Seattle City Council president: Stay out zones are ‘better than nothing’

The more you hear public officials talk about Seattle’s proposed “Stay Out” zones, the more you seem to hear, “Well, it’s better than nothing.”

Add Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson to the chorus. She was on Seattle’s Morning News to defend the ordinance.

The debate centers around how Seattle should handle illegal drug use and sex solicitation. This week, the council voted on two bills, one which approved the creation of six “Stay Out” drug zones throughout Seattle, and one similar zone along Aurora Avenue, specifically targeting prostitution.

“We’re trying to change the message that we are sending to the outside world,” Nelson said on KIRO Newsradio. “And frankly, what else are we going to do? Are we just going to do nothing and accept this is the status quo? That is the position that the council is in right now, and so 8-1 votes on both of those bills does say something.”

Gee & Ursula: Seattle ‘Stay Out’ zones won’t make prostitution, homelessness go away

Critics have questioned how the stay out zones are going to work. Many focus on the shortage of police officers in the city and the “soft” nature of the ordinances as the reasons they will not work.

“I understand that we have a police staffing problem, but it does matter that we are taking proactive steps,” Nelson explained. “Current laws are not working, and we’re going to do something about it and protect the people that are being victimized and exploited.”

When public comment was taking place in front of the council, sex workers actually took a stand against many aspects of the ordinances. One woman said she was trying to pay for a college education as she was raising a daughter. She wanted the council to leave her alone.

“It is true that people represented their experience in sex work,” Nelson said. “And frankly, that’s not what we’re seeing on on Aurora Avenue for the most part. So we have to recognize that some people are engaged in this work to make some money to support themselves, and other people are engaging in it because they are being exploited by by pimps and and not necessarily giving their consent when it comes to the work that they’re doing.”

Nelson said that although there are many holes in the ordinances, they represent substantial progress from what has been the case in the past few years.

“One of the benefits of having it on the books is it provides an opportunity for officers to approach the sellers or the women on the street,” she said. “And this law expressly states that the first disposition is to provide services to divert women.”

Nelson said there is no perfect solution but this gives police more tools to deal with the situation.

Background: Seattle City Council passes legislation creating SODA, SOAP zones

“It probably takes repeated contact and and just the the growing visibility that officers are approaching women and offering help,” she explained. “And it takes repeated touches, but at least we are, are focusing on trying to offer some help.”

What isn’t included are funds that would add to the already overrun programs.

“If only it were a matter of allocating dollars,” she said. “That is the problem. Every year we pass a budget that paid for, I believe, that it provides the funding to hire 125 more officers. However, we are dealing quarter after quarter with a net negative of officers. That is a whole other problem, and we’re working on that as well.”

Nelson claimed the situation on Aurora has gotten “remarkably worse.”

“If you listen to the testimony of the neighbors that see it day in and day out that live very closely, you will see a different picture portrayed than someone who chooses to go into an aspect of sex work for whatever other reason,” she said.

Nelson said that the bottom line to the new ordinances is they draw a line in the sand.

“We are focusing on the oath that we take when we assumed office, which is to protect the health and well being and safety of the people of Seattle,” she said.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.