RV ENCAMPMENTS: 16th SW, post-sweep. Plus, Harbor Avenue towing

| Safety | West Seattle news

Two updates on West Seattle RV encampments:

16TH SW: As expected, a city contingent was out along 16th SW this morning by South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), where RVs and other vehicles were under orders to move. The on-site supervisor told us they didn’t expect to have to tow anyone, as the vehicles parked there were believed to be in running order (and the city homelessness-response spokesperson told us that impounding is only done as a “last resort”). We went back at day’s end, and the stretch along the college was clear.

We drove the entirety of 16th north of SW Holden and this is the one remaining pod of vehicles we saw, just north of SW Holly:

HARBOR AVENUE: At least one vehicle we recognized as previously parked on 16th SW had moved to Harbor Avenue, which we drove a short time later. The north side of the street has at least six RVs spread out across several blocks right now; at least one was towed earlier in the day, Mark Jaroslaw tells us, sending this photo:

He noted that parking-enforcement officers were present as the tow was being set up.

Zoe October 20, 2022 (8:16 pm)

So glad they got rid of (most) of them along 16th. Keep it going!

Mike October 22, 2022 (8:32 am)

Hey thanks for you cozy feelings ✨️ lame !

Kyle October 20, 2022 (8:36 pm)

That towed vehicle pictured just ended up on Kenyon St between 15th Ave SW and 16th Ave SW on a neighborhood Greenway.

AMD October 21, 2022 (7:06 am)

Some of the RVs on 16th were from the sweep on Cambridge, and one of them is back there again. I just don’t understand how people hear “sweeps don’t work” and SEE that sweeps don’t work, and yell from the rafters about the city wasting taxpayer money… and then cheer on sweeps. It’s confounding, truly.
- Kyle October 21, 2022 (11:19 am)
  
  It works in the sense that they aren’t in front of one person’s specific home forever. It more or less spreads the “pain” around. But as far as a long term solution for housing more people this is not it.
- John October 22, 2022 (11:41 am)
  
  Electing to live in an RV on public streets is not permitted in our community and thus, needs to be discouraged. The longer those chosing this non-option are allowed to stay and root in one place, the less incentive they have for abandoning this poor decision. Before you start preaching, recognize that I am limiting this statement to only those who choose to attempt this way of living. A poor lifestyle choice that has direct impacts on the rest of society needs direct responses that discourage that choice and not reward it.
  - Jamie October 22, 2022 (3:54 pm)
    
    Maybe if you didn’t live on a fixed-income or you could pay my rent.
Neighbor October 21, 2022 (9:07 am)

The Adventurer on Kenyon has been parked there since early afternoon Wednesday, so wondering if the one pictured above is different?

StupidInSeattle October 20, 2022 (9:28 pm)

There is a new RV encampment in front of the old Southwest Plumbing building off of Delridge, across from the Delridge playfield. I greatly appreciate the City’s new efforts to clear out encampments from neighborhoods… next step is to keep them from simply moving to another area.

Jeff October 21, 2022 (12:12 pm)

How about next step is: provide affordable housing
- John October 21, 2022 (3:33 pm)
  
  They have affordable housing in their RVs.No property taxes, no city utilities, free trash pick up.It’s their choice.
- E October 21, 2022 (4:49 pm)
  
  How about next step is something in between? No one is happy when an encampment impacts their personal living space/neighborhood. The city cannot house everyone living in an RV. Jeff, define “affordable housing”. It is well-known that everyone impacted by sweeps is offered services ahead of time. So, instead of an unrealistic, unobtainable scenario – what do you propose?
  - AMD October 21, 2022 (5:35 pm)
    
    “Offered services” is usually an offer of placement on a wait list. Phone number for social workers. Contacts at the housing authority. Or, best-case-scenario, a couple nights in an emergency shelter. Not stable, affordable housing. A good number of people living in RVs are there WHILE waiting on those lists for services, but the instability of having to “move” every few weeks when the neighbors get their panties in a bunch makes it harder for them to be contacted when services are available. Not only do sweeps not work, they actively exacerbate the problem.

Anonymous October 20, 2022 (10:00 pm)

A bunch have re-set up shop at the cell tower across from Pathfinder K-8 school today

1994 October 20, 2022 (10:38 pm)

When is that RV lot opening so the RVs can all move to a ‘protected’ RV parking area? Mayor Harrell? Homeless czar Marc Dones? Any ideas when this can happen soon? Why keep wasting tax dollars/money on chasing these RVs around the city? Clearly they have no intention of moving OUT of their RVs and just want to continue to live for free on the public right of way.

