Only a week ago a KOMO-TV news crew at the 3rd and Union bus stop caught a Chicago tourist rolling his suitcase through drug deals and fencing operations saying, “We don’t see this at home!”  Within days the scene changed dramatically thanks to an intense public/private effort.

The media, commercial and residential neighbors and the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) deserve credit for keeping the spotlight on the scene of this dual crime and public health crisis. District 7 Council Member Andrew Lewis deserves credit for doggedly pursuing millions in funds, building coalitions and helping divert scarce social service resources to this hot spot. 

The boots on the ground team at the heart of the operation was coordinated by JustCARE and included the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ARCS), the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program and its counterpart, CoLEAD, REACH/Evergreen Treatment Services and the Wheeler Davis safety team. 

Almost every major City department aided in the recovery including the Human Services Department (HSD), Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), Seattle Dept. of Transportation (SDOT) and the Seattle Police Department (SPD) along with King County Metro which operates a major bus stop on the block.

But after millions of dollars and thousands of people hours spent on humanitarian outreach and restoring the community’s use of a downtown block, the question remains: how will we maintain it?

Without a plan on the horizon, people are looking to Compassion Seattle, a City Charter Amendment that mandates specific actions and policies related to encampments in public areas. While many see the amendment as the City’s only hope, others believe it will infringe on the rights of the homeless.  

If you’re still unsure, tune in next Thursday, June 24th, when Belltown United has Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat moderating a panel of experts with competing views on Compassion Seattle and how best to solve Seattle’s homeless problem. To sign up for this free online event, click here.