Community Advisory Council Invitation
All Updates: Camp Second Chance Category
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3/15/2017
From: Polly Trout
Hello Community Members,
As mentioned in George Scarola's recent letter (see Update Part 3) Camp Second Chance is in the process of expanding infrastructure and setting up additional services, and will be ready to receive referrals from the City's Navigation Team this week.
Patacara Community Services and Seattle Department of Neighborhoods are in the process of establishing a Community Advisory Committee to provide input on the operations of the Camp Second Chance. This committee will be made up of residents, businesses owners, and other community stakeholders. Meetings will be public, and meeting notes will be posted on the following web page: http://www.seattle.gov/homelessness
The focus of this committee is specific to the operations of Camp Second Chance.
The first public meeting of the committee will be held at the following time and location:
Community Advisory Council Invitation
Saturday April 1st, 2017 at 10:00am
Arrowhead Gardens Welcome Center
9200 2nd Ave SW Seattle, WA 98106
See Contact page for directions
If you are interested in serving on this committee, an application is attached with submission instructions (see Update Part 3). Looking forwards, the committee will meet monthly on the first Saturday of each month at this time and location.
Please see Mr. Scarola's letter for updates (see Update Part 3) on some of the other concerns that were raised at the City's public meeting on Feb 1, as well as information about an additional meeting to be planned in the coming weeks to continue those discussions.
We look forward to building relationships with our neighbors and community members.
If you have any questions or concerns about the camp, but are unable to attend the monthly meeting, please feel free to call or email me at any time.
Polly Trout
Patacara Community Services
Encampment Operator
(206) 465-6342
Police-Fire-Medical Emergency: 9-1-1
Police Non-emergency: (206) 625-5011
Seattle Public Utilities 24-hour line to report trash,
illegal dumping or needles: (206) 684-7587
Polly Trout, Ph.D.
Founder, Patacara Community Services
206-465-6342; [email protected]
5623 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118
Patacara Community Services is a grassroots nonprofit inspired by the teachings and ethics of Buddhism. We offer nonsectarian opportunities for people from different contemplative traditions to work together in compassionate action. Currently, our main work is providing supportive services to our unhoused neighbors in King County, WA. For more information visit http://patacara.org/.
Camp Second Chance in the news
Subject: Myers Way Encampment
From: Scarola, George <[email protected]>
Dear Community Members:
First, I would like to apologize and acknowledge that some of you may not have received our most recent email, so I’m sending it again. The original email, which included the notes from the February 1 meeting, was sent from [email protected], which many of you may not have recognized. Going forward; all community updates and correspondences will come from the [email protected] email address.
A lot has happened since then, and I want to provide a status report on the opening of Camp Second Chance and general issues related to the City’s response to homelessness.
Importantly, I want you to know that Camp Second Chance will be ready to accept campers as soon as next Thursday, March 16. The site will ultimately host up to 70 adults. Patacara Community Services will operate the encampment.
Residents moving to Camp Second Chance are referred there by the City’s Navigation Team, comprised of outreach workers and specially-trained police officers, conducting outreach. This site will have ongoing trash-recycling-compost service, drinkable water, portable toilets, security, and pest control. As the camp comes online, Patacara Community Services will also provide case management to the campers to help them access services and housing.
Here is an update on the commitments we made in response to concerns raised at the February 1 meeting. As always, this is an ongoing conversation:
• Seattle City Light will install street lighting on the east side of Myers Way from Olson Place to the King County border starting Monday, March 13.
• The City engaged an environmental firm to do surface soil testing, and the results show safe levels of contaminants in surface soil.
• The City installed a perimeter fence to delineate the site and protect the wetlands.
• Seattle Police Department (SPD) has cited and towed several RVs parked along Myers Way.
I will be organizing a third community meeting in the coming weeks and invite King County officials, the King County Sheriff’s office, dispatch officers from 9-1-1, WSDOT officials and SPD officers to discuss better coordination, on-going issues with dispatch calls, and improved response to reports of criminal behavior. For those interested, I have also enclosed the transcript of the February 1 meeting.
Lastly, Patacara Community Services, with Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, will establish a Community Advisory Committee to provide input on the operations of the Camp Second Chance. This committee will be made up of residents, businesses owners, and other community stakeholders. Meetings will be public, and meeting notes will be posted online. If you would like to serve on this committee, an application is attached. The first meeting will be held in early April. More information to come.
Below are phone numbers that may be helpful for you:
• Police-Fire-Medical Emergency: 9-1-1
• Police Non-emergency: (206) 625-5011
• Patacara Community Services - Encampment operator: Polly Trout at (206) 465-6342
• Seattle Public Utilities 24-hour line to report trash, illegal dumping or needles: (206) 684-7587
If you have questions, please feel free to contact me or Patacara.
George Scarola
Director of Homelessness
City of Seattle | Office of the Mayor
O: 206.727.8514 | [email protected]
Attachments available at: Update Part 3