WSB October 20, 2022 (11:22 pm)

The number of RVs to be potentially handled by a “safe lot” is currently a fraction of the total number estimated to be in the city/county.
- Canton October 21, 2022 (7:04 am)
  
  Any idea of the number of Rvs the city has to deal with?
  - WSB October 21, 2022 (11:01 am)
    
    I don’t have time right now to search for the latest city document but a quick general search brings up citywide-outlet stories from 2018 that noted at that time – four years ago – in SODO *alone* 400 RVs were being monitored.
- WSResident October 21, 2022 (9:09 am)
  
  Well then can we have multiple safe lots? Why are we wasting all this time and money chasing RVers around town, rather than just spending that money setting up places where they can actually park and receive services, garbage collection, etc while they wait to get more permanent housing?
  - WS Res October 22, 2022 (4:17 pm)
    
    “Why are we wasting all this time and money chasing RVers around town, rather than just spending that money setting up places where they can actually park and receive services, garbage collection, etc while they wait to get more permanent housing?” A good question. For your answer, look at the comments on a typical encampment post here: Vocal people wanting unhoused people to be anywhere but where they are, who voted for Harrell, who implemented this frequent sweep policy even over and above our previous mayor (pre- and even during COVID). This is what we get because this is what people vote for: “Don’t spend my tax money [sic] on giving people things for free; spend it on running them off and cleaning up after them every so often!” John Lydon sang it: “This is what you want; this is what you get.”
Eddie October 21, 2022 (1:46 am)

Why do you expect that opening an “RV Safe Lot” will substantially reduce the widespread blight of clapped out RV campers around town? There will be rules and expectations in any such lot, and it seems to me that rules and expectations about tidy and safe living aren’t widely accepted among some of that crowd. Existing shelter spaces go unfilled because rules and expectations are too much for some to bear.
- Bluelips October 21, 2022 (1:12 pm)
  
  Existing shelters often do not accommodate couples or pets, and some are outright hostile/dangerous for queer folks. Many of the RV residents I am acquainted with would probably even pay a reasonable fee for a stable spot with water/electricity/toilets and trash service. Dumpsters and portapotties are cheap relative to sweeps, every one of which ties up several SPD officers (on OT, perhaps?) who almost always are standing talking to each other because there’s nothing for them to do….not to mention all the contracted trash pickers, tow trucks, dump fees, etc.
- Person October 21, 2022 (5:10 pm)
  
  I once interviewed at the DESC’s building ‘the Morrison’ downtown in pioneer square. Between the bedbugs, the fact that you cannot own more than you can keep on your back, and the fact that you are sleeping in a room with so many other people, I left that interview feeling like I would very much rather sleep under I-5 if I was homeless. I invite you to stay in a homeless shelter for a night and see how great it is.
- Mike October 22, 2022 (8:36 am)
  
  So they move from poor status, to a plight being poor in AMERICA IS THE PLIGHT
momosmom October 21, 2022 (8:20 am)

@1994, I assume you’ve sent your questions/concerns to the Mayor’s office and not just here to the WSB. WSB does a lot for the community but posting your questions to the Mayor should be sent to them directly and not here.
BP October 22, 2022 (11:56 am)

Agree with 1994. There are several congregated across from Mr Detail on Harbor Ave SW again. I’ve seen most of these in various locations in WS over several months. One of them is a beater pickup truck with a flatbed trailer overflowing with stacks of pallets. Don’t think these people are on a waiting list for affordable housing.

CC October 21, 2022 (2:57 am)

It’s been a bit of a gift having those there in the sense that SSC wasn’t making students (or faculty/staff) pay for parking at the college. Annoying that it requires inconvenience for this.

Jeepney October 21, 2022 (6:53 am)

It appears that the RV’s displaced from 16th merely moved to other locations in West Seattle. There are a new neighbors on Trenton Street by the post office. Also, there are now two RV’s parked between 28th and 29th on Henderson, which is the street directly behind Target. I applaud Mayor Harrell for his approach, but more needs to be done.

Bluelips October 21, 2022 (1:22 pm)

4 residents on 16th asked the outreach workers for tiny house village referrals…but there was only 1 available. The couple that got that had been living in their van for 2 years, trying without success to get help. They were sooo relieved and happy to get off the street, but everyone else just moved to other streets.

Jeff October 21, 2022 (9:04 am)

Shaking my head…all this does is move people to other streets instead of providing safe locations to camp in city limits. I am so tired of this mayor and city treating the homeless like dirt. Not all of them are drug dealers and whatever other generalizing attributes you tie to them.

