novaBBS - alt.law-enforcement - Seattle couple explains why they're building a home in the median of I-5 on-ramp

It struck me rather surprisingly the views in the comments.
Quite practical and conservative as compared to common
seattle opinions.

from
https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-couple-explains-why-theyre-building-a-home-in-the-median-of-i-5-on-ramp-homeless-bruce-harrell-south-lake-union-downtown

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Seattle couple explains why they're building a home in the median of I-5
on-ramp
by Jeremy Harris, KOMO News ReporterTuesday, January 24th 2023
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Homeless encampment at Fairview Ave and Mercer Street in Seattle. (KOMO
News)

45
SEATTLE, Wash. — Drivers who enter I-5 at Seattle's Mercer Street
on-ramp pass by a growing homeless encampment that is obscured behind
trees and repurposed 'welcome to South Lake Union' banners.

Inside the camp, Kandice and Mark, who asked to be identified only by
their first names, are busy building their home.

(If viewing this story on our mobile app, view it in a browser to vote
in the KOMO Pulse Poll question)

“99% of this house is stuff that came out of dumpsters," Mark told KOMO
News. "We don’t have a house or a home right now and this is how we know
to survive.”

Mark said it's taken him about a month to build the tiny house, which
includes an A-frame roof, foundation, window, and door. Mark says the
couple ended up here after their previous encampment on Dexter street
was cleared out by the city.

“We found ourselves on the sidewalk with all our stuff just trying to
guard it. We figured we'd build this structure here because it's better
than just a tent," he said.

The house is going up in the same encampment where KOMO reported last
week about a series of fires, threats with weapons, and damage to the
Seattle City and Light power infrastructure.

The property where they are building the house belongs in part to the
Seattle Department of Transportation and Washington Department of
Transportation. Both agencies told KOMO they are aware of the encampment
and coordinating on how to deal with it.

"The process of outreach is time-intensive and involves building a
relationship with people who often have complex needs, and then finding
the housing and services that can meet those needs. KCRHA has worked
with outreach partners to resolve a number of sites that had established
structures, including a large encampment at Dearborn and other sites
downtown," said Anne Martens with the King County Homelessness Authority.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell addressed the Mercer Street encampment in an
interview with KOMO News on Tuesday.

Comment bubble
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (
45
) "What we are trying to do thru using utility discounts and our housing
strategies is meeting people where they are and getting them sheltered
in places they don't have to do that. It's unsafe, unlawful and we don't
suggest people do that all it's intolerable for our administration,"
Harrell said.

Conversation46 Comments
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emeraldDreams
14 hours ago

well if they want their house then they need to pay property taxes on it
or else officially lose it to the county and the city.

SeattleDoc
14 hours ago

Along the numerous development fees charge to home builders.

jayceegee
13 hours ago

And also needs approved water disposal, electrical, meet construction
codes and a whole bunch more, as you said.

1 reply

GoUWDogs1
9 hours ago

Could there be a better article illustrating the impotence and
incompetence of the agencies involved? An excuse factory using the same
woke word dice year after year promising that with more,
“understanding,” AND millions of tax dollars, the homeless crisis will
be solved.

1 reply

Denker
14 hours ago

If these two are so industrious just think what they could accomplish if
they applied that same dedication to an actual job.

swmaggie
14 hours ago

The mayor has a lot of "strategies"...but not solutions.

2 replies

Wildblue23
13 hours ago

If I did this on my legally owned land on which I have been paying
thousands of dollars a year in taxes for the past 30 plus year, I would
have a swarm of government agents descending on me and fining me
thousands of dollars a day.

SLUresident
10 hours ago

Our tax dollars spent on those who choose this lifestyle is huge. For
many years I volunteered at a local food bank and learned first hand
from those unhoused that this lifestyle is their preference. These folks
refuse the housing options offered to them because they prefer to "camp" :/

kingfish44
1 hour ago

There is no such thing as home ownership. One's name on the deed is in
all caps. That means they are legally considered a tenant, not the
owner. The bank, as the legal owner, reclaims the property when taxes
aren't paid. That's why I rent.

pizzaman
7 hours ago

That's why you need to build it on your neighbors property. Then lisa
Herbold, Kshma Sawant, Pederson, and Mosqueda and all the city council
will pass laws to protect you.

Cochrane
11 hours ago

No, they have “complex” needs requiring highly educated and trained
professionals to meet. We need a program staffed by such professionals
working at the city and state level. Many professionals overseen by top
level administrators.

1 reply

bazwest
13 hours ago

I'll bet if I started building a house on my own property in the city
limits without a permit, inspections, power, and sewer I'd be shut down
in no time flat.

1 reply

EstoyListo
13 hours ago

"Both [state and local] agencies told KOMO they are aware of the
encampment and [are] coordinating on how to deal with it."

That's as good as a lease. Neither agency will want to deal with it.
(You deal with it--No YOU deal with it.) Best wishes to the
enterprising couple. May they sell for a pr...

TechScribe
13 hours ago

"how to deal with it" — um, you tear it down. Now. This is similar to
graffiti. If you just ignore it and let it take root, it spreads like
weeds. If there's no consequences for blatantly breaking laws and city
codes, why should anyone else abide? You can't tell me there's not
public safety issues...

1 reply

Al.Johnson
13 hours ago

"aware of the encampment and coordinating on how to deal with it"? What
a joke.

mossback
11 hours ago

Yeah, this can not be allowed whatsoever. If you guys want to build a
house like that- great! Find and buy land like everyone else. Go look up
in the mountains or in eastern WA. Plenty of land. But here you are
destroying public green space and thumbing your nose at society.

Sweep that camp and all ...

1 ferences
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officials say
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Two dead following domestic murder-suicide in Everett
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Seattle couple explains why they're building a home in the median of	a425couple

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