SEATTLE — Time ran out for many of the people living at a homeless encampment in Ballard that would have been swept until Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson granted a temporary extension last month.
On Tuesday, city crews began posting notices that they would remove any remaining tents and makeshift shelters within 48 hours from NW 41st Street near the Burke-Gilman Trail.
The site was originally scheduled to be cleared on Jan. 14, but the mayor decided to delay that effort to help more people get housing or other services.
In that time, at least half a dozen people accepted help from outreach teams, according to a blog post on the mayor’s website.
About 17 people were living at the site originally, although people tended to come and go, and in recent weeks, as the encampment footprint began to expand.
“I talked with a woman who was 5-months sober, owned three small dogs, and was struggling to find a place to sleep inside. And with some work, we were able to identify a spot for her in a tiny house village,” Wilson said in the blog post. “Our teams also helped five more people living at the encampment to secure housing or shelter; by extending the deadline, we were able to help them make that transition without additional displacement. I’m grateful for that.”
KOMO News spoke to several other people on Tuesday morning who said they didn’t get any help and were planning to relocate their tents somewhere else after Thursday.
The mayor acknowledged that city crews “weren’t able to find places for everyone” but said the site at the edge of an industrial area has significant safety hazards and needs to be removed.
“This is not an ideal outcome, but I believe that moving forward to clear this encampment is the right step at this time,” Wilson said in the blog post.
In the meantime, the mayor’s office said it remains committed to expanding emergency shelter by as many as 1,000 new units before the end of the year, with other supports including drug treatment and behavioral health services.
At the same time, the mayor wants to keep public spaces open and accessible.
When it comes to encampment removals, the mayor said the city’s Unified Care Team (UCT) will conduct early outreach before clearing any site and will prioritize locations based on neighborhood impact and public safety concerns.
The mayor is also looking for the UCT to offer recommendations to deliver better outcomes for people living on the streets by minimizing the harm caused when an encampment is cleared with little or no notice.
Until we expand emergency housing and shelter with support – including substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health services – we will not see much progress, no matter how much we step up encampment outreach and removals.About 17 people were living at the site originally, although people tended to come and go, and in recent weeks, as the encampment footprint began to expand.
“I talked with a woman who was 5-months sober, owned three small dogs, and was struggling to find a place to sleep inside. And with some work, we were able to identify a spot for her in a tiny house village,” Wilson said in the blog post. “Our teams also helped five more people living at the encampment to secure housing or shelter; by extending the deadline, we were able to help them make that transition without additional displacement. I’m grateful for that.”
KOMO News spoke to several other people on Tuesday morning who said they didn’t get any help and were planning to relocate their tents somewhere else after Thursday.
The mayor acknowledged that city crews “weren’t able to find places for everyone” but said the site at the edge of an industrial area has significant safety hazards and needs to be removed.
“This is not an ideal outcome, but I believe that moving forward to clear this encampment is the right step at this time,” Wilson said in the blog post.
In the meantime, the mayor’s office said it remains committed to expanding emergency shelter by as many as 1,000 new units before the end of the year, with other supports including drug treatment and behavioral health services.
At the same time, the mayor wants to keep public spaces open and accessible.
When it comes to encampment removals, the mayor said the city’s Unified Care Team (UCT) will conduct early outreach before clearing any site and will prioritize locations based on neighborhood impact and public safety concerns.
The mayor is also looking for the UCT to offer recommendations to deliver better outcomes for people living on the streets by minimizing the harm caused when an encampment is cleared with little or no notice.
Until we expand emergency housing and shelter with support – including substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health services – we will not see much progress, no matter how much we step up encampment outreach and removals.
