Information from District 1 City Councilmember Lisa Herbold

Many people have been contacting me about the future of Camp Second Chance at Myers Way.

As you may recall, in December of 2016, the Mayor announced that Camp Second Chance would be one of the city’s six sanctioned encampments. The encampment occupants have worked to make the Myers Way location safe and ensure that it is a good neighbor to the surrounding community. Camp Second Chance has grown to become a place for security and community – moving many people on to get permanent housing.

The Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) Section 23.42.056, Subsection E.1 states that: “A permit for a transitional encampment interim use under this Section 23.42.056 may be authorized for up to one year from the date of permit issuance. A permit for a transitional encampment may be renewed one time for up to one year.”(emphasis added). Nevertheless, there are other sanctioned encampments in the city that have operated for more than 2 years. The city has used its authority under the Temporary Use Permit process (a different SMC) to permit sanctioned encampments to maintain their location beyond two years.

Camp Second Chance has been located on Myers’ Way under this authority for nearly two years.  The Mayor’s office, the Interim Director of Human Services Jason Johnson, and his staff have been leading the decision-making over the future of Camp Second Chance. You can get in contact with HSD here and the Mayor’s office here.

Here are the criteria that the Executive will use the decision-making process:

• First, the Homeless Strategy and Investment Division of HSD, in partnership with Department of Neighborhoods and FAS staff conduct a 30-day community notification and open comment period process regarding the renewal of operating permits. Comments are received via email, voicemail, and recorded at community meetings.
• Secondly, they will evaluate whether the program is meeting performance standards. In this case, that is the number of unduplicated individuals and families that have had their emergency needs met and the percentage of households who exit to permanent housing. 
• They will also review the property to determine if physical deterioration poses a serious threat to residents and the surrounding community long term. 
• And lastly, they will explore and weigh significant unforeseen impacts on the community that are attributable to the ongoing operation of the village. 

I attended a meeting at Fauntleroy Church and another at Highland Park Action Council (HPAC) to hear from our neighbors. As you may know, HPAC is conducting a survey to provide guidance on its decision whether to support the permit extension. I encourage you to take the short survey here.

I have renewed my request to the Executive to work on the priorities, from HPAC, heard last year when the Executive was considering the one year extension permitted under SMC 23.42.056E1. I support HPAC in its efforts to convince the Human Services Department, the Seattle Police Department, the Department of Neighborhoods, and the Seattle Parks Department to work with the community in its reasonable goals to ensure that the City:

1. Develop written neighborhood protocols for sanctioned encampments for the public
2. Facilitate a MOA between SPD and KC Sheriff to address cross-jurisdictional public safety challenges
3. Develop a plan for the eventual transfer of the Myers Way Property from the Fleets and Administrative Services department to the Seattle Parks Department