The tent city Nickelsville, named for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, is coming to Bryn Mawr for a three-month stay, starting Thursday.

Hosting the 100 or so homeless individuals in their pink tents is the Bryn Mawr United Methodist Church at 8016 S. 116th St. in the Skyway area.

Like other tent cities, Nickelsville has had a nomadic existence, pulling up its tent stakes every three months to move – hopefully – to a new location. It’s coming to Bryn Mawr from the University Congregational United Church of Christ in the University District in Seattle.

Controversy typically surrounds a tent city, including the one that has moved from location to location on the Eastside. Nearby residents and businesses often worry about their safety and the potential for an increase in crime.

Typically, those fears don’t pan out, in part because of the tight reins the camp organizers keep on those who live in the camps. Drugs, alcohol, weapons and abusive language aren’t tolerated. Those who violate the rules must leave immediately. There is a checkpoint at the entrance of the camp that is monitored by security officers.

The opportunity to move to Bryn Mawr played out relatively quickly. Nickelsville was running out of time to find a new location after March 4.

According to Harold Booker, chairman of the church’s Board of Trustees, the camp organizers came to the church on Feb. 13, after looking around the area. Booker was called in to meet with them.

“I listened to them, but I didn’t guarantee anything,” he said. He offered to bring the matter to the church’s attention on that Sunday.

He called for an emergency meeting of the trustees and church leaders after the Sunday service, but it turned out that wasn’t necessary.

He was told that there was so much support in the congregation for hosting the tent city, that they might as well vote right away on allowing the tent city to locate on their lawn. The vote was overwhelming in favor of Nickelsville, Booker said.

Still there were some opposition to allowing Nickelsville on the church grounds, he said, expressed at a community meeting at the church on Feb. 20. He figures the breakdown was about 50-50 in terms of support and opposition from the community.

“It was surprising that there was quite a bit of support from those who are close to our church grounds,” he said.

The church was required to obtain a permit from King County to host the tent city. It’s good for three months. The church will provide water to the camp. The organizers are required to put up a screening fence along 80th Avenue South.

The Renton School District also has worked with camp organizers and the church, as there are three Renton schools nearby, Lakeridge Elementary, Bryn Mawr Elementary and Dimmitt Middle School. Bryn Mawr is across the street from the church.

“We don’t have any concerns immediately,” said Randy Matheson, the Renton School District spokesman. Any problems, he said, can be dealt with quickly.

“Communication is the best route to make sure our kids stay safe,” he said.

Like Booker, Matheson said through his research that the camp members “police themselves really well.”

Before the camp moved to the University District, it stayed for several weeks at a parking lot last fall at Highland Park Drive and West Marginal Way in south Seattle. According to media reports, there were some peaceful arrests at the camp, which didn’t have the permits to locate at the site.

Nickels, the Seattle mayor, is not known for his support of transient homeless camps, but he favors a long-term solution to Seattle’s and the region’s homeless problem. The camp’s name is not intended as a fond remembrance of the mayor.

Critics and supporters alike say that tent cities are an imperfect solution to the problem of homelessness in King County, which has worsened with the deepening recession.

Booker said the church plans to do more than just provide water to Nickelsville when it moves to Bryn Mawr, perhaps including a dinner for the residents each month.

“Our church plans to do more than just provide them with the ground,” he said.

NICKELSVILLE CONCERNS

Any concerns with the camp can be brought to the attention of Harold Booker, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bryn Mawr United Methodist Church, at 206-772-0880 or at 206-772-7808, or to Scott Morrow, a Nickelsville organizer, at 206-450-9136. Issues related to the Renton School District students or property can be raised with district spokesman Randy Matheson at 425-204-2345. Go to Nickelsville for more information about the organization.