navigation team

The why, when and how of encampment cleanups

October 20, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Homelessness is a large and complex issue. There are many factors contributing to the increase of people living without shelter or those who are at-risk of becoming homeless: Seattle’s skyrocketing rents, the retreat of federal funding for subsidized housing, structural inequalities rooted in systemic racial injustice, a woefully inadequate mental health system, and an opioid epidemic. Seattle is not alone. Many cities along the West Coast are struggling to address this humanitarian emergency as well.

The City is employing several strategies to address the crisis, including creating more affordable homes and temporary safer living spaces, overhauling our system of homelessness services and support, and increasing outreach and assistance to those sleeping outdoors, in abandoned buildings, or in vehicles. None of these strategies will succeed alone. Each can be refined, improved and expanded.

While these efforts continue, the City has a responsibility to address the public health and safety issues that accompany many of the unauthorized encampments around Seattle, which impact the individuals living in the camps and the surrounding community. These efforts are guided by rules designed to balance providing services and alternative living spaces to people with the health and safety benefits of removing unmanaged encampments. In 2017, the City improved these rules, enhanced outreach, and opened two new low-barrier shelters and three new managed encampments. As of Oct. 10, the City has cleaned 143 encampments this year. Through one-on-one engagement, hundreds of individuals living in encampments have accepted referrals to safer living spaces, including people who were required to leave when an encampment was cleaned up, and those who took advantage of City outreach-only efforts.

Why: Issues that prompt encampment cleanups

Rats living at “The Field” encampment Feb. 24, 2017

Without access to water, sanitation services, trash services and means for proper food storage, these camps put their already vulnerable residents at risk for illness and the city at risk for a disease outbreak. As recently advised by Public Health – Seattle & King County, an ongoing hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego highlights the sanitation and hygiene concerns. As of the past weekend, San Diego reported 18 individuals dead, 386 hospitalized and at least 578 individuals. The conditions in San Diego’s unmanaged encampments encouraged the spread this disease, which can be prevented by regular hand washing and sanitary toilets.

Despite the availability of regularly serviced dumpsters and porta-potties onsite, the encampment known as the Field experienced a proliferation of trash, human waste and rats, which was a primary reason for the camp’s closure and led a Public Health official to declare: “This is about the worst I’ve seen in Seattle. It’s inhumane to allow people to live here.” It is virtually impossible to remediate these extreme conditions without moving campers out of the location. Since March 2017, the City has collected and disposed of nearly 3,100 tons (6.2 million pounds) of garbage and debris from active and closed unmanaged encampments around the city.

Additionally, unsafe structures, open flames and criminal activity create their own hazards. An RV fire last April illustrated the dangers of camping under low bridge structures to both the inhabitants and the City’s essential infrastructure. In many encampments, residents are using flammable materials, like pallets and bedding, and open flames for cooking or as a heat source. The addition of elements like vehicles in poor condition and a cramped space, create real fire risks. Further, while most unsheltered people do not engage in criminal activity, large unmanaged encampments tend to attract negative behavior. Also in April, number of violent crimes, as well as a Seattle Police Department seizure of a cache of handguns and rifles, preceded the cleanup of large encampments along Dearborn Street and Rainier Avenue. In August, a man was killed at a large unmanaged encampment in SODO, and another person has been charged with his murder.

When: Identifying, assessing and prioritizing encampments for cleanup
The City is notified of encampments from members of the public, through calls to the Customer Service Bureau (CSB), reports filed using the City’s online Service Request Form and the Find It, Fix It mobile app, and from City staff out in the field who encounter encampments on City-owned property. City field coordinators visit reported sites to assess and document the situation. Upon inspection, staff may find no evidence of an encampment, illegal dumping (which is then referred to Seattle Public Utilities’ Illegal Dumping program for remediation), an abandoned encampment or an active encampment. For active encampments, field coordinators document the site characteristics (e.g., park, sidewalk, roadway, steep slope, fire hazards, etc.) and observed health conditions (e.g., garbage, human waste, rodents, falling trees or limbs, hazardous materials, weapons, needles, etc.).

