Free Bumlard!

" Washington State Patrol criminal background check"

Does that cover crimes, including violent and sex crimes, outside Washington State?

They are doing at at several churches in Ballard. The idea is overwhelmingly supported by the people of Ballard as well as komo TV. Here is the video

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_02200...

"The idea is overwhelmingly supported by the people of Ballard as well as komo TV"

Your proof? That the TV news man said it?

Duh!

You sound like a conspiracy theory person. Yes, KOMO did a poll, the people have spoken, so let's drop it and move on. Good news for the people of Ballard to feel proud of. Let's not ruin it with any more negitive posts. The man in the video even called the idea awesome and was talking about cleaning up the parking lot as well. It's a good thing folks. 4 more are about to be announced right near downtown Ballard. Brings business to market street which we all need right now.

This might be a dumb question, but WHERE exactly are these folks going to be parking? Is there an actual parking lot, or will the campers be competing with residents (or shoppers, or movie-goers) for street parking on 58th?

...and I said 58th, because that's where there are more than a few ratty station wagons that park there, so I'm assuming they'll be doing the same.

100 posts? Come on BallardBLog, lets do eeeet!

Bring business to Ballard? Susan I think you are insane, I mean that in a nice way of course but you can keep the homeless business I prefer people who have money.

Thanks though.

No it's onr block off market street across from Bartells next to the new library. close enough for a quick walk for the campers who may need suppilies, some lunch at a resturant or take in a movie. The the three other churches close by will be unvailed for summer.

Well, its an interesing idea, but the idea that homeless might take in a move makes me laugh out loud.

Susan,

Clearly you don't have homeless men pissing in your driveway and tossing empty beer cans in your yard.

Can you please explain to me how passing out in Bergen Place Park will "bring business to Market Street"?

I'm also curious about the poll. Who did it and how many respondents were there? I live very near this church and nobody bothered to ask me if I was down…

Link to the poll please, if you can.

Regards,
Your Neighbor

Alright Geeky Swedes, you're just egging us on now, right?

How many more posts 'till someone uses the 'ol pigeon poop reference...?

Susan has to be a troll. No one is this stupid.

On second thoughts. .....

On second thoughts Susan maybe right! I can see all the homeless down at Blackbird now, trying to squeeze into pants sized for 12 yr old boys, rubbing elbows with yuppies at Matador, $4 coffees at Verite and then shelling out for a film and popcorn. Maybe this is a brilliant plan to save the local economy?!

Balderdash!

Bucks for Business on Market Street?

Parking for Wagons, Begats Bust for Ballard Homeless Boosters.

Winds of change bring windfall for some at57th and 22nd, Real Change now available on all 4 corners!

Good news for the real lazy bums .

Ballard Guy-
I laughed, way to hard for at work.

Thanks

Oh ya-
Pigeon poop.

Goodbye Bergen Place ... hello Ballard Commons.

Homeless people need work/jobs, not free parking.

Ballard’s Pacific Northwest Peace, Justice, Freedom, Solidarity and Happiness Alliance for Social Justice (BPNWJFSHAFSJ ) believes that the concept of private property was created to lower the self esteem of the differently-housed. Claims that the differently-housed lower home values by urinating on them are simply false and reflect the anti-free pooping attitudes of the land owning class.
BPNWJFSHAFSJ believes that the best way to attract attention to the differently-housed is to use the ‘pigeon theory’ of social justice. When you don’t have enough homeless to make a political point, throw out some seed everyday, and pretty soon you’ll have enough flapping around that you can then cart around town in fun colored tents, port-a-potties and other apparatus of social justice. Think of it as a circus of the politically oppressed that leaves droppings (or political statements) on your home and car.
Ballard’s Pacific Northwest Peace, Justice, Freedom, Solidarity and Happiness Alliance for Social Justice - BPNWJFSHAFSJ - and its various sub committees, coalitions, associations etc. etc. rejects attempts by corporate America to to privatize the homeless. The homeless must remain public property otherwise they will never learn to abuse the private property Mayor Nickels and his corporate masters hold so dear.

BPNWJFSHAFSJ = WTF

Chill out.

Honestly, I think it might make more sense to let the homless park on all the unused tennis courts, given that they are not generally in use this season. Better yet, we could convert the top of the library into a tent city!

Why not just rent a barge and put them all out there, bring them food etc. I'll throw in some money. Oh, that was not very P.C. was it? The ones that really want to be part of society and can swim back, find them work, housing, education the works.

Just a reminder to please keep the discussion on point and constructive. Thank you.

So much for enjoying the fountains and park next to the library this summer. Or even sitting in the chairs outside of the library!

