UPTATED OPINION: Council taking comments on controversial tent encampment ordinance

NOTICE!  Re: the Redmond Zoning Code Amendment: Temporary Use Regulations for Encampments

"The Council will be discussing the revised ordinance during the New Business section of the April 5 regular business meeting prior to taking any action at that meeting. We are accepting public input by phone, email or a face to face meeting, if that is preferred right up until that meeting, where we are anticipating a vote."

~ Kim Allen, Redmond City Councilmember, Ombudsperson for March

The proposed tent encampment ordinance is a controversial amendment that will affect our neighborhoods and downtown for years to come.  Under the ordinance, tent encampments will be allowed to be sited at St Jude's and Redmond Family Church for a six month duration,at a frequency of six months per year,on a five year permit costing $1000.  

Five years is a long time for the St. Jude encampment site -- smack in the middle of four LWSD schools in the Education Hill middle class neighborhood.  In Council's last Study Session I was relieved to learn they were interested in formulating rules and regulations for the two organizing groups, ShareWheel and Camp Unity. Councilman David Carson recommended rules so the homeless residents could have better access to human services and job resources.  ShareWheel has been uncooperative in this regard.  I assume these new rules and regulations will be part of the Revision but our city Ombudsman wouldn't share specifics.

I plan to speak at Items from the Audience at Council's 7:30pm, March 15 meeting.  I hope other neighbors will show up too -- pro and con.  Yesterday, I emailed mayorcouncil@redmond.gov recommending the following ordinance revision.

I  recommend Council approves a 6-year permit for host churches and keep the frequency of encampments to every 2 or 3 years....not every year. Keep the duration at six months.  Increasing duration AND frequency at the same time hasn't been done anywhere in King County.  We are sticking our neck out too far, too fast.  Increasing duration is far more valuable than frequency because it brings stability to ALL -- the homeless, the community, and more reliable human resource & police services.

Redmond already has a growing youth homeless problem in the Downtown. Increasing the frequency to every year,will draw in the adult homeless from outside communities, counties and states because they will learn our "schedule."  Yes,homelessness has become an area-wide problem and we "must do our fair share."  But, isn't increasing the duration to six months a wonderful start?  That alone puts Redmond as the encampment leader area-wide.

Overall, we are focusing too much attention and community resources on encampments and not enough on permanent adult shelters. Bellevue,  Kirkland and Woodinville have shorter duration and frequencies and two of these cities are working on permanent adult shelters. I watch the Council meetings almost every week. I can't recall them ever discussing plans for a permanent adult shelter in Redmond.  

Bob Yoder

CC:  Redmond Reporter
Mayor & City Council