Seattle to open 3 new homeless encampment sites

The City of Seattle announced Thursday it will open three new city-approved homeless encampments that will host up to 210 people.

City council member Debora Juarez says the camps will allow officials to focus on long-term changes, while addressing immediate needs.

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“At a time when over 2,000 people are unsheltered in the city, now is the time to show compassion and determination to find stable solutions,” she said.

Three new homeless encampments

The three homeless camps will be located at the following addresses:

• 1000 South Myrtle Street — will have up to 50 tiny homes, serving 60-70 people
• 8620 Nesbit Avenue North — will have up to 50 tiny homes, serving 60-70 people
• 9701 Myers Way South — will have up to 50 tent sites, serving 60-70 people

The three new camps are slated to open in early 2017. In October, Mayor Ed Murray announced that the city would be opening a total of four new encampments. The idea is that the city did not want to displace homeless campers if there was not a suitable, safe location to refer them to. The camps are supposed to be such a place to refer people.

“Today’s announcement recognizes our need to provide safe alternatives to the people living unsheltered on our streets as we work to implement Pathways Home,” said Seattle Director of Human Services Catherine Lester.

Related: Mayor Murray announces plan for four new homeless encampments

Pathways Home is a long-term program that Mayor Murray has been putting together. It is aimed at solving homelessness on a case-by-case basis. But that program is expected to take months to start up. In the meantime, Seattle has started the Bridging the Gap program, which the new sanctioned homeless encampments are part of.

Seattle already has three approved homeless encampments in Rainier Valley, Interbay and Ballard.

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