How is the "safe parking" program (parking for homeless living in vehicles) working out? (Seattle: campers)

[Phrogg]

I currently live in a Southern California city that's contemplating beginning a "safe parking" program, where homeless people living in cars and RVs are given city-sanctioned places to park-- probably in church parking lots-- and access to "services" (not sure what that will mean precisely). They say that Seattle has a similar program.

My question for Seattle residents: how is this program going? Do you think it works (however you define that)? Or does it attract more homeless and create more problems? My instinct is that it would be the latter, though I'm certainly open to being proven wrong.

[Hemlock140]

Yes, you are right. The program here started in January, and was meant to keep them safer while getting the parked beater cars and old TVs off of the streets in residential areas. By the end of March it was clear that the program cost far more than expected and has caused more problems.


City had no idea 'safe lots' for homeless would be so costly - seattlepi.com

City of Seattle says current Ballard safe RV lot won't last past August

City of Seattle says current Ballard safe RV lot won't last past August

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Yes, you are right. The program here started in January, and was meant to keep them safer while getting the parked beater cars and old TVs off of the streets in residential areas. By the end of March it was clear that the program cost far more than expected and has caused more problems.

I wasn't aware that people were living in "old TVs"...

[mkarch]

A church near me (North Seattle) runs one of these parking programs. Heroin dealers showed up in the lot and after they left most of the campers cleared out.

Drugs are a huge problem in the camper population around here. Churches tolerate the drug use to a point, usually a point where the drug use starts attracting either community or law enforcement attention.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

I wasn't aware that people were living in "old TVs"...

Well, R is next to T, so I must have fat fingers! They do live in old cardboard boxes on Pine St., so a TV might be a step up.

[Phrogg]

Thanks to those who have replied so far! Well, that is indeed about what I thought, unfortunately, or maybe a little worse, as I hadn't really thought about the expense of running it.

As to the people in the old TVs... must be down-on-their-luck Lilliputians!