Tempers flare during Seattle homeless camp sweep; at least 16 people forced to move
SEATTLE -- Emotions boiled over during a homeless camp sweep on Friday.
A power struggle at one of the once-authorized Nickelsville tent cities ended with the property owner evicting 16 people.
At one time, more than 50 people called the camp on South Dearborn Street home. The camp had once been authorized by the city for more than a year.
But after key supporters pulled their backing after concerns over drugs and weapons surfaced, everyone was told to leave on Friday.
“You’re hurting our morals!” shouted Cecelia Carey, an evicted camper, during a press conference outside the camp.
In response, Peggy Hotes, an original founder of Nickelsville, said, “This woman was barred from Nickelsville’s tiny houses."
“I was barred for b------- reasons!” Carey shot back.
Tempers flared as members of the Occupy Dearborn homeless camp were furious they were told to leave.
“There are decent men and women living here, people in pain,” said Carey. “People who are working and can’t afford rent, I am one of those people.”
The struggle began earlier this year where some members of the once city-sanctioned Nickelsville camp rejected their leadership and stopped following the rules.
“They are refusing to abide by the code of conduct,” said Sharon Lee, executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute, which helps run Nickelsville. “There was drug use, there’s some weapons, people weren’t following the rules.”
The property’s owner, the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, told campers that once they stopped cooperating with Nickelsville everyone would have to leave.
Mayor Ed Murray said everyone at the camp had a chance to find a new, safe place to stay.
“We offered everyone shelter and people were moved without any arrests,” said Murray.
Officials said 16 people moved out of the camp on Friday; eight of those took services offered by outreach programs.
But Stefan McKnight said she wasn’t ready to leave and she worries she will end up in the nearby, notoriously dangerous homeless camp called The Jungle.
“I think they came in too quick; they didn’t give us enough chance to get our stuff,” said McKnight.
Seattle Police kept the peace while Nickelsville volunteers removed property and began to remove several tiny houses, which will be used at the city’s newest sanctioned homeless camp in the Othello neighborhood.
But the disruption was too much for some who think the unauthorized camp is safer than The Jungle.
“How is this going to look to the city?” asked Carey. “That they’re prepared, they’re OK with sweeping a safe camp.”
There are also several other people living in tents underneath the freeway overpass at Dearborn. On Friday, city crews posted notices that anyone camping there could be evicted on Monday.