While I do agree with helping the homeless, I don't believe in doing it in a way that will have a ultimately negative effect on the neighborhood.

The homeless will need to exist somewhere unless a larger scale solution is unveiled. The homeless aren't a homogenous group except for their destitution, and even that's a variable. Let's look at a few of them...

1. The Crazies. Ronnie Reagan's legacy of shutting down the mental hospitals and kicking them out on the street. These people are a more noticeable problem because they're usually off their meds and onto the street meds that can cause them to act out violently or at least make most of us uncomfortable.

2, The Drunks. When you've chosen your addiction over career, family, friends, and everything else. Not pretty to look at and when harassed by the cops or citizens they tend to lay low. Leave them alone and they'll multiply and take over any park.

3. The eccentrics. The hippies, wannabes, and the low ambition set who have enough together to get a vehicle to live in. Occasional drug and alcohol use, but not so bad that they sell their wheels to pay for it.

4. The Situationally Homeless. The lack of a personal safety net and a string of bad luck. There's a lot more of them out there than you think because they're also the people that you don't generally notice. Some of them will fall further down just from living on the street and join the ranks of the drunks while most of them will claw their way out and join the coveted ranks of the working poor.

It sounds like the car camp is trying to weed out the drunks and crazies and cater to the eccentrics and situationally homeless as they should.
The second part of the problem is what to do with the drunks and crazies? Harassing them for being drunk or crazy doesn't do much except keep a small percentage briefly behind bars and keeps the rest drinking in the shadows.
If we could treat that end of the homeless spectrum as a health problem and get the crazies into psychiatric treatment and the drunks to dry out it would be a start. Instead we have an udermanned SPD that can't do anything, a government stripped of the money to do anything, and justifiably scared NIMBY's unwilling to allow many other solutions.
So where does this leave us? Exactly where we are today. Drunks taking over the park and harassing the citizens while the situationally homeless are having an even harder time just getting by.

SPG-
That was well thought out and quite on point I think. One of the few times where someone seems to see both sides of the issue, myself included.

I think the people who have a problem with these type of things is their input because it disagrees with others are labeled as uncaring when that is not the truth, they just want to protect their families and neighborhoods. I am sure there are a lot of people willing to help is the solutions were more in the middle of the road.

You need to get the crazies and drunks off the streets. I think that would help the homeless which are truly down on their luck. You need to educate and house the ones which are trying, even for 30 days until they can get up and going. I would say 10% of the homeless do 90% of the crime and harassing. It seems most are just trying to get by. Does not mean the rest of us working 40,50,70 hours a week should have to step in that 10%'s crap on our front lawns though.

Now selling at Archies:

"Free Bumllard!"

The new bumpersticker for your socially conscientious Subaru driver.

I for one am furious...a car is not a safe place for anyone to live, and it does not lend itself to comfort or security. It is not a solution. There is no doubt in this economy that many of us coudl lose it all and be homeless in a short time. The concern I have is the drug and alcohol abuse that is rampant with a great deal of these folks (not all) and I am adamantly against this a a solution!!! Ballard is a small community, and already crowded...not a good chopice to hosue the many homeless it already does, with cars lined up on the way to Fred Meyer. I have said it before and I will say it again....let this people who want to help the homelss, clear out their garage and create a living space, give them a spare room in your home, and a roof over their head. Is there a sense of fear if you allow them in your home withr your spouse and perhaps children??? THen that is what is spilling out onto our street...potential folks who are sex offender, drunks and drug addicts who just happen to be homeless. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get them counseling, and put them under your own roof!!!!!!!!!! This homeless car camp is a poor idea if you think it is helpful

Who did the poll? Who got the vote on this insane idea?..and Susan...open your door wide, and invite them all to live with you. This is crazy! I agree with "Your Neighbor" you obviously have not witnessed the homeless guy urinating on the wall of kitchen and Things at 8:45am on a workday morning, or had to endure watching them grunt and get all paranoiud while digging throu the trash on Market street, or seen the human waste left in doorways. Believe it or not..not all homeless people are just folks down on their luck, they are also mentally ill individuals,and drug abusers, sex offenders. Why, as a community do we have to endure this insane decision?

e/c Stay calm!

The folks at St Lukes are doing exactly what you suggest, opening up their property to help a homeless dude, how is this going to affect you?

Check out the picture, he's got a camp trailer which is not an uncomfortable or unsafe place to sleep, and I assume that they are allowing him access to the bathroom which should alleviate the often referenced "poop in my yard" scenario.

I wonder why this is even news.

