RC Blog

WHEREAS it is inhumane and immoral to punish people for living outside …

posted by Tim Harris on Friday, March 19 at 7:36pm

As Cyd Gillis reports in the current issue of Real Change, Seattle’s homeless sweeps are quietly ongoing, and the city protocols that were to guide these are honored mostly in the breach, if at all.  It’s not in the news, so it doesn’t exist.  Not unless it’s your stuff that gets dumped.

So it’s nice to see folks noticing, especially now, with Councilmember Burgess conflating panhandling and thuggery and talking endlessly of how Seattle always does right by the poor and homeless.

The King County Democrats Central Committee approved the resolution below after it was brought to them by the 36th District Dems.  It’s good to see people standing up to say what’s right.

Resolution in Opposition to the Demolition of Homeless Encampments

WHEREAS the Washington State Department of Transportation pursues a policy of demolishing homeless people’s encampments and throwing away their property when there is no alternative shelter; and

WHEREAS this policy fails to honor the rights of the homeless to their property, survival gear and documents, and fails to address the chronic and severe shortage of emergency shelters and services; and

WHEREAS homelessness is a national problem that will likely get worse in the current economy; and

WHEREAS the King County one-night counts for 2008, 2009, and 2010 found approximately 2600 – 2850 people living outside on winter nights when emergency shelters were at or near capacity; and

WHEREAS it is inhumane and immoral to punish people for living outside when there are not enough shelters or affordable housing;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the King County Democrats call for the Washington State Department of Transportation and other jurisdictions to stop all non-emergency homeless camp sweeps and demolitions;  and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the King County Democrats urge the Washington State Department of Transportation and other jurisdictions to work with homeless advocacy groups to find more humane ways to address the problem of homelessness; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the King County Democrats send a copy of this resolution to the following:

  * Washington State Department of Transportation
  * Governor Chris Gregoire
  * Judy Clibborn, Chair, House Transportation Committee
  * Mary Margaret Haugen, Chair, Senate Transportation Committee
  * Dow Constantine, King County Executive
  * King County Council Members
  * Seattle City Council Members
  * Mayor Mike McGinn
  * All legislators from King County

 

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Comments

34th LD democrats, member

David Kerlick | submitted on 03/26/2010, 6:42am

This has been followed up by two nasty notes from the DOT. Seems they want proof that they are disreguarding their own rules. I guess Cydni’s careful research and documentation doesn’t count.

Linde Knighton | submitted on 04/02/2010, 2:18pm

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