Excessive garbage and fires, as seen here, were among the conditions that led to the cleanup of the encampment in the I-90 Cloverleaf near Rainier Avenue in May.

With an estimated 400 unauthorized encampments in Seattle, the City focuses its limited resources on closing encampments that pose the greatest risks to the health and safety of both unsheltered and housed residents. Encampments that manage waste, are not involved in criminal or violent behavior, and do not pose imminent objective safety risks are a lower priority. In many cases, the City helps encampments to manage waste, and organizes regular pickup of bagged trash (see a summary of City programs launched to target specific issues that have increased due to both the homelessness crisis and the growing heroin epidemic).

Since January 2017, the City of Seattle has received more than 4,300 complaints about unmanaged encampments/illegal camping. After aggregating duplicate complaints, we have identified more than 600 reported locations (as noted above, reported locations are not necessarily active encampments, but upon inspection may be found to be misreported, illegal dumping or an abandoned encampment). As of Oct. 10, the City has removed 143 encampments in 2017; site assessments are posted on our website.

How: Humanitarian outreach
Earlier this year, the City adopted new rules that guide all City interactions with people living in unauthorized encampments. In all but the most hazardous situations, the new rules require the City to offer available alternative shelter to all those who are asked to relocate, assistance with moving, storing and retrieving their possessions, and a minimum of 72-hours’ notice that an encampment is to be removed. Even when the most hazardous situations exist, the City offers storage and stores all items that are safe to collect.

These efforts are led by the City’s Navigation Team, comprised of specially-trained Seattle police officers, REACH outreach workers, and field coordinators who work one-on-one with individuals to develop personal plans to get the help they need. The team visits encampments around the city, whether the camp is scheduled for cleanup or not (see Q13 Fox News’ coverage of Navigation Team outreach).

When an encampment is scheduled for removal, the team offers outreach in advance and on the day of the cleanup. As noted above, our rules require offers of alternative spaces, which means the City will not schedule an encampment for cleanup if there are not spaces to refer people to that are immediately available. The team also will transport people and their belongings (or store their belongings) to the places where they are referred.

Where: Increasing temporary shelter alternatives
This year, the City also created new shelter capacity for those who are asked to leave unsafe encampments, which has helped the Navigation Team meet the requirement to offer alternative shelter at the time of an encampment removal. The Navigation Center provides 75 beds to people who have been chronically homeless and need intensive services before they can succeed in permanent housing. Compass Housing Alliance has opened a new, 100-bed, 24/7 shelter that also serves the homeless individuals with the greatest challenges to moving off the streets. Both shelters accept people with pets, partners and possessions – which often are the barriers that prevent unsheltered people from coming inside.

Additionally, the City partners with the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), SHARE/WHEEL, and Nickelsville to operate six sanctioned encampments, an innovative approach that combines self-management with professional case management. An evaluation of the first three sanctioned encampments has demonstrated that sanctioned encampments are working to help people stabilize and move on to more permanent housing.

Recap: Spokane Street corridor encampment cleanup

September 19, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Last week, the City completed a cleanup of the Spokane Street corridor, where growing encampments were creating public health and safety concerns. The City’s approach included repeated individualized outreach to move people to safer locations, connect them with services and store personal belongings, followed by cleanup of garbage and debris left behind, then mitigation to discourage future camping. The entire effort went smoothly and as planned, with 46 people moving to safer alternative living spaces, including the City’s Navigation Center, the Compass at First Presbyterian 24/7 enhanced shelter, Peter’s Place and UGM shelter.

A pile of garbage and debris on Sept. 11, the day before the cleanup began.

There are as many as 400 unauthorized encampments in Seattle. The City focuses on closing encampments that pose the greatest risks to public health and safety. While many people living in encampments may not be involved in criminal activity, large encampments like what had developed along Spokane Street tend to attract negative behavior. This puts already vulnerable homeless individuals at further risk of impacts from public health and safety concerns. Specific incidents in this area include the RV fires earlier this year, which posed risks to individuals living there and critical infrastructure, as well as a recent shooting that left one individual dead and another charged with murder. Additionally, while the City has worked with campers to manage their garbage, trash accumulation continued to be an ongoing issue in this area. During last Tuesday’s cleanup effort, there was one location where the accumulation of human waste and dead rodents was so extensive that a specialty biohazard cleanup vendor was called in to remediate it.