Not to mention that many of these folks have rich and interesting stories to tell. Yes, I do stop with my kids and chat with some from time to time. Not only is it good for my kids to be grateful for what they have, many of these gentlemen have quite enchanting stories indeed! They add to fabric of the neighborhood and some are clever and funnier than you might imagine. Don't judge, but stop and chat with them instead. You might just be surprised and your kids will probably thank you for it. Sure some have problems with drugs like Meth. But, the majority dont and are probably more interesting than half the folks posting on this blog. Try it yourself, you will see.

im just glad that dude in the trailer is not parking outside my house anymore. Its bad enough i see him everyday in front of bartells.

susan-

you need to brush up on your economics and the amount of money the homeless have on their person. they (the homeless) are clearly not going to bring business to ballard. hello......planet earth to susan......???

Many recieve social security of 1500 pr month, have no rent, full food stamps, sell real change, and other sources of income like selling crafts like and hand made jewelry. They might have more disposable income than most folks on this blog. Plus, Obama is raising their incomes substantially with the stimulus plan. Don't discount the amount they spend in Ballard each month. The only people I know who dont like the idea, are a few shop keepers who are probably selling trinkets and items nobody really needs or wants.

Thank you Ernie. A voice of reason.

The fear in these posts is breathtaking and way out of proportion to the situation at hand.

I agree with another poster who put it to the Ballard community to come together to find a solution to the bad behavior exhibited by some (definitely not all) in our public spaces.

The condition of homelessness is not going away and may increase as the economy worsens. NIMBY is not part of the solution, it contributes nothing to solving the problem.

May I suggest that the efforts of churches to offer shelter and some modicum of safety to homeless people is part of the solution. However, when all those who are homeless and willing to be good neighbors and to follow basic rules of conduct are sheltered and have basic services, we are still left with the issue of the bad behavior of the remaining individuals who populate our public spaces.

There are programs that came into existence to address just such problems. Programs like Clean Dreams and Village of Hope are essential to reduce crime in our communities. Village of Hope helps jailed men and women transfer back into society, and Clean Dreams helps potential drug-law violators get off the streets before they are arrested. Unfortunately the County cut funding for Clean Dreams in July.

Why not work to fund a Clean Dreams program right here in Ballard?

Susan, They add to the fabric of the neighborhood? Please....

To the posters lobbing insults at Susan: Stop it. She's entitled to her opinion as you're entitled to yours. You don't need to be rude or cruel when you disagree. Seriously, your posts are degrading the value of this blog and pretty soon you're going to run off everyone who disagrees with you, and then what will you have left? A website full of bullies.

People with $1500/month and food stamps are usually homeless due to substance abuse problems. They aren't spending $50 a day at local restaurants and shops to live on the street. There are plenty of clean and sober rooms around the city in the 350-400 range with utility's included.

susan--

they can afford rent. but who would want to rent to them? you possibly. you seem to be someone w/a skewed interest and willing to take in the less fortunate. they have a steady income so you could truly benefit from it. susan meet ernie. ernie, susan.

Wow. More vitriolic comments against homeless people on myballard.com. Who could have guessed?

Oh, and Selly, I happen to know "that dude in the trailer". His name is Isaac and he's a good person. It must really irk you to see him in front of Bartell's, selling Real Change. I guess you'd rather he spent his days getting drunk and wasting away.

Thanks Mindy

I take it all with a grain of salt, because as I stated - Everyone I have spoken with is entrallled with the car camp, aside from a few bitter shop keepers who are directing thier failed businesses at the wrong folks. It's the economy not the homeless to blame. Maybe, after they are gone, we should suggest at the meeting, that those who open new shops in Ballard be required to work at a soup kitchen or car camp once a week or face higher taxes, leases, or something else to help out Ballard. It is they who are complaining about the homeless, not the other way around. Just a thought. It might help end this division in the neighborhood and would be good for them. Goodnight

$1500 a month and food stamps? Did you pull that one out of a hat? I don't know any homeless people getting $1500 month. In fact, most people I know who have homes but are unemployed are just barely getting that amount in unemployment checks.

Facts, please.

Ernie, you obviously live in a naiive world. ..not all these folks will be in travel trailers...thats why they referred to it as a car camp instead of a camp ground for recreational vehicles.

Susan..also a naiive world you live in..did you happen to just speak to thehomeless folks who did not happen to be sex offenders, or drug addicts? Perhaps if you look at the site where sex offenders who are registered alot of them are shown on the map to be here in Ballard living in cars, under bridges etc. There is no question, good decent folk who have fallen on hard toimes who have interesting and fascinating lives are homeless to...are you going to make sure back ground checks are done so only they reside in the car camps? Please do not be so idealistic dear Susan...and you do need to brush up on your economics, and spend a few days with those rose colorded glasses off...

