Tent City 3 moves onto SPU campus, despite last-minute attempt to stop it

By Siemny Kim

Saturday was move-in day for Tent City 3 at Seattle Pacific University, despite a last-minute attempt to stop it.

Working side by side, students at Seattle Pacific University and the homeless who live at Tent City 3 worked to transform a parking lot on campus into a home for the next three months.

Sophomore Alyssa Broberg was one of the 300 students who signed up to help.

“Our mission statement is to engage the culture and change the world so this is just another way engaging with the greater Seattle community,” said Broberg.

It’s not the first time SPU has hosted the long-running, roving tent encampment. It was done before in 2012 and 2015.

But this move-in wasn’t without its hiccups. SPU President Dan Martin says a citizen filed a last-minute appeal Friday to stop the camp from being set up. He said SPU worked to make sure folks could still move in.

“It’s still in process,” Martin explained. “I’m not sure the exact resolution of what will be but we have counsel working on it in partnership with the city as well.”

Martin said hosting Tent City 3 is part of a commitment to help students understand the issues surrounding the city’s homeless crisis.

“We do it every three years in hopes that our students, as they come through the educational process on campus that they will be confronted with challenges, issues and look within their own life and abilities, … find ways in which they may be able to make a difference,” Martin added.

Senior Logan Bryan said it’s all about breaking barriers.

“Having these people here and being able to interact with them really brings it to a personal level and helps people understand what’s going on, who these people are,” explained Bryan. “They’re regular people like us.”

Tent city 3 will be housed at SPU until Feb. 10.

Organizers are still looking for the next location.