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.

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  1. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    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.

    • #1
  2. Captain French Moderator
    Captain French
    @AlFrench

    • #2
  3. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    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.

    • #3
  4. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    I wonder if the stairs are up to code.

    • #4
  5. E. Kent Golding Moderator
    E. Kent Golding
    @EKentGolding

    It is amazing that people vote for this.

    • #5
  6. Kevin Schulte Member
    Kevin Schulte
    @KevinSchulte

    This is how it is in third world countries. 

    Mission Complete Progs !

    • #6
  7. Kevin Schulte Member
    Kevin Schulte
    @KevinSchulte

    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. 

    • #7
  8. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    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.

    • #8
  9. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Future Seattle housing development:

    • #9
  10. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    “Shi++er’s full!”

    • #10
  11. Chris Oler Coolidge
    Chris Oler
    @ChrisO

    Captain French (View Comment):

    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?

    • #11
  12. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    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. 

    • #12
  13. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    When Seattle stops electing morons I’ll give a Rats behind.

    • #13
  14. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    Rodin (View Comment):

    Future Seattle housing development:

    Are you sure that’s not Portland? Looks familiar.

    • #14
  15. James Salerno Inactive
    James Salerno
    @JamesSalerno

    Captain French (View Comment):

    At least they’re probably eating healthy. No way that thing can clear fast food drive through.

    • #15
  16. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    How do you get the extra two days?

    • #16
  17. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    How do you get the extra two days?

    Maybe depends on whether a weekend is involved?

    • #17
  18. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    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 :) .

    • #18
  19. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    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.

    • #19
  20. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    You’re going to need to roll out somewhere to a dump station about that often.

    Remember to get a receipt when you do.

    • #20
  21. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Percival (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    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.

    • #21
  22. Fritz Coolidge
    Fritz
    @Fritz

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    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.

    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

    • #22
  23. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    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.

    The planet Bethselamin.

    For years, the fabulously beautiful planet of Bethselamin increased its booming tourist industry without any worries at all. Alas, as is often the case, this was an act of utter stupidity, as it led to a colossal cumulative erosion problem. Of course, what else could one expect with ten billion tourists per annum? Thus today the net balance between the amount you eat and the amount you excrete while on the planet is surgically removed from your body weight when you leave; so every time you go to the lavatory there, it is vitally important to get a receipt.

    — Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

    • #23
  24. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Percival (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    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.

    The planet Bethselamin.

    For years, the fabulously beautiful planet of Bethselamin increased its booming tourist industry without any worries at all. Alas, as is often the case, this was an act of utter stupidity, as it led to a colossal cumulative erosion problem. Of course, what else could one expect with ten billion tourists per annum? Thus today the net balance between the amount you eat and the amount you excrete while on the planet is surgically removed from your body weight when you leave; so every time you go to the lavatory there, it is vitally important to get a receipt.

    — Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

    Yes, but the video is even funnier.

    • #24
  25. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    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.

    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.

    The planet Bethselamin.

    For years, the fabulously beautiful planet of Bethselamin increased its booming tourist industry without any worries at all. Alas, as is often the case, this was an act of utter stupidity, as it led to a colossal cumulative erosion problem. Of course, what else could one expect with ten billion tourists per annum? Thus today the net balance between the amount you eat and the amount you excrete while on the planet is surgically removed from your body weight when you leave; so every time you go to the lavatory there, it is vitally important to get a receipt.

    — Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

    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.

    • #25
  26. David Coolidge
    David
    @dwlewis

    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…

    • #26
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