Anyone wo wants to contact St. Lukes and let them know of your feelings for or against the decision.

Here is the email

info@stlukesseattle.org

hope you can get them all drug tested and send them to "clean dreams of hope" before they invade our community that is FIRST AND FOREMOST too small to accomodate this endeavor...regardless of their stories, situation or otherwise...Enumclaw, Marysville, Everett come to mind

They need to contact the social security office and get onto social security disability and supplemental disability. It's about 1500 per month. Ist for mentally ill and substance abuse damaged/affected people. The food stamps are through the state. The food is about 400 but being raised by Obama next month. Good night. I have a baby crying in the other room. Must go now. God Bless

Ernie, Susan and Mindy, you must have all drank from the same kool aid....

I support the homeless, but I do not support sex offenders druggies or addicts living in my neighborhood...and each and every store merchant in Ballard has the right to not want them ruining what precious business they have in these tough economic times...how dare you call them bitter Susan? Talk about judgemental. I suggest you and the kids and family bring a few of these interesting folks home and let them sleep in your house since you trust them so much. E/c thank for the info, and the suggestions.

I believe ssi is more in the $900 dollar range. The most in food stamps you can receive as a single person in washington is $174 a month, which is how much I currently receive.

Do we know yet if Amazon Fresh will deliver to the parking lot?! Many of these homeless may not want to the grocery store.

well, that is why we need these shop keepers working at the soup kitchens and car camps as a requiremnet for doing business from now on. It's the only fair approach and only way they will become more involved in helping the neighborhood. Let's bring it up at the meeting. They obviously have too much free time on thier hands anyway. Though, I do believe SSI is more if you add in supplemental. You can also check with housing assistance. One gentlemen who was homeless I met, is now living in a 3 bedroom beautiful home for only 300 per month in Maple Leaf. The state gives the rest for free. The housing office is right next to the Ballard welfare office by Fred Myer.

Susan - I thought the $1500 was being bandies about as DSHS for basic welfare (which I know to be much less). But I do not know about the supplementals for mental and physical disability and I appreciate the information.

I don't blame you for departing the blog. This place seems to be filled with mean-spirited self-preservationists all the time now.

We need to brainstorm to the future for an outcome. The two conclusions I see are from theoretical angles, one of which will act as a cradle for locals who are not debt savvy during impending times of massive job losses and unemployment. The seconds is a conspiracy twist in that which previous meth smoking car junkies will inhabit the areas, and when respectable people loose their jobs and move to cubical sized condos. The abandoned, market less housing will then fester with the spew from these lowlife car parks, resulting in an eventual crime town where Ballard used to be.

just a thought.

susan-

i think "everyone you have spoken to "is probably of the same opinion as you so of course they're enthralled. duh....please have the camper park in front of you house and tell night time stories to your neighbors. give it a week and see who they attract and if you still are singin the same song then.

I do not understand why business owners in Ballard (and other neighborhoods I guess) need to be forced to work in soup kitchens and car camps as a requirement for doing business in Ballard. Running a business, even in a good economy, is hard work, and I doubt they those folks have lots of free time on their hands.

I hardly think they have a lack of compassion for these people, but it has got to frustrating for owners, managers, shop employees etc to have customers "harassed" for money as they enter and leave the shop.

AND no, I am not talking about the gentleman who sells Real Change outside the Bartells. I am talking about the folks who sit on the sidewalks outside the buildings on Market and say nasty things to you if you do not give them money.

Like many others, $1500 seems awfully high, and considering how many working people are struggling to get by, I am sure no one wants to hear that someone is living in a "beautiful Maple Leaf home" for a mere $300 a month.

Just my opinion.

XED,
SSI is not even $900.

I am not opposed to having the car camps in Ballard. I do want to know why Ballard is set to have so many. We do need some place for these people to go, but shouldn't this be spread over the city and not shouldered by just one community?
I do live and work in Ballard. I have a lot of freedom in my job, and walk all over in my down time. There are a large proportion of homeless here, as compared even to capital hill, but especially to greenlake, fremont, lower queen anne and many other areas. There are a lot of obviously intoxicated, homeless people milling about at all hours of the day. Why is this allowed? I believe it hurts our businesses, home values, and makes Ballard genuinely less desireable. Not to mention that I have kids in Whittier elementary, and while so far the two sex offenders targeting the school this year weren't homeless, it is only a matter of time. Pedophiles are usually people you know, but after a conviction or 5 it becomes hard to keep a job and then we all can guess where that puts them. On the streets.
I want to help, but those that want the help. Addicts and dangerous criminals need to be somewhere besides a family community.

