TUKWILA, Wash. — Camping will not be allowed on city property in Tukwila after the City Council narrowly authorised a brand new ordinance this week in a 4-3 vote. The ban takes impact July 28.
Though the ordinance contains some exceptions, individuals who violate it might face a superb of as much as $1,000, as much as 90 days in jail, or each.
The measure follows a request from Tukwila Police Chief Eric Lund, who requested the City Council to undertake the ordinance as a device to handle encampments which have grown within the city’s inexperienced areas.
Lund stated the ordinance has been within the works for 3 years, with city leaders shifting ahead after a 2024 Supreme Court decision permitting municipalities to implement cheap camping rules.
RELATED | Grant Pass, heart of Supreme Court homelessness ruling, bans camping except in some areas
Crews with We Heart Seattle have performed common cleanups of encampments throughout the area, together with in Tukwila, hauling away giant quantities of trash and particles.
“We see waterways clogged with tires, propane tanks, gas tanks, needles,” stated Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle. “Plastics filled with human waste, uncapped needles, plastic of all kinds, rotting food, furniture, fuel, flammables, dead animals.”
Under the ordinance, police can cite or arrest individuals discovered camping on city property who refuse to depart.
Lund stated the ordinance is meant to be a final resort, not an answer to the broader situation of homelessness.
“This isn’t a solution to homelessness; it was never proposed to be a solution to homelessness,” Lund stated. “We are still going to be offering services as much as we can. We’re committed to offering referrals to services.”
“This is, again, a last resort,” he added. “We’ve asked you to leave, we’ve offered services, you’ve refused. Now you have a choice: You can accept services, leave, or face arrest or jail.”
RELATED | Tukwila City Council considers camping ban on public property
Not everybody on the council supported the ban. Councilmember Verna Seal was amongst those that voted in opposition to the ordinance.
“People who are living in our city, who happen to be sleeping in a park, are residents of this city, and we have a duty to protect them as well,” Seal stated. “Is criminal prosecution actually necessary to solve the problem? I’m not convinced that’s the case.”
Opponents of the ordinance say felony penalties might create further boundaries for individuals experiencing poverty or homelessness. Supporters, nonetheless, say the ordinance provides officers a wanted device to handle individuals who refuse all different choices.
“Nobody’s criminalizing homelessness,” Suarez stated. “We’re just restoring equitable access to our parks. There are rules and ordinances for a reason, so we have a society that we can all enjoy, not just a few people who trump the civil liberties of everyone else.”
