Category Archives: Squatters

Green Lake Treasure Hunt

Seattle’s Green Lake Park boasts everything the modern family could want in an urban recreational opportunity. Campsites galore… First aid stations throughout the park… Handy ID bracelets for visitors… And an online database to keep track of campers’ itineraries… A … Continue reading

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You can’t go home again

This was my first time in downtown in Seattle in over a year. Sadly, nothing has changed. The smell of urine and garbage is overwhelming. It’s a cesspool. Ghostly. That about sums it up. Got a shopping list? I’m sure … Continue reading

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You got any money for me?

August 17, 2021 This guy was in Seattle’s famous Pioneer Square downtown today, asking tourists for money. My friend Kimmie said his demeanor was threatening. “You got any money for me?” he shouted at a passing couple with a young … Continue reading

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Letter from the ‘hood: No more homeless camps here, please!

August 11, 2018 ~ Camp Second Chance is a sprawling cluster of tents and shacks located on Myers Way South, in the Highland Park neighborhood of southwest Seattle, just inside the Seattle city line. The camp popped up in the summer … Continue reading

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Taking Care of (Homeless) Business

Campaign finance laws and the Homeless Industrial Complex  January 12, 2017  Seattle perceives itself as a national leader in the effort to get money out of politics. Initiative 122, approved by voters in 2015, tried to attack the problem in … Continue reading

Posted in Corruption, General, Homelessness, Squatters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Activating a space to discourage camping

September 4, 2017 In a recent public meeting on a homeless encampment in the Ballard, Seattle’s Director of Homelessness George Scarola told neighbors of the camp that they could “activate” public spaces to keep homeless people from camping there. According … Continue reading

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Ghostwriter

June 5, 2017 What would you think if you discovered automobile executives had written a bill on auto safety and handed it to your senator to sponsor? And what if you learned those same executives had penned pro-industry letters to the … Continue reading

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Encampment Complaints: A suspicious pattern

March 23, 2017 The document in the link below was produced by Seattle’s Customer Service Bureau (CSB) in response to a public disclosure request from Safe Seattle. The document shows how many citizen complaints the City got in a six-week … Continue reading

Posted in Complaints, General, Homelessness, Nickelsville, Squatters, Tent City | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

ACLU vs. the People

*** TBQ Readers, your help is needed. Please read to the end to find out how you can help make us all safer. *** We were cautiously optimistic when we learned that the Mayor was moving ahead to clear dangerous … Continue reading

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Ballard Bridge Status: 1/10/2017

The Ballard Bridge spans Salmon Bay to connect Seattle’s historic Ballard neighborhood with points south. The bridge and surrounding environs have been a long-term site of homeless camps at both ends. These camps, particularly the one on the north end, … Continue reading

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The Hidden Persuaders

Dedicated to Larry Kaminsky December 27, 2016 Even as Seattle voters enact a flurry of laws designed to “get money out of politics,” the insinuation of paid political advocates into local government continues apace. This article looks at how that works … Continue reading

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If you see something, trash something.

October 10, 2016 IRONY ALERT! This ad on a Seattle bus tells people to call in if they see trash dumped on the street or sidewalk. I’ve called the number myself, many times; however, the trash I called in about wasn’t taken … Continue reading

Posted in Complaints, Crime, Homelessness, Photos (Stuff), Squatters, Tent City | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Risky Business: Is Seattle’s Encampment Bill un-Constitutional?

October 7, 2016 A hot mess gets hotter In each of the past several years, ever greater numbers of homeless people have been camping out on publicly owned land in Seattle. Conditions around the encampment areas have steadily deteriorated, and … Continue reading

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Ask the Experts

September 24, 2016 Seattle’s Task Force on Homeless Encampment Clean-up had one of its weekly meeings at City Hall Wednesday. I attended at the invitation of a friend who’s on the task force. It was not encouraging. But it was … Continue reading

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Tell the whole story please, Mr. B

September 5, 2016 On August 24, the Seattle Times ran a piece by columnist Daniel Beekman about the struggle between Mayor Murray and the city council over homeless folks collecting in hot spots around the city. In this post, I look at one … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Media, Photos (Stuff), Politics, Squatters, Tent City | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The End of Camp Dearborn

March 11, 2016 Today Seattle police moved to evict the small group of homeless campers who continued to occupy the Dearborn Street site formerly known as Nickelsville. This move was taken in response to a request from Chris Koh, who owned the … Continue reading

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RV Gypsies

A strange new thing is happening in Seattle. All over the city, in every kind of neighborhood, RVs are turning up on the streets – or just off them – and staying there. For months or years at a time. In … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Nickelsville, Politics, Squatters | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Homeless Are Taking Over (Literally)

A recent story from the Seattle Times illustrates the mess a city can get into when it tries to be nice and doesn’t ask too many questions. Take homelessness for example. In spite of all our self-guilting, Seattle has a braggable … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Media, Photos (People), Politics, Squatters | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments