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Seattle Homeless Story Too Good to Pass Up
In Seattle, there are a number of “homeless”, or, as the new phrase says “unhoused” people who have found the funds to acquire an old RV. These “vehicles” are parked everywhere around the area, and have basically taken over parks all over Seattle and environs. The south end of Green Lake Park is saturated with the broken-down vehicles, and they are eyesores.
In Ballard, on the Northwest side of the city (where I lived for 17 years in a previous life), one RV-dweller has come up with a new wrinkle on the concept. The “homeowner” has added a second story to his vehicle. Sorry I couldn’t provide a picture, but here’s a quote from the article at KOMO:
…a parked RV in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood that has added a makeshift second story has shocked people like Alex Hardy who live or work in the area.
“Over the weekend they put up walls,” said Hardy, referencing the vehicle on 8th Avenue NW that has . “It’s insane.”
…We’re worried that maybe it’s going to fall down,” Imbler-Bremner said, adding that he and other residents are primarily worried about the makeshift wooden structure toppling over onto passing vehicles or a pedestrian. Residents feel like the city is not doing enough to address their concerns. “We feel like they have more rights than us. I mean to go up on our house (to add a story) we would have to have several permits.”
Welcome to the hellhole that is now Seattle, where the taxpayers are less important to the city government than the hordes of street people who live essentially for free, just about anywhere they decide to put up a tent or park their broken-down, filthy RV.
Published in Culture
As far as I know, any kind of “motor vehicle” requires valid registration and insurance. If not, they can be cited and/or towed. Not that Seattle would have the gumption to do any of that.
If you can’t move it, it’s not a vehicle.
If it is not a vehicle, it is trash.
Haul it to the dump.
I wonder if the stairs are up to code.
It is amazing that people vote for this.
This is how it is in third world countries.
Mission Complete Progs !
Novel idea.
Set up an RV park. Then tow them all there.
It could be called Palestine. They could set up their own Gov and police it.
Where we live, vehicles are not allowed to be parked on the street for more than three days in a row (I think, it could be fewer), or they are towed by the city. Is there an ordinance like that in Seattle? Some suburbs will not let you park overnight on any street, period.
Future Seattle housing development:
“Shi++er’s full!”
The initiative to do this, but they can’t work. Right.
After more closely examining the photo, it appears there are two pontoons (?) stored at the fore of the RV. So…I’m thinking “amphibious siege tower” was what they were going for?
In Silicon Valley (California) engineers and other employed people live in RVs parked on the street because even employed people making what would be a comfortable salary for most places can’t afford housing in SiliconValley. There are some impressive rows of them lined up on certain streets. But the RV has to be licensed and insured, and must be moved every 5 – 7 days.
When Seattle stops electing morons I’ll give a Rats behind.
Are you sure that’s not Portland? Looks familiar.
At least they’re probably eating healthy. No way that thing can clear fast food drive through.
How do you get the extra two days?
Maybe depends on whether a weekend is involved?
Also local ordinances, which vary between towns, and the area has several towns that abut one another. Plus since I’m not the one with the RV that might get a ticket, I don’t remember that level of detail :) .
What gets me is I know people who live in little towns around San Francisco, and while they have parking garages for their apartments and they get parking permits etc, they are STILL required to move their car every 3-5 days.
You’re going to need to roll out somewhere to a dump station about that often.
Remember to get a receipt when you do.
Too bad youtube makes it impossible to keep and find good HHGTTG clips.
Seattle does have a long-standing ordinance limiting on-street parking to 72 hours. But a guy living in one of these wrecks fought (with free legal help) all the way to the state Supreme Court, which unanimously ruled (I KID YOU NOT) that his RV was his residence under the “homestead” law, which thus is protected up to a certain amount of equity, from collection or judgments, so that meant Seattle could not (a) assess any fines (b) tow the RV or (c) collect any impound fees. Here’s a link to the opinion:
https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/988242.pdf
The planet Bethselamin.
Yes, but the video is even funnier.
For the RV, you need the receipt to beat out a parking ticket, as it proves the RV was Somewhere Else.
My father, RocketSurgeon, passed away 12/11/19, just before his 90th birthday. His house in Skyway, just uphill from Renton, has been constantly burglarized. Local law enforcement can hardly be bothered. Broken windows, doors torn off. My brother tried to board it up, but they just keep coming. Every time I try to plan a trip, there is another covid crisis. I should have inherited his toolbox., but that’s long gone. Wanted to ship a few things, but who knows what may be left or what may be found once I get there, like a junkie corpse. My sister suggested we give the dining room set to a shelter for the refugees. I mentioned that they may already be dining at the table. This is not the same Seattle I spent most of my younger life in, breaks my heart to think of how I once loved it there, yet now feel so lucky to be somewhere else…