Mayor Bruce Harrell's efforts to clear encampments and RVs took the next step in West Seattle on Monday when, as promised, they delivered 72 parking notices to RV's parking on Andover Street SW in West Seattle. The location has been the scene of a recent shooting and other crimes reported to Seattle Police. The Mayor's Office Jamie Housen, Director of Communications shared this update with WestsideSeattle on Wednesday evening:

"On June 13, parking enforcement officers visited SW Andover St between 26th Ave SW and 28th Ave SW to provide 72-hour notification to RV and vehicle occupants of the exact area that needed to be free of vehicles so SPU crews could perform an RV Remediation to thoroughly clean the area and dispose of trash and debris on June 16.  At the time of the notification, there were 15 RVs, 11 vehicles and one utility trailer.  

Additionally, to address a nearby sidewalk obstruction due to an encampment, the City posted a notice on June 14 that all personal items must be removed from the encampment by June 16.

For almost a month, the HOPE Team, within the Human Services Department that coordinates homelessness outreach and referrals to shelter, in coordination with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) and outreach providers, including REACH, LEAD, Urban League, Catholic Community Services’ SCOPE Team, St. Vincent de Paul’s RV Project, and the Scofflaw Mitigation Team, have been intensifying outreach to this area to connect those residing onsite in vehicles and in the encampment with vehicle maintenance support and offers of shelter and services.  

As of June 15, these outreach efforts have resulted in at least nine referrals to 24/7 enhanced shelter spaces or tiny houses. For additional details on these coordinated outreach efforts, please reach out to KCRHA, who also recently awarded a contract to the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) to develop a safe lot program.  

With a focus on addressing public health and safety, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) performs multiple RV remediations monthly in different areas of the City. Staff do site assessments where there are five or more RVs in one location. The assessments help the City determine which areas should be prioritized for cleanup.  

At least three days prior to the remediation, temporary “no parking” signs are placed at the location, letting the public know about parking restrictions for a particular time period. SDOT staff follow up with direct outreach to RV occupants starting 72 hours prior to a remediation. 

If a car is towed from a public street, instructions to locate the vehicle and documents required to release the vehicle are available online. The first step to find and reclaim a vehicle is to call Lincoln Towing at 206-364-2000 or search for the vehicle on Lincoln Towing’s www.SeattleImpound.com website. More information on 72-hour parking enforcement can be found here:  City of Seattle 72-Hour On-Street Parking Ordinance - Transportation | seattle.gov. 

Any personal items remaining on June 16, will be stored per City policy. People can retrieve their items by calling 206-459-9949, and we will work with individuals to make arrangements for delivery. "