The car campers should form a wagon train to Yakima. There's lots of jobs, cost of living is less and the climate is comfortable.

Just a suggestion

this blog and these comments are always the same: negative, bitchy and definatley not why i used to like it.

you guys are some mean spirited people! some of you are really cool and fun to read, and comment with but the loud mouths with nothing to say but rude jabbing comments need to go elsewhere as you truly do suck.

"but the loud mouths with nothing to say but rude jabbing comments "

Yes, Ballard, a no humor zone.

"we need these shop keepers working at the soup kitchens and car camps as a requiremnet for doing business from now on. It’s the only fair approach and only way they will become more involved in helping the neighborhood."

You mean besides employing people (you know, JOBS!), paying taxes, and pumping money into the local economy? Have you ever run a business? Do you know how vital these local business people are to everyone's survival?

Stupidity does grow on trees.

I applaud St Luke's. They're doing something to help someone. They've asked that person to be responsible in return, and he's said yes. They're taking it slow so that they can resolve issues before they become big problems. They know they're taking a risk, but they're taking it wisely, and out of compassion.

It's a great example of lighting one small candle instead of cursing the dark. I'm grateful to the congregation and their pastor for modeling grace for the rest of us.

Goodness knows we all need a place to live. And at least there are people out there trying to make a difference for those homeless who want a place to live. I can support their actions and plans to a point, but my basic problem here is lack of communication.

The folks at BHFAC, SHARE / WHEEL, St. Luke’s and Our Redeemer Church seem to suffer from a continued inability to be clear about their specific plans for the homeless population. Whether it's for the car camp at St. Luke’s (57th / 22nd NW) or the "temporary emergency shelter" at Our Redeemer Church (70th/23rd NW), these housing facilities seem to spring up with no clear communications about the most basic things. What is missing is the following:

- How long will the camp be in operation? We need specific information: what is the start and end date? Simply saying a site is temporary or emergency isn't clear enough, especially when up to 20 people will be living there.

- Who is the responsible person on-site? Who is the person in charge of each operation and reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? What is their phone number/email contact information and when will they respond?

- Will a sponsor (from BHFAC, SHARE / WHEEL) and also from the sponsoring church (St. Luke's, Our Redeemer) be on-site at all times?

- What specific background information is being checked for those who wish to use the shelter? Does this include criminal, sex offender and related status? What about crimes committed out-of-state or country? Will residents be drug/alcohol tested?

- What are the plans for food, including supply, preparation, and cleanup? Will the site have to abide by City recycling and composting rules?

- Who is responsible for site sanitation and area cleanup? What are the parameters here - is this daily / weekly / monthly or?

- Where will the residents go to the bathroom, take showers, etc.? Where will they do their laundry?

- What are the plans for feedback and/or evaluation of the site's success?

- When do the sponsors decide that the site isn't working out? And then what is their plan to shut it down? Is this determination driven by crimes committed (reported or charged), neighborhood input, city permits, etc?

- What are the on-site rules? When do people living there have to be in for the night? Be out in the daytime? Is sobriety required? Are there noise rules?

- What constitutes unacceptable behavior? And what are the penalties - eviction? Who will enforce and discipline?

- Who is engaging with the surrounding neighbors and larger community? How regular are these communications?

This is just a list off the top of my head so I'm sure there are better ways to organize this, however it seems like many of these basic questions NEED to be addressed and clarified BEFORE these "temporary emergency" shelters get set up. I can't take these organizations seriously if they don't step up and clarify their actions.

I second what Jules said.

Third.

4th

5th

"well, that is why we need these shop keepers working at the soup kitchens and car camps as a requiremnet for doing business from now on. It’s the only fair approach and only way they will become more involved in helping the neighborhood. " Is this Susan on crack?

I happen to know a LOT of the local business owners, and they are helping the neighborhood by paying salaries, paying taxes, and bringing goods and services to our neighborhood. They have it tough enough in this economy without the added stress of people defecating in their doorways. Frankly, I don't see the homeless as an asset to Ballard.

My brother used to manage Trattoria Michelli down in Pioneer Square. (and he did in fact, work at the soup kitchens/missions on holidays.) He told me that he couldn't have a bum/vagrant/druggie in front of the restaurant for a minute, because it drove away business in droves.
I watched this happen to University Way. In the 1970s it had a lot of upscale businesses that all the UW employees patronized. 10 years later it was full of drug deals, homeless camps, and soup kitchens. *at one time they had 4 jewelry stores, Miller-Pollard, Yankee Peddlar, Nordstroms, and a ton of specialty shops...all gone.)