As with all encampment cleanups, trained City outreach teams approach each person living on the streets with the goal of helping them successfully transition to a safer living location. Per City rules, we make legitimate offers of alternative shelter that is available immediately. If they accept, we will assist with transporting people and their belongings to those spaces. These include indoor shelters, including the new low-barrier 24/7 Navigation Center and Compass at First Presbyterian shelter, managed encampments, or even reconnecting with family or friends. With this approach, the Navigation Team has had a 37% success rate of helping people move from these hazardous locations to safer alternatives over the last six months. That is a great record for this very hard work.

Spokane Street outreach results
The City’s Navigation Team has been conducting repeated, personalized outreach in this area for months, getting to know the people living there and working to find solutions that meet their individual needs. Overall, the City’s outreach to individuals living along the Spokane Street corridor over the last seven weeks resulted in 46 people moving to safer alternative living spaces. As of Monday, Sept. 11, the day before the cleanup began, 21 people had accepted and relocated to alternative shelter following repeated outreach efforts since early August. Over the four days of last week’s cleanup efforts, Tuesday-Friday, 25 people relocated to alternative living spaces, including 22 who completed intake at the new 24/7 low-barrier Compass at First Presbyterian shelter.

Additionally, City field coordinators collected and stored personal belongings at the owner’s request and those items left unattended that appeared to be useful (e.g., tents, clothing, shoes, books, bikes, etc.). In total, the City stored 30 55-gallon bins, six bikes, three items of luggage and 6 large items over the Sept. 12-15 cleanup. Belongings are stored for up to 70 days and may be recovered by calling 206-459-9949 and providing an accurate description of the items. The City will deliver belongings to the owner upon request.

Needles and other discarded items collected during last week’s cleanup. Crews are trained and outfitted to take required precautions when walking within and cleaning these locations.

Maintaining a safe work zone
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, as scheduled, the Navigation Team arrived to conduct outreach and make final offers before the area was to be cleared out and cleaned. As with other large encampment cleanups, the team set up a perimeter to establish a work zone for the safety of all of those involved. The only people allowed within this zone are the people camping there, the officers and outreach professionals who are working to hopefully transfer them to alternative living spaces, the field coordinators who are assisting with storage of belongings, and the cleanup crews. Around 15 protestors arrived, and some chose to enter the established work zone. Sgt. Eric Zerr of the Navigation Team spoke with the protestors at great length. He indicated they could continue to observe, wave signs, talk to the homeless individuals, etc., from outside the perimeter. Sgt. Zerr gave the protestors nearly an hour from the time the perimeter went up until arrests were made; the individuals arrested were giving a final 15-minute warning and all but two complied with exiting the work zone and were arrested without incident for trespassing.

Following weeks of one-on-one outreach, City to begin closing Spokane Street corridor to illegal camping on Sept. 12

September 8, 2017 by Homelessness Response

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the City will begin efforts to remove illegal encampments along the Spokane Street corridor from Colorado Avenue South to Airport Way. The approach includes individualized outreach to move people to safer locations, connect them with services and store personal belongings – which has been occurring for weeks – followed by cleanup of garbage and debris left behind, then mitigation to discourage future camping. The City expects the work to last at least through the week, and potentially into the following week.

Outreach and referrals
As with all encampment removals, the City’s approach began with repeated, personalized outreach, with the City’s Navigation Team offering alternative shelter, services and storage of belongings to all people living unsheltered along the corridor. Over months of conducting repeated outreach in this area, the team has gotten to know many of the people living there and has been working to find solutions that meet their individual needs. Since a courtesy notice of the impending closure was posted on Aug. 23, the team has returned multiple times to offer outreach, including a multiagency collaboration on Aug. 28 that resulted in five people moving to alternative living spaces that day and a number of others connecting with services such as mental health support and medical attention.

