD) personnel, to connect unsheltered people to housing and critical resources, while helping address pervasive challenges around the issue of homelessness in Seattle.

The team has begun working with unsheltered people who have urgent and acute unmet needs, and will serve as the primary access point for people to be served by a forthcoming low-barrier Navigation Center.

 

Going over the day’s outreach plan – Feb 8 2017

The Navigation team is staffed by both outreach professionals from REACH and specially trained Seattle Police officers selected specifically for the unique role.

 

This team has advanced certification in crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques that lend themselves to the daunting tasks of reaching those most in need. The purpose of the team’s approach is to bring more people inside and create faster resolutions to hazardous situations.

SPD Navigation Team members conducting outreach in severe terrain under I-5

 

They’ve begun working with unsheltered individuals who have urgent and acute unmet needs, including people who relocated from the I-5 East Duwamish Greenbelt and Mercer/Eastlake Corridors.

 

“The Navigation Team is working with people living with the most severe challenges, such as ongoing opiate addiction or mental health issues,” said Mayor Murray.

 

Nav Team meets with campers

“This population of people living unsheltered are too often found in dire circumstances, in unauthorized encampments where they are more vulnerable to serious criminal activity.

 

Our outreach must focus on these specific challenges to achieve the goal of moving people living unsheltered into stable, permanent housing and helping them get back on their feet.”

 

 

Nav Team members traversing trails under I-5

Check back here to meet the Navigation Team in future posts and find out what motivates them into helping others find a better life.