I for one would like to know who these people are who are "enthralled" at the homeless in Ballard. NOT the residents, not the shopkeepers, certainly not the librarians at the Library.

I say we re-open the mental institutions, for starters.

Oh yeah...I used to work for the UW down on Northlake. There is a semi-permanent RV/Homelss population living down by the lake in the parking meant for the boaters.

While I was working there (12 years) we had I think 4 murders in that "encampment." Plus the added bonus of a homeless couple living in the bushes in our parking lot...and using it as a bathroom. Oh, and going out to my car and being assaulted by an (obviously insane) homeless guy. (he attacked 3 people.) Oh, yes, and finding a dead homeless guy (0verdose) in our parking lot. Not to mention the human waste, syringes, used condoms, etc. It was a garden spot, and I am sure that this "enriched" my life, as Susan suggested.

This is an interesting link.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolita...

Ultimately, we all pay for the homeless in hospital visits, police, fire department resources. I say it's time to reverse the bleeding heart liberal policies of the 1980s and put the mentally ill back in instututions, not out on the streets.

I second what Nordic Woman said. You really don't need the additional problems in the community.

Can't we all just get along?

Ballard doesn’t need the flaky population trashing the streets or spacing-out all day at the library. Irresponsible bums, that aren’t contributing members of society, aren’t welcome. Not too hard to understand is it?

Nordic Woman, it was Reagan, not libs who closed the institutions in the 80's. And I agree, bring them back.

Susan-
Following your train of thought shouldn't the homeless and homeowners all have to work as well? What about renters, where do we fall? Your thought pattern is about as logical as watering your lawn today.
I work 65+ hours a week and have two kids, how much do you work? I am barely getting by-so am I pissed off, yes but not at the economy. I am pissed that I have to worry about the safety of those who work for me. I think of everyone who works for me as a family member and have great amounts of stress over their safety and the negative effects having large amounts of homeless wondering about in Ballard will cause to business, hence being able to keep employees on staff. So maybe you should have a bit of compassion for the people busting their butts trying to make it, trying to help this community. They ALL live in Ballard but I doubt you care as most likely you shop at WalMart and other soulless corporations that lay people off without a thought. Small businesses employ 85% plus of people working in the United States.

Seconding mickey's endorsement of Isaac up above. He's a nice guy. He was interviewed on KUOW briefly several months ago (can't find a link, unfortunately), and I knew I recognized his voice. Since then I actually talk to him, rather than just buying a Real Change and walking away. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes when you feel like you know these folks, rather than just lumping them all together as "homeless".

We don’t owe the bums anything. They aren’t contributing to the greater good like a schoolteacher or many other worker bees. Even when the economy is better, the panhandling is annoying.

"We don’t owe the _____ anything. They aren’t contributing to the greater good like a schoolteacher or many other worker bees."

Fill in the blank! It's fun! Investment bankers? Sure! Irresponsible mortgage lenders? Why not? Condo flippers? Predatory developers? Idle ultra-rich? I'm sure we can all add our own favorites.

Sign me up for your utopian schoolteacher-only society, jm.

Bums

Substance abusers

Mental cases

Wasted beggars

Susan wrote:"The only people I know who dont like the idea, are a few shop keepers who are probably selling trinkets and items nobody really needs or wants.well, that is why we need these shop keepers working at the soup kitchens and car camps as a requiremnet for doing business from now on. It’s the only fair approach and only way they will become more involved in helping the neighborhood. Let’s bring it up at the meeting. They obviously have too much free time on thier hands anyway."

So, now it is the responsibilty of shop owners to take CARE of the homeless. I assure you, people in Ballard who own stores have zero responsibility, other than keeping bums, vagrants and drug addicts OUT of their stores and OFF the sidewalks in front of them.

After reading "Susan"s posts, I firmly believe that "she" is a member of SHARE/WHEEL who is trying to force this down our throats.

WHY do the citiziens of Ballard need to have their community turned into Skid Road? We don't. Business owners do help OUR community; that is, the people of Ballard who live here (renters and homeowners alike) who pay TAXES. The homeless, by definition, are NOT members of our community.

The other day I was accosted at dusk in the Safeway parking lot by a large black man who walked up to my car as I was putting groceries in it, wanting money. Oh, sure, I'm going to open my purse. What if it was my mom, instead of me? I walked back in and complained to the manager. We Ballardites should be able to walk the streets unaccosted by drug addicts and drunks, take our kids to the parks without fear of who might be lurking in the bushes, and businesses should be able to ...well, conduct business without having derelicts in their doorways.

Yes, thank you Ronald Reagan for emptying out the mental hospitals. My sister was a lawyer for the state and did committment hearings; these days you have to basically shoot someone to get put away.

I say we spend our tax dollars on re-opening the mental institutions and bring back vagrancy laws.

Burn outs

Flippers that flopped

Me!

"The other day I was accosted at dusk in the Safeway parking lot by a large black man who walked up to my car as I was putting groceries in it, wanting money."

Nordic Woman, by gratuitously sticking the word "black" in there you've officially declared yourself not a member of my community.

While a great number of issues have already been addressed here, I still wanted to comment on this generally.

I thought about this a lot last night, and let me offer some random ideas. Poverty in this country is violence, and this is just another band aid to try and clot a severed artery.

Living in a car is not a desirable thing for anyone, and I don’t see how taking the sting out of it by providing free parking and temporary settlement is a solution.

Certainly its good to help those in need, but this is not this is not a solution to help the homeless; rather it is store the homeless program, and I think it will do so to the detriment of our community - these numerous issues have been articulated by others here!

Furthermore, I have a real problem with letting houses of faith undermine the land use regulations that have until now provided a strong quality of life in Ballard. Faith and good deeds should be no pass around regulations that make our community strong, pleasant, and safe, and certainly not at an expedited pace.

I like the mixed use plaza. The library, the church, the park, the bank, the drug store, the guy selling real change, I like this area very much, and it was all planned, and all designed. I suspect that if someone proposed replacing the churches on the east side of 22nd with homeless shelters, it would not be well received by the community. I don’t see why we should be any more accepting of it because it offers fewer beds, er um spaces.

Morlocks

Eloi!

Well, he was a 6 foot 4 or so black guy...I would feel just as threatened if he was a white guy, or Asian guy.

Ballard runs the real danger of turning into Skid Road...if we want to turn this neighborhood into an increasingly unsafe one with more drug deals, more break ins (how do you people think drug addicts pay for their drugs?), and prostituon, then by all means, let's import the homeless into the residential neighborhoods.

Why not have a "safe haven" as they say, down on Alaskan Way? Harbor Island? Oh, wait, that would prevent the homeless from panhandling and sitting all day in coffee shops, and having conviente places to do drug deals.

And as Susan mentioned above, we the taxpayers pay, and pay, and pay...I especially liked the story of the homeless guy living in a nice house in Maple Leaf for $300 a month. I'd like to sign up for that program!

Instead of encouraging the homeless INTO Ballard, how can we work to get them OUT of Ballard?

Susan...maybe you can qualify for the "crazies" You have no idea what you are talking about when you quote amounts for SSi or any other goverment funds. Truly to do not. I have an uncle who is Menatally disabled due to a genetic disability, and collects SSI for only $530 a month. That pays for his room board and any other needs while residing in a group home. PLease check your facts before you go spouting trhe rich stories and the benfit of contact with the homeless for your children...and PLEASE refrain from your unbelievab le critique of Ballard business owners and merchants..they are obligated to run a business open to the public, not working soup kitchens. How dare you judge the value or need of what they sell in their stores? I mean really..what pedestal did you put yourself on????

I suggest you, your children and aunts cousins and whomever else shares your feelings and thought process go get your doors open for the homeless, as well as spend most of your free time working in a soup kitchen...in fact instead of blogging about things you are so ill prepared to discuss...spend your time opening a soup kitchen...walk the walk babe!

Nordic Woman...well said in all your posts!
SPG #26 post...could not have been said better, and your suggestions are the real solution to the homeless problem and first steps to assisting them.

sorry, my impassioned blog resulted in several grammer and spelling errors..if only there was spell check....

here is the link for registered sex offenders in our area....note these are ones who have addresses...what about the ones who don't?

http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp?frm=0

Nordic woman's 88 is more prescient than most of us realize "....let’s import the homeless into the residential neighborhoods."

There are poeple who live out of their cars down by Mars Hill and Big 5. As this is more light industry than residential, I don't think it bothers many poeple. However, its not a pleasant place to be, and I don't think we should import this element to the heart of our neighborhood!

gurple is one of those willfully naive Seattle progressives who refuse to recognize the fact that blacks make up only 12% of the USA but commit over 52% of all murders and over 34% of all rapes every year.

realist, how much of that seemingly disproportionate effect is there once you control for the gargantuan difference in socioeconomic status between blacks and whites in the US? The numbers you're spewing are an economic reality, not a racial one, and presenting it as such is pretty ugly stuff.

Saying you were aggressively panhandled by someone does not require a statement of race- TMI!

I don't care what their "excuse" is. There is no good reason or explanation for murder and rape, I don't care how poor and supposedly "oppressed" you are. Grow up.