Westwood October 21, 2022 (12:50 pm)

Still waiting to hear why you don’t do more to support your brother? Why is he not camped out in front of your house? Or better yet…in your house.
flimflam October 21, 2022 (1:54 pm)

Jeff, I read your comments on the other post re: your brother, etc….I think most peoples experience with camps near them is vastly different than how you describe your brother. He’s the exception, not the rule.
- Mike October 22, 2022 (8:41 am)
  
  I guess I’m the exception too since I bought my RV for to travel across the US until covid and $6 Fuel yeah does that make me good enough another lame comment
Mike October 22, 2022 (8:37 am)

Thanks you may be the only one.

skeeter October 21, 2022 (1:09 pm)

Q1: Does anyone know if the number of people living in RVs on Seattle streets is increasing, decreasing, or staying about the same in the past, say, 6 months? Q2: Is it legal to camp in an RV on a Seattle street so long as the RV is moved every 72 hours? Or is it against the law to camp in an RV on a city street even for one or two nights? Thanks.

Mike October 22, 2022 (8:43 am)

Since groceries chains are making 53% profit into food gouging isn’t enough?There will be more RVs everywhere if this keeps up trust me we have way bigger fish to fry try voting!

RV park October 21, 2022 (1:24 pm)

And that RV park I pass on 114th says it has openings! It looks like a nice safe spot for RVs. Now I don’t know any details, but it sure looks better and safer than parking illegally and getting moved around all the time.

Mj October 21, 2022 (5:21 pm)

I just Googled RV Campgrounds, there are numerous facilities available nearby AND their are some free facilities also available.

Parking on City streets is not the answer.

Are the outreach workers providing the RV people information on using legitimate RV parks?

AMD October 22, 2022 (5:13 pm)

You can always count on that one person who did 30 seconds of Googling and now has more answers than teams of social workers, housing authorities, and municipal workers who have been trying to address the same issue in cities all across the United States for over a decade. But surely, it has never crossed any of their minds to Google the answer, so luckily we have random internet commenters to solve any societal issue with the stroke of a keyboard!
BP October 24, 2022 (6:35 am)

Are the state parks a viable option?

Laura October 22, 2022 (7:30 am)

No wonder we have 4 new ones in front of the old SW Plumbing building. They are using the ball field portapotty. Just wak-a-mole in west Seattle.

Mike October 22, 2022 (8:38 am)

Thought most people here vote for the party of empathy and democracy I’m so not hearing much of that here!

Clark October 22, 2022 (2:24 pm)

The people that live, obey the laws and rules and pay taxes in the neighborhood near South Seattle College are grateful. It is good to see the city listened to the concerns of the residents that live in the neighborhood. The illegal parkers/campers negatively impacted the neighborhood via garbage, dumping urine and feces, multiple vehicle accidents, aggressive dogs and garbage making sidewalks unusable, making parking unavailable for residents and students, Police calls, excessive noise (arguing, drilling, loud music) etc.Putting a sign on your vehicle should not absolve someone of obeying laws, rules and a respect for others. For the people that continue to put blame and responsibility on the government, how about you all get together, pool your money and rent them space in a trailer park? Or do you live in an area that is/has not been affected or can not be accessed by vagrant vehicles? Easy for you to be so empathetic and critical when it’s just talk.

Eva October 24, 2022 (4:01 pm)

100% Maybe the city should create a sign up list for the empathetic people to invite the unhoused people to their homes. I bet no one would sign up!

Margaret October 23, 2022 (5:22 pm)

I think city run RV parking w services like garbage, hygiene, power and even dump station would be helpful and humane, while we are waiting for increased housing. Under West Seattle bridge and/or I5 makes sense from a staying dry perspective,

long duck October 25, 2022 (2:30 pm)

Does anyone know who or which organization(s) facilitated the sweep? As someone who lives nearby and is very grateful of the sweep, I really would like to say thank you or show my support to the person or organization in the forms of either donation or vote!Also I couldn’t agree more with CLARK. We work hard, pay taxes, respect the rules and try to improve our surroundings whenever we can. We spent our lives day after day doing the very thing that build the city that we live in. And now these people just come in and destroys what we tried to build and cared for, by occupying PUBLIC right of way and throwing trash and other health and safety hazards around all because they need to “survive”. I understand everyone has a right to survive but doing so by taking away other’s rights is just unacceptable, at least not in a civilized society.

WSB October 26, 2022 (2:17 pm)

The mayor’s office is ultimately responsible – most if not all departments involved in the “Unified Care Team” report up that way.