GEE AND URSULA

Gee & Ursula: Why did it take a murder before city took action on homeless camp?

Jun 9, 2021, 5:15 AM

Site of a former homeless camp at Olga Park in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. (KIRO Radio) Homeless camp at Olga Park in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. (KIRO Radio) Site of a former homeless camp at Olga Park in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. (KIRO Radio) Homeless camp at Olga Park in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. (KIRO Radio)

Crews cleared out a homeless camp in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood over the weekend and posted signs that Olga Park would be temporarily closed.

This came after a 31-year-old man was shot several times in the chest in the early hours of Memorial Day while exiting his tent. Ursula Reutin’s mother lives in a condo across from the park.

People who live and work in that area, including my mom, feel much safer now that the camp is gone. Hopefully the several dozen people who set up tents there now have a safer place to live, too.

The city was able to clean this camp out with a sense of urgency. So my question is why did it take a murder to finally do it?

Gee Scott doesn’t have an answer to Ursula’s question, but has an idea of how the city of Seattle operates.

Because the city of Seattle hustles backwards? It feels as if there has to be a crisis. Why can’t they be proactive with some of these things?

We’ve been talking about this homeless camp for how long?

Since the pandemic began, Ursula pointed out. She said the same could be said for the homeless camp in Seattle’s Lake City Way neighborhood. Two people were shot in the camp at Albert Davis Park on April 29, and a fire broke out the next day. Neighbors told KIRO 7 they’ve reached out to the city over 100 times.

She posed the same question –why does it take a murder before something gets done — on the Gee and Ursula Facebook page, and so many listeners had great comments. Her favorite might be David’s.

David wrote: “The city would rather run a costly ambulance service at the bottom of the cliff than to put up a less costly fence at the top.”

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Gee and Ursula Show

Gee and Ursula

Photo: Yale players, including guard Yassine Gharram, center, celebrate with fans after their 78-76...

Julia Dallas

Gee and Ursula: Idaho band turns ‘Van-Dogs’ as they rep. Yale for March Madness

Yale took down Auburn in a major upset during March Madness. But, they might've not been able to do it without the help of a marching band.

2 days ago

boeing negligence...

Ursula Reutin

Ursula: Boeing has finally taken a step in the right direction

Boeing CEO David Calhoun acknowledged that the mid-air blowout of an Alaska Airlines door panel was a watershed.

3 days ago

Image: Photo of "The Ascent" by Larry Anderson...

Julia Dallas

‘Gee and Ursula’: Bonney Lake mayor search reveals ‘tea’ on candidate

The City of Bonney Lake is searching for a new mayor after the former mayor accepted a job with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

9 days ago

Both President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump have locked the nomination for their respectiv...

Bill Kaczaraba

Medved: ‘People didn’t really know (or care) there was a primary’

Medved believes that people are unhappy with their choices during this presidential cycle.

12 days ago

Photo: The homeless encampment outside city hall is being moved around Burien to another home at Do...

Ursula Reutin

Ursula: The Burien homeless crisis highlights an even bigger problem

Because of the lack of alternatives, the King County Sheriff has ordered her deputies to not enforce a camping ban in Burien.

16 days ago

court gavel...

Bill Kaczaraba

Gee & Ursula: Should judges be elected or appointed?

Gee & Ursula take on an age-old question: Should judges be elected or appointed? This comes after a case involving Judge Pooja Vaddadi.

21 days ago

Gee & Ursula: Why did it take a murder before city took action on homeless camp?