By reporter Steven Smalley
A Magnolia Voice news-tipper says there are RV’s and other vehicles parked in Magnolia with people living in them. Police issue tickets, but the vehicles return. Play the video story here.
by Sara
Neighbors report people living in RV?s on Magnolia streets
30 Comments
Welcome to hard times. Like all neighborhoods in the city we now have people living in their cars, in RVs and many more in Discovery Park. Few people would do this by choice they have no options and this is how they are getting by. It’s more common in Ballard but desperate times call for tough choices such as these. I don’t begrudge those who are homeless living in my neighborhood…
People make me SICK
They’re not homeless, Priscilla. They have homes which, it would seem, they are parking illegally. This should be treated just like any other vehicular violation. First tickets, then upon repeat infraction, boots, towing and impounding.
They are indeed homeless, Jeffery.? Try having a little empathy.? What you and the ‘Voice’ are most worried about, though, is that some of these folks may be BLACK!? Who may be selling magazines door-to-door to try and make ends meet.
Oh, the humanity in White Magnolia Amerika!? Defend the 1-percenters’ right to discriminate!
Walmart parking lot (may I call you Walmart for short?) My parents, who live happily in an RV park in New Mexico would bristle at the notion that they are homeless. By your reasoning, the moment?an RV hits the road and starts parking in Magnolia it crosses some invisible line into homelessness? Absurd and insulting.
They’re either breaking the law or they’re not. If it’s not illegal, let them park there. Otherwise, they need to move on.Or maybe I should just plan on not getting a ticket next time I’m illegally parked in Seattle.
What is this crap about racism?? I’m asian, I have one asian nieghbor and two black neighbors on my block here in Magnolia….what is this stereotype that all of Magnolia is white?? I’m pretty certain “Walmart Parking Lot” is white, trying to press their “white guilt” on the rest of us…please get over it.
Yeah, get over the racial crap for sure.? If any one of you lost your business or job or savings because someone or corporation?misinvested it or your health or…or…think about it.? Life is the kindnesses you do for others when they are in need.? No one is immune from life.? People who are trying to manage deserve help.? People who are criminals don’t.? Its doesn’t take a big brain to tell the difference.? Prejudice is thinking nothing bad could ever happen to you so you might as well keep everyone out of your little world.? Prejudice is thinking criminals or people in genuine need are only of one?color or kind.? Every one of us is one event away from losing everything.? Find a way to have a happy life here in Magnolia without shutting out real life.
This story seems to suggest that these campers dont have a right to park in Magnolia.? Why not?? There in lies the conundrum of homelessness.? If you have no where to live then where do you have a right to be?? Other than parking overnight and putting lawn chairs on the grass (oh my gosh) I didnt hear of any negative impact.? Welcome to tough times.? Some people dont have matching 401Ks and waxing appointments to go to.
I think one of the churches in Ballard offers their parking lot to RV or car dwellers overnight. Would be awesome if a Magnolia church with ample parking followed their lead.?
http://sustainableballard.org/wiki/index.php?title=Ballard_Home-For-All_Coalition?
My husband and I are always nauseated at how big church parking lots are, never mind the churches.? So far from what Christians and Catholics (I’m told they are different)?were supposed to practice/evidence.? Why not show some Christian behavior and let people down on their luck use the church lots in Magnolia?
?I would be amazed to see it, though.
My husband and I are always nauseated at how big church parking lots are, never mind the churches.? So far from what Christians and Catholics (I’m told they are different)?were supposed to practice/evidence.? Why not show some Christian behavior and let people down on their luck use the church lots in Magnolia?
?I would be amazed to see it, though.
Christ lady, bit judgmental are we?
Judgmental is from the same root as judgement and judge.? You do it every day when you decide what is good and what is Whack.? That is why you don’t burn your hand on the stove burner…you learned it was “no good” as a baby.?? People who kid themselves in thinking being non-judgement is good should be ok with child incest and genocide.? If you are not, you are judgemental.? I am judgemental about the hypocrisy of Christianity.
I’ve seen the RV’s (I even lent a pair of jumper cables to one owner a few months ago) and I really don’t think there is a problem. There didn’t appear to be litter or excess noise. Why begrudge these people a place park and sleep? They obviously need somewhere to go, and last time I check, we’re not a gated community.?
I’d love to hear if there are actual issues associated with this, other than having to see a few ugly RVs parked along a public road…
I’ve seen the RV’s (I even lent a pair of jumper cables to one owner a few months ago) and I really don’t think there is a problem. There didn’t appear to be litter or excess noise. Why begrudge these people a place park and sleep? They obviously need somewhere to go, and last time I check, we’re not a gated community.?
I’d love to hear if there are actual issues associated with this, other than having to see a few ugly RVs parked along a public road…
A society has rules, some codified and others tacit,?that we all have to live by.? “Each to his own” has some limits, especially in a crowded city, and?encouraging the homeless to camp on our streets is how a shanty town begins.??This is a symptom of a problem, an indictment of US social safety nets, but that doesn’t mean we should welcome it in our own neighborhood.? If you tolerate then you encourage: Seattle is already a destination for the homeless from other parts of the country, and that’s not a good thing for our city.