The Navigation Team is able to refer individuals to the new Compass at First Presbyterian 24/7 enhanced shelter, in addition to other available shelter and encampment spaces.

Approach and approximate timeline
The area has been divided into four zones to be addressed separately:

Zone 1: Airport Way to Sixth Avenue
Zone 2: Sixth Avenue to Fourth Avenue
Zone 3: Fourth Avenue to Second Avenue
Zone 4: Second Avenue to Colorado Avenue

Monday, Sept. 11, will be a day of outreach only. On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Navigation Team will begin outreach at 8:30 a.m. Field coordinators will be on hand to provide storage of personal belongings. Other City crews and contractors will be ready to remove all bio-waste, garbage and debris from a zone as soon as campers have moved out of that area. Once a zone is clear, the City will install temporary fencing.

While the Navigation Team will conduct outreach along the entire corridor as necessary, the closure and cleanup will address one zone at a time. As Zones 2 and 4 have the greatest number of people, tents and structures, they will be addressed first and are expected to take the longest. The tentative schedule is:

Tuesday, Sept. 12: Begin Zone 4
Wednesday, Sept. 13: Finish Zone 4 and begin Zone 2
Thursday, Sept. 14: Finish Zone 2 and begin Zone 3
Friday, Sept. 15: Begin Zone 1

Should the cleanup extend into the following week, the City will repost appropriate notice around the impacted area.

As noted above, once a zone is completely clear, the City will install a mix of temporary and permanent fencing along the corridor. Several sections will be fenced off to protect infrastructure and/or to limit access to certain areas for authorized individuals (e.g., maintenance crews). The temporary fencing around several blocks under the Spokane Street Viaduct (installed following the removal of the RV encampment at the west end of Spokane Street in April) will be extended west to Sixth Avenue, though it will still allow entrance for commuter parking, which is an intended use of those rights-of-way.

The Navigation Center Opens to Pets, Possessions & Partners

July 28, 2017 by Homelessness Response

On July 12, the City’s new Navigation Center, an enhanced shelter that accepts people with pets, partners, and possessions, as well as substance use disorders, opened its doors to clients. A 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 model is important as our community moves to more “low-barrier,” 24/7 shelters.

DESC and Operation Sack Lunch staff with “late plates” for Navigation Center guests. Late plates are available between meals for guests when they return to the Navigation Center from appointments, jobs, etc.

While the Navigation Center has capacity for 75 people, the City and facility operator Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) have been intentional in welcoming guests into the shelter in small cohorts, which helps guests make the transition indoors and aids staff in establishing strong service relationships from day one. At the end of the first day of operation, July 12, DESC had welcomed eight people. On day 10 of operations, there were 41 guests moved into the Navigation Center.

Homelessness disproportionately affects people of color and the LGBTQ community when compared to their representation in Seattle’s overall population. In fact, African Americans are five times and Native Americans are seven times more likely to be homeless, according to a recent survey conducted by the Human Services Department. Recognizing these disparities, it is the City’s goal that the Navigation Center will serve people who most disproportionately experience homelessness. Early reports on the first 41 clients at the center 10 days after opening indicate 61% are from the program’s focus populations of African American/Black, Multiracial, or Native American; 15% are White; <1% are Asian or Pacific Islander; while race data is currently unknown among 24% at the Navigation Center (intake and data entry are in progress).

Additionally, the Navigation Center is welcoming those who may not have accessed other shelter because of their partners or pets – of the 41 guests, there are 12 chosen groups/partnerships (e.g., couples, mother/daughter, etc.) and five dogs living there.

Enrollment at the Navigation Center is only by referral the City’s Navigation Team, comprised of specially trained Seattle Police officers, outreach workers through REACH and field coordinators who engage with people living unsheltered in Seattle. In the days leading up to the opening, REACH and the Navigation Team Officers began working to reconnect with people who had received referrals during the Navigation Team’s intensive outreach efforts at unsanctioned encampments over the past several months.

The City has funded an additional “low-barrier” shelter in the First Hill neighborhood that is expected to open in August 2017.

Seattle Channel Spotlight: The Navigation Team

June 28, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Today, coinciding with the #SeaHomeless media blitz, the Seattle Channel released a short video highlighting the work of the City’s Navigation Team, which is comprised of outreach workers paired with specially trained Seattle Police Department (SPD) personnel. The team works to connect unsheltered people to housing and critical resources, while helping address pervasive challenges around the issue of homelessness in Seattle.

About the Navigation Team

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

The Navigation Team is comprised of eight specially trained SPD officers, one SPD sergeant and seven REACH outreach workers who work together in the field to offer individualized services and alternative living spaces to homeless individuals. Additionally, a City outreach coordinator tracks and compiles outreach contacts and services provided; he is also a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and serves as the point person for issues related to mental health. In cases where the team contacts someone who is dealing with mental health challenges, the outreach coordinator assumes the outreach lead with that individual, making an assessment, engaging and making the appropriate referral to support the individual’s needs. When appropriate, the outreach coordinator requests assistance from specialty outreach workers from partner agencies, including MID – Outreach, Case Management & Mental Health Staff; UGM – Outreach team; UGM Community Mental Health Program; Harborview – Mental Health; LEAD; Mary’s Place; UGM – Hope Place; DESC – HOST Program; YouthCare, etc.

Also part of the team are several field coordinators – City staff who inspect reported encampment sites, inform cleanup scheduling, work with individuals to store personal belongings and later return those items upon request, document and ensure the City’s protocols are followed at every cleanup, and supervise the cleanup crews, which can include City staff and/or contractors. Finally, an SPD lieutenant and a program manager oversee coordination and scheduling of the entire team.

New count provides City with additional tool to address homelessness

June 1, 2017 by Homelessness Response

Count Us In – a new and more comprehensive point-in-time homelessness report was released May 31, providing critical new baseline on homelessness in Seattle and King County. This year’s Count Us In used a nationally-recognized count methodology, a countywide canvas of 99.5 percent of King County census tracts, and a person-to-person survey of people experiencing homelessness to gain a clearer picture of the people and not just the numbers.

The 2017 Count Us In tally counted a total of 11,643 people experiencing homelessness throughout King County. This total includes 6,158 people sheltered in transitional housing or emergency shelters, and 5,485 people on the streets, sleeping in vehicles, tents or encampments (both sanctioned and unsanctioned). Obtaining reliable, accurate and actionable data through the annual point-in-time count is a requirement for federal funding, and imperative to informing local strategies to address homelessness. This year, the count was held on Jan. 27.

“We set out to do a more rigorous, comprehensive, and thorough count than ever this year so we could assess the specifics of this crisis and develop concrete solutions to it,” said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. “Since this count was taken, we’ve aggressively implemented a hands-on approach to addressing this crisis. Our Navigation Team of social workers, health professionals, and police officers have successfully engaged with more 600 people and connected services and housing to more than 250. This is how individualized services can help and how having a complete picture of this crisis helps us better service those experiencing it.”

For Seattle, there were 8,476 people experiencing homelessness in Seattle. Of those, 4,619 were sheltered and 3,857 were living on the streets, in tents, in vehicles or in sanctioned and unsanctioned encampments.

Additionally, this year All Home, who coordinated the count, also commissioned a person-to-person survey completed by 1,158 people reflecting a representative sample of the sheltered and unsheltered population across the county. The results of the survey can be generalized to the entire population of people experiencing homelessness with 95% confidence. Key findings include:

– People experiencing homelessness in King County are our neighbors, and overwhelmingly local. Ninety-one percent are from Washington state, including 77 percent who said they were last housed in King County. Only 9 percent reported a last home address out of state.

– History of domestic violence or partner abuse is prevalent; 40 percent said they had experienced abuse and 7 percent said it was the current cause for their homelessness.

– Homelessness disproportionately impacts people of color. In all, about 55 percent of the local homeless population are people of color.

– Half of all people surveyed reported a disabling condition, and more than a third have two or more conditions. Most mentioned were mental illness, substance use, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

– Nearly a third are maintaining employment.

– Loss of job (30%), drug/alcohol problems (20%), or eviction (11%) were the leading causes of homelessness.

