Faced with eviction, Nickelsville, the tent city for the homeless that spent three peaceful months in Skyway, moved Thursday night to a new location on West Marginal Way in south Seattle.
The tent city’s new location is about two miles from the four acres where the camp has spent the last several weeks on state-owned land on West Marginal Way at Second Avenue Southwest.
“This land rightfully belongs to the Duwamish (currently administered by the state and the Port Authority) and the Nickelodeons (as camp residents are known) will make sure they treat it and their Duwamish neighbors with proper respect,” according to a statement on the Nickelsville Web site. “Interestingly, a Hooverville (a Depression-era tent city) was erected in the 30s on that parcel.”
The land is owned by the Port of Seattle, a government agency.
“We would like to thank all our friends, allies and supporters for the considerable help they provided us with tonight,” the statement continued.
A federal judge Thursday denied a temporary restraining order sought by Nickelsville that would have prevented the camp’s eviction Thursday evening from property owned by the Washington state Department of Transportation.
“While the lawsuit will continue to wind its way through the courts, and Nickelsville should ultimately prevail, that’s cold comfort now,” according to a statement on the Nickelsville Web site.
Nickelsville organizers had asked that camp supporters come to the camp Thursday to lend their support and, if necessary, help move. Still, there was a sense of resolve to remain at the site. The residents have said they only want to move to another site where they could build permanent homes.
But the state Department of Transportation decided in the early evening to move ahead with plans to relocate the residents of Nickelsville – right away.
“We have been in communication with camp organizers and residents to plan an orderly process for them to leave the site,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary in a press release. “We expect people to begin moving today (Thursday) and we’ll be on site with the Washington State Patrol first thing in the morning to help relocate any remaining residents.”
Nickelsville spent three months on the lawn at the Bryn Mawr United Methodist Church in Skyway this spring.
The tent city, named after Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, moved on June 5 to Seattle. It was likely the move back to Seattle would create controversy, because the site doesn’t have the facilities to comply with Seattle health and safety codes.
Monday evening, officials the Washington state Department of Transportation and the Governor’s Office hand-delivered a notice to the camp, giving the camp residents 72 hours to move. That deadline was 7 p.m. Thursday.
Two hours earlier, the City of Seattle posted a notice at the camp, giving the state until 5 p.m. Tuesday to deal with the code violations.
Finding a permanent home for the homeless in King County has been a long-term goal of regional politicians and church leaders. The plight of the homeless has been kept in the public eye through such transient camps as Nickelsville and a camp that has moved from location to location on the Eastside for several years.
For the past six weeks, the state has worked closely with King County, the City of Seattle and both the Church Council of Greater Seattle and the Lutheran Public Policy office of Washington state to develop a long-term solution for the members of Nickelsville, according to the press release from the state transportation department.
Hammond had negotiated a two-week extension with the Church Council of Greater Seattle for the camp to leave the site by July 20.
“The state negotiated an ample timeframe for a more permanent solution for the residents of the encampment, and we even extended the deadline to give church council leaders more time,” Hammond said in the press release.
“While we are sensitive to the issues relative to homelessness in our state, WSDOT is not equipped to manage homeless encampments. We are governed by state law on the use of our property, as well as city zoning requirements,” Hammond said.
While an agreement on a more permanent encampment is being negotiated, a local church has offered its property as a temporary place to stay while a long-term solution is developed, according to the state press release. The church wasn’t identified.
During the last six weeks, staff at DSHS has coordinated outreach efforts and has visited the encampment on several occasions to assist food banks, and offer help with employment placement and health care, according to the press release.
Nickelsville arrived in Bryn Mawr on March 5 from the University Congregational United Church of Christ in the University District in Seattle. Earlier, there was the controversial stay on West Marginal Way in Seattle.
At its peak in Skyway, the vagabond tent city had about 75 tents.
