City councilmembers moved forward on two pieces of legislation that will have broad implications for homeless encampments and how best to serve the people who live in them.
In the first, councilmembers unanimously voted to spend $500,000 to move and house Nickelsville residents by Sept. 1. In the second, members of a housing and human services committee approved a proposal to allow nonreligious groups, but not the city, to host encampments of up to 100 people.
“We’re not looking at encampments as being the be-all, end-all,” said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.
The vote to move Nickelsville came June 24, when the council approved legislation to spend $500,000 to place more than 100 Nickelsville residents into housing or shelter, and to have a nonprofit provide residents case management services. Councilmembers want to close the camp, which is on city-owned land, September 1.
Nickelsville put down stakes at 7116 W. Marginal Way SW more than two years ago and during that time the camp has experienced rat infestations, flooding and lax security. A West Seattle neighborhood group has pressured city leaders to move the camp, and it filed a claim against the city in April asking the courts to determine if Nickelsville was an illegal camp.
The city’s Human Services Department (HSD) will oversee Nickelsville’s move, as well as contract with a nonprofit service provider. During the relocation process, HSD officials will collect data on how many Nickelodeons accept counseling for housing placement, how many receive housing, shelter or services and how many residents decline services.
Once the encampment is cleared, the anti-hunger nonprofit Food Lifeline will begin construction of a regional food distribution center at the site.
Two days after councilmembers voted to move Nickelsville, the council’s Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee approved a proposal to alter land-use codes so nonreligious groups could host encampments.
The approval comes with several requirements: The city will not host any encampment; each encampment can host up to 100 people; each camp can last up to one year; the ordinance will allow no more than three encampments at one time or, together, those encampments can hold no more than 300 people.
The proposal also requires organizers of a new camp to hold public meetings with neighbors, that encampments to be at least two miles from each other and that a host maintain insurance.
Councilmember Nick Licata crafted the proposal, along with Legislative Aide Lisa Herbold, in response to community concerns over Nickelsville. During recent public hearings, some Nickelodeons opposed the legislation because it forbids placing encampments in residential neighborhoods.
But at the June 26 committee meeting, committee members wanted to ensure that neighbors had a say in a camp’s potential location. Bagshaw also sought assurances that the city wouldn’t run the encampments and that any host obtain liability insurance.
Licata said that even though the committee approved the proposal, he intended to wait until July 29 to present it to the full council.
Bagshaw said it was important to note that the city was putting money and energy into to helping Nickelsville residents, as well as people in other encampments.
“I really look at this effort as a first step to help people be able to move into the community,” she said, “but then be able to move up and on.”