– Homelessness is not a choice. Ninety-two percent said they would take safe and affordable housing today if it was available.

– Rental assistance and affordable housing were the top two supports needed to end the experience of homelessness.

The Count Us In results are a reminder that homelessness will only be solved with the commitment and resources of the entire Seattle and King County community. This support must address the immediate needs of those currently experiencing homelessness, as well as skyrocketing rent, stagnant wages and limited access to behavioral health resources which were all identified as contributing factors to the rising homelessness population. Permanent housing is the best solution to resolve a person’s homeless crisis—but there’s still not enough for everyone who needs it. In Seattle, there are more than 60,000 households who are paying more than 30 percent of their income on housing. More than 46,000 are paying more than 50 percent. The City remains committed in leveraging the resources of partners such as the faith based community, philanthropy and the private sector to help transition people out of homelessness.

“This new count is the most comprehensive to date, and confirms that homelessness is prevalent throughout the county,” said Mark Putnam, Director of All Home. “People who are homeless want housing, and we are housing more people than ever. Yet the count confirms that more people are becoming homeless here. This is true wherever there is a severe lack of affordable housing.”

All Home, the City of Seattle and King County together with their partners are moving more people from homelessness to permanent housing – and doing so faster than ever. Guided by the Pathway’s Home framework for addressing homelessness, the City of Seattle has been intentional in taking bold steps to help those experiencing homelessness.

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 Friday, April 7.

– The Emergency Operations Center has been activated since February and has focused all departments on helping people living unsheltered to move to safer alternatives.

– The Navigation Team of outreach social workers and specially trained police officers has offered services to 630 unique individuals, and 252 of them relocated to safer living arrangements, including 162 to sanctioned City encampments.

– Two of the City’s enhanced-model shelters are under construction that will house 175 people at a time or about 700 people a year. Both will open this summer.

– Three new sanctioned encampments opened in March and April, bringing 162 new spaces for Navigation Team to refer people to. Capacity is 225 for all three new camps, and well over 400 spaces available.

– Partnering with King County, the City is supporting the work of the Opioid Task Force.

– Funding for diversion services has increased by 40% to help people avoid episodes of homelessness. The City has also increased investments in rapid rehousing programs and other permanent housing options.

The full Count Us In 2017 Report is available on the All Home website.

More than half of individuals living unsheltered in encampments near Poplar & Dean / Dearborn accept alternative living arrangements offered by City’s Navigation Team

May 24, 2017 by Homelessness Response

The Navigation Team officers and outreach, City field coordinators and UGM outreach huddle up before beginning engagement with individuals still on site.

Following several weeks of intensive, repeated outreach to individuals camping near South Dean Street/Poplar Place South and along South Dearborn Street to 10^th Avenue South, the City’s Navigation Team facilitated 19 of 34 people living unsheltered moving to alternative living arrangements during yesterday’s final push before the area is closed to camping. Ten of those individuals moved to City sanctioned encampments, three reconnected with family support systems, while the rest accepted spaces in other shelters.

This outreach success follow’s last week’s closure and cleanup of the I-90 Cloverleaf, where 26 of 56 individuals contacted accepted alternative living arrangements.

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 the area that stretches from the I-90 on/off-ramps at Rainier Avenue South (the “Cloverleaf”) north to South Dearborn Street. Union Gospel Mission and the Mental Health Outreach Team have provided essential support to these efforts. Additionally, City field coordinators assisted people with temporary storage of belongings.

The Navigation Team officers offer services to individuals while City field coordinators offer storage of personal belongings.

Neighbors and other community members who have been generously supporting individuals living unsheltered in these locations with trash collection, meals and other supplies, again provided to-go bags of food and water to campers leaving the area. 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.

As areas were cleared of people and their belongings they planned to take or store, cleanup crews began removing trash and debris. Most of yesterday’s area of focus will be fenced for its next use – 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.

The hillside below the Dr. Jose P Rizal Bridge along Dearborn Street, last month (on the left, looking toward Dearborn) and yesterday (on the right, from Dearborn looking toward the bridge).

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.