LETTER: Don't allow homeless camping in Redmond's city parks

The city needs to build shelters now!  Info on how Vancouver, WA is handling the issue. Click Here. by

A recent article in the Redmond Reporter says that the City of Redmond is revising its rules for city parks. http://www.redmond-reporter.com/news/city-examines-changing-park-rules/

Among many other changes, the following was mentioned:

"Regulations surrounding camping in city parks could also be revised this summer that would direct police not to enforce a ban on sleeping or camping in parks if there are no beds available in local homeless shelters."

Electing to not enforce a law is to make something essentially legal. This would quickly turn our city parks into homeless tent cities without any of the oversight that tent cities have operated under in the past. Obviously, homelessness is a terrible problem, but turning our parks into unregulated campsites is NOT a good way to deal with it.

Tell the mayor and the city council that they must not allow homeless camping in our city's parks. 

For more details and to petition the mayor and council Click Here.

-- Ronen Barenboim