That's the perfect photo to illustrate how easy it would be to fall off that ledge in the dark, whether you're sleepy or inebriated. I wonder if the city has considered railings?
It's pretty scary (and dangerous) when a homeless person crosses I5 (especially NB on the collector/distributor), so I don't think it's terrible that WSDOT clears out the nearby campers. I hope that the official tent cities will make these freeway camps unnecessary and allow WSDOT to enforce its no trespassing rules. I would much rather have people camp in the park/woods than the freeway, where one slip or mis-timed dash could be deadly…for the driver too.
I can see this spot from my office at the SMT. They regularly go in and clean it out, but the people come right back. Usually, it's not too bad, but it's absolutely filthy right now.
I don't know why they keep it as green space. Why not just build some sort of homeless housing on it? It's close to Harborview and all of the social service programs in Pioneer Square.
The city is limiting the number of places for them to camp. The paved area under the freeway at James has been fenced off as an example.
For the ones who aren't mentally able to stand the confinement or close quarters of a shelter, they're just being pushed to smaller and more sketchy locations. Shoving them from location to location to 'clear out' one area isn't servicing the problem, it's just moving it around. Fix one complaint by moving the cause to another location.
As a society, we either need to address their problems directly, finding housing or camping locations they can stand, help them get treatments and resources.
OR
Just accept and admit that this IS our solution. Move them around and harass them until they die or treat them like criminals and lock them up.
It's effectively what we're doing now, we're just being passive-aggressive about it. People dying in the streets is directly the result of our current actions.
@3 - Leave it green space, what we have left, after all we do want the Emerald city to look emerald don't we? The homeless camps are better on large flat lots. It's too narrow there.
@4 yes, you're right. Maybe move them into the otherwise worthless Bertha tunnel. We can spend $2billion (more or less) on a tunnel, but we gladly allow psychotic people to wander the streets downtown. Don't believe me? Take a few trips on Metro.
Raindrip dear, about the only people who can enjoy that "green space" (which is more just sad brown and trashy) are us gubberment employees and the folks in the King County Jail. And I'm not talking about a camp. I'm talking about a nice SRO structure, with every room having power, heat, and toilet facilities - all built up against the interstate so that no one can fall off. Why not?
Why don't we just give the homeless homes? It would save the city & county budgets a great deal of money. Isn't that what we want? More money in the budgets and homed people?
See more here: Utah did it and saved $12,000 per person/year. Colorado did it and saved $26,000 per homeless person.
I don't know why they keep it as green space. Why not just build some sort of homeless housing on it? It's close to Harborview and all of the social service programs in Pioneer Square.
For the ones who aren't mentally able to stand the confinement or close quarters of a shelter, they're just being pushed to smaller and more sketchy locations. Shoving them from location to location to 'clear out' one area isn't servicing the problem, it's just moving it around. Fix one complaint by moving the cause to another location.
As a society, we either need to address their problems directly, finding housing or camping locations they can stand, help them get treatments and resources.
OR
Just accept and admit that this IS our solution. Move them around and harass them until they die or treat them like criminals and lock them up.
It's effectively what we're doing now, we're just being passive-aggressive about it. People dying in the streets is directly the result of our current actions.
Help them or admit we're don't give a fuck.
See more here: Utah did it and saved $12,000 per person/year. Colorado did it and saved $26,000 per homeless person.
Lots of compassionate comments so far. @12 has nailed it.