What’s New with GSC? January 2017

Highlighting homelessness in the Puget Sound 
Camp Second Chance gets a second chance 
When Camp Second Chance moved onto unpermitted public land on Meyers Way in July of 2016, the neighbors expected nothing but drugs and garbage. However, the exemplary behavior of this highly organized, neat and friendly camp won over first the neighbors, then the police, then the fire department, and finally the City of Seattle itself. After months of being defended against sweeps by their neighbors, in late 2016 Camp Second Chance was finally authorized as a permitted camp by the City of Seattle! Congratulations, CSC!

UW develops a first-ever on-line course on homelessness 
With Tent City 3 staying at the UW, the University has developed an on-line course about homelessness. We believe this is the first course of its kind.
Check it out at https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=W1U0EEXOhU4

In Shoreline, on the other hand . . . .

WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

In late 2015, the Shoreline City Council directed its Planning Commission to review the city’s zoning code with a view to lowering barriers for people experiencing homelessness. After an outcry from a small group of residents of Richmond Beach who feared that such amendments would bring more homeless people into their neighborhoods, the Planning Commission sent to the Council a set of amendments that will make it very difficult for any organization to host a camp. Among these is a 20-foot “set-back” rule that drops the number of churches in Shoreline with enough space to host even a small encampment from about 25 to 3. Greater Seattle Cares is asking the City Council to adopt instead alternative language that would not result in a ban on homelessness in Shoreline.

We need the City Council to know that Shoreline can be home to ALL types of people, and that everyone deserves a safe place to sleep.

Come to the Shoreline City Council meeting on January 30th 

at Shoreline City Hall at 17500 Midvale Ave N 

and speak out against these anti-homeless laws. 

For more information, contact GSC President Cindy Roat at cindy.roat@alumni.williams.edu.

Read on, for the news from the camps that GSC supports: 

Tent City 3 (TC3) 
Currently at: The University of Washington, Parking Lot 35, on the south side of NE Pacific St, just west of Brooklyn Ave. NE.
Next move: TC3’s next move will be on March 18th. The camp does not yet have a host for the next move.
Requests: TC3 is asking for zip ties and batteries. And a host site for March!

Husky Health Bridge, a service group of UW dentistry students

News: While staying at UW, the camp is receiving a lot of attention. Besides the on-line course on homelessness described above, a variety of student groups from the School of Dentistry, the School of Social Work, and the School of Pharmacy are working with GSC to provide professional services to the camp. GSC also continues to deliver supplies and to meet other immediate camp needs. For example, the camp’s coffee maker died this week. Since hot coffee is often the only way residents stay warm in the 20º weather, GSC will be delivering a new one this weekend.

Camp United We Stand (CUWS) 
Currently at: St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, 722 N 145th St. Shoreline
Next move: CUWS plans to move on February 15th to Shoreline Free Methodist Church, although the approval is still in progress.
Requests: CUWS needs a stapler, AAA batteries, standard angle brooms, dust pans, large latex gloves, Pine Sol (or some other all-purpose cleaner), and Windex

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

News: CUWS has organized to fight the proposed amendments to the Shoreline zoning code, described above. In response to their challenge, Mayor Chris Roberts made a 1-hour visit to the camp on January 19th. Thank you, Mayor Roberts, for taking the time to come see a transitional encampment with your own eyes!








Camp Unity Eastside (CUE) 
Currently at: Kirkland Congregational Church, 106 5th Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033
Next move: CUE will be moving on the weekend of Feb. 3rd and 4th to St. Jude’s Catholic Church, located at 10526 166th Ave. NE in Redmond.
Requests: Help with their upcoming move!
News: The camp currently has 14 residents, because so many have moved into permanent housing. The camp is expected to grow again, however, when it gets to its new site.

Camp Second Chance (CSC) 
Currently at: 9625 Myers Way S, Seattle
Next move: Since CSC has been permitted by the City of Seattle, the camp will not have to move again!
Requests: CSC is in need of some clip boards, duct tape and brooms.
News: As part of the transition to being a permitted camp, CSC will soon be receiving a solid amount of public funding to install water and electricity and water, and to help pay for the Honey Buckets and the garbage service. While the camp will continue to be self-governed, the non-profit organization Patacara Community Services will become the managing agency for the camp.

Camp Second Chance

Picture from the Patacara website

 

If you would like more detail on any of these topics please contact 

info@GreaterSeattleCares.org. 

Thank you all for your support and especially your big hearts and generous spirits in doing what you can to help those experiencing homelessness.