There is a lot of (upper) middle class guilt in Seattle, which seems to express itself as an insulting pity for the poor living on the edge of society.? Those of us that are comfortable try to soothe our consciences by shouting about how they should be free?to do whatever they want.? If?you really care about helping the underclass, don’t encourage them to live in city parks – vote for higher taxes to fund welfare.? Until that happens they need to get off my street and go where the work is, whether that is sitting in a call center or picking fruit in eastern Washington.
Bravo for your guts.? Its so out of vogue to say we should pay more for the welfare of the disadvantaged.? I disagree though about the logical leap that they should move elsewhere…they may be working here, have kids in school here…but not have a way to manage an apartment because they were laid off from a better paying job than the one they were able to find now.? No one is rushing to put in low cost housing (remember all the scare tactics used against?that plat of low cost housing the city approved up near the water tower?)?? I really think the church parking lots are an excellent idea (see below) for individuals who are trying to stay afloat.
And where should the church-goers then park? ?What is the difference between a safeway parking lot and a church parking lot? ? Or are you assuming that that people of faith should have no property rights? By the way, telling other people to pay higher taxes is not a gutsy move. ?Earning more and giving your own money away is.?
High five!
Most of the church lots are empty during the week.? Doing charity is what churches claim they do.? Christian’s shouldn’t be more concerned with property rights than in following their leader who extolled poverty and giving.? You benefit from taxes as do we all.? Pave your own streets.? Give back your social security.? Depending on stingy people to give back is like reading your email.
Churches are there because of tax-deductible contributions.? Yes, they do have property rights on property they don’t pay taxes on like you or I. If they don’t do social good why are those contributions made?? What is the worth of the churches if they are just social clubs?? We non-church go-ers find the whole Christian thing pretty hypocritcal and stupid.
This has been a huge problem for years…they park throughout Magnolia,?but are most often found in the?north and south parking lots of Discovery Park, and along Government?and Commodore Way.? They are mostly on the other side of the ship canal in Ballard, but will congregate in Magnolia when police and neighborhood pressure moves them out.
More on the story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2017363502_danny29.html
People who have not seen the problem first hand, do not understand the trash they leave behind, the oily mess their?decrepit vehicles leak?on the street, nor the criminal records many of them have (confirmed by SPD).
?These reactions, and the statements by the woman who would not show her face, would seem to give the rest of the city good reason to simply cut off Magnolia from us. This all suggests that Magnolia is some sort of gated community, and, you must grant, these RVs are in some of the scruffier areas of your suburb. I do agree with the suggestion that the unused church parking lots could be put to some charitable use during to week.
I know one of these “homeless”.? I work by Fisherman’s Terminal and have an apartment by the Locks.? He would always park at a vacant lot?next to our company.? He’s a very nice guy, always personable, would say hello to everyone – didn’t bother anyone.? Through conversations with me and other company employees we came to find out he is a veteran of Vietnam, was in the service for a number of years after that and is just getting by on his?retirement from the service.? These are expensive times, it costs a lot to just live.? Leave them alone, they really aren’t hurting anything or anybody.? They are just regular people trying to make it or retired people scrapping by.? Where?most of them?park on Commodore way it is industrial and no one needs the side street parking anyway.? If it offends you just turn your head when you drive by on your way home to your comfortable life and get over yourselves.?
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Do you really think they are going to do anything criminal and have the police come down on them??
I’ve seen a lot of these vehicles throw their garbage out into the street/bushes. This varies from general waste (food, cans, bottles) to buckets containing urine & feces.
If you go west into magnolia on dravus and turn left onto thorndyke, I was walking along there and saw several piles of trash behind the RV’s as well as some really smelly spots where they were clearly dumping their waste across several different RV’s and the bus.
http://seattle-p1csrprodcwi.motorolasolutions.com/ServiceRequest.mvc/SRIntake?is where to report them, you do not need to give your name, the addrss of the am/pm? minimart is ?3201 20 w, if the vehicle is on the east side of 20 w report that in remarks? I take photos of these vehicles w my cell phone and report them if parked over 3 days, they then move, we need to be as perseverent as are they
two of my neighbors are senior citizens trying to sell their homes, these campers turn off prospective buyers, compassion cuts both ways
For those that support RV parking, please by all means have them park in front of your house and clean up after them, throw them a extension cord while your at it.? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
They do park in front of my house. I haven’t seen litter or had any issues with any of the RVs or buses or the people who live there. As long as they’re respectful neighbors to me, I don’t mind being a respectful neighbor to them.
Just following up, since some comments indicate interest in parking in lots.?
If any local church members are interested in congregation-hosted safe parking, I urge you to check out the link below. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel–many of the issues have been thought through and there are lots (no pun intended) of ways to make it work. Or contact folks at Our Redeemers in Ballard, who have great experience with this and other partnerships.
http://sustainableballard.org/wiki/index.php?title=Ballard_Home-For-All_Coalition?