Homeless camps cleared from along Burke Gilman Trail
Feb 1, 2017, 8:10 AM | Updated: 9:31 am
Unclaimed items from a now-cleared homeless encampment left along the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle. (MyNorthwest file photo)
(MyNorthwest file photo)
While the City of Seattle is considering new regulations for unauthorized homeless camps, it is still clearing camps around the city, such as the camp near Wallingford.
The city posted notices last Thursday at several homeless camps along the Burke-Gilman Trail in Wallingford — near Eastern Avenue and Gasworks Park. On Monday, crews began cleaning up the site.
The Wallyhood blog noted that homeless encampments began popping up along the trail over the past few months.
Related: How Wallingford handled its RV problem
“I can’t help but wonder if the appearance of these tents was related to the clear-out of the Jungle back in October,” blogger Jack on Wallyhood recently wrote.
Since the City of Seattle cleared out the “Jungle” homeless encampment under and around I-5, many of those campers moved into city-approved camps. Some moved into what is now known as the “Triangle” (or Murray’s Triangle) where the culture of the Jungle remains alive.
Jack notes that since the tents arrived, trash has also grown around them. At one point, a trash pile was even dumped on the trail itself, in the way of cyclists and walkers.
Seattle clears Wallingford homeless camps
The city posted notice that the homeless camps would be removed after several complaints from community members and Seattle police, according to Julie Moore with Seattle’s Financial and Administrative Services Department.
“Safety hazards at the site include a plywood structure built into the hillside that posed an 8-foot drop to the ground on one side, and required workers use harnesses to remove,” Moore told MyNorthwest in an email. “Outreach connected with the individuals on site prior to and during the cleanup effort today. In addition to the plywood structure, two tents were removed and some personal belongings are being stored for the individuals.”
That work was done on Monday. On Tuesday, another team was called to the campsite to clean up biowaste.
This occurred in the same area where Wallingford community members and businesses came together and urged the city to do something about derelict RVs parked along Northlake Way. The issue lingered for months until police worked with locals and the RV owners to move.
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