Back on Monday, we reported on notices warning campers to remove belongings by 9 am today from the Longfellow Creek greenspace just east of the Chief Sealth International HS/Denny International MS campus, heralding an imminent sweep. We just went by and found city crews and contractors, appearing to be wrapping up.
Two weeks ago, the CSIHS administration sent a note to families urging them to warn their students about the encampment, and suggesting they join the school in reporting it via Find It Fix It. We’ll be following up with the city for post-sweep data such as how many people were there and what crews removed.
It’s too soon for this sweep to have been conducted under a new strategy announced by Mayor Wilson earlier this week, but the strategy has been used in at least two West Seattle sweeps previously – the ones on state-owned sites along Myers Way and near the 1st Avenue South Bridge. It involves more intensively working with people living outside to get them into housing or shelter. The mayor – whose announcement was part of this speech – says expanding available space is key; one new site not far from here is about to open – the Cloverleaf Village site in South Park – and West Seattle’s Glassyard Commons is not far behind.