"I suggest you, your children and aunts cousins and whomever else shares your feelings and thought process go get your doors open for the homeless"

This is exactly what St Luke's is doing, so what's the problem?

It's just "crazy" to act like a church housing a homeless guy is going to bring down the whole neighborhood. This dude was parking on the street before, and now he's going to park in the church lot, what net effect does this situation have on the neighbors?

If I chose to let this guy camp in my driveway would you have any right to stop me or even complain?

Also, Mozilla Firefox is a really awesome free browser that spell checks your text box entries.

So, then, realist, you're not going to cling to your implication that black people commit more of these crimes /because of their race/? Maybe you'd like to issue a blanket apology, or something....

I think switching this to focus on race is not going to help anything. The post just stated a visual fact, don't turn it into something it is not.

I think it is not acceptable for anyone green,purple, white, or a rainbow of colors to ask someone for money while they load their car, let alone a woman by herself. You can only guess his intention was slight intimidation and I am glad you did not give him anything. If someone comes up to me in a parking lot I assume they are going to try and mug me and respond to the situation but I am a stout young man and honestly they never ask me.
I do not allow people to panhandle in front of my store, damned be the laws. I will not carter to them, if they choose to break out my windows at night I cannot control their actions. I have been called every name you can think of and some I am not even sure what they mean. I agree as businesses we do have a responsibility to more than just try and make money, it is also our responsibility to make where we run our businesses a better place. I am sure I could make more money doing many other things but I believe in what I do, I believe it helps the community. Anyone who has ever ran a business or known someone knows there is not any glory in it, or any. After writing all of this I am wondering why do I keep doing it.... Maybe there is a silver lining to reading the rants of a crazy woman, maybe I am just crazy to subject myself and family to this type of lifestyle.

Can I get gov. disability? I must be insane to try and run a business.

Signed-Drooling on the keyboard

When a group has a scientifically proven smaller cranial capacity, and scientifically proven higher levels of testosterone, then yes, biology and genetics actually do have a part in their poor impulse control and violent behavior. Wake up to reality.

Realist,

What is just racist and I know you are a troll. Please do not try and hijack this important community issue.

thank you

err--what=That

Of course, everyone evolved exactly the same! Everyone is the same! There are absolutely no quantifiable differences between races! But celebrate diversity anyways.

The likelihood of being called a "racist" is directly proportional to the truthfulness of one's observations about blacks.

Hurrah - the thread broke 100!!!!

I don't think that by mentioning someone's race in a description that the person is racist. Our PC society has gotten so scare of being perceived as racist that we can't even mention helpful descriptors when looking for criminals. The news now says "Police are looking for a man about 5'11" and ]190 lbs" Wow that's only like 50% of men! Very helpful!

I will admit to associating certain crimes with certain races. If I hear meth lab in Olympia, then I think white male. I don't think that that makes me racist. Ignorant, perhaps, racist no!

I think that when "Nordic Woman" tells a story that using a more accurate description is better. I don't think that she is sexist because she mentioned gender nor racist for mentioning race.

As a side note, I believe that making Ballard a safe haven for the homeless without the tools (mental health care centers, drug/alcohol abuse programs, adult education/work skills programs) to help them get off the streets is hardly a solution.
I don't believe that Pioneer square as been enriched by allowing the homeless to live there w/o proper law enforcement.

When I get to know my neighbors I do it to let them know that I have a vested interest in our neighborhood and that I will work to make our neighborhood cleaner, safer, etc. I think that they then feel that they can share ideas with me knowing that we all benefit by making the 'hood better. I think that this accountability is needed to form real trust. If the homeless are just using Ballard as a place to sleep that they are less likely to benefit the community.

I recognize that homelessness has many causal factors. However, without serious background checks and strict rules governing duration and impact on nearby homes and businesses, I don't think that these projects are well thought out.

Hypothetically, if I started to find human waste, beer cans and garbage or was concerned for the safety of my family (as many from previous homeless camps have reported) I would be likely to take my business elsewhere.

I live just at the end of this street and I've always appreciated the good things that St. Luke's does. They have a half-way house right next door and the men that live there are always friendly and kind. I think its great that our neighborhood will be part of this.

Realist - 104 = DUMB

Meg - 107 = Intersting thought!

@ 108 Insults work great when you can't argue against the facts. Good going!

Here's another incident that people might want to consider before encouraging vagrants into the neighborhood. I used to live on 61st on Sunset Hill. One afternoon a man (white, as it happens, not that it makes any difference) knocked on my door, panhandling. He said he was REQUIRED to bring back so much $$ to stay in some shelter. He also offered the information that he was just out of jail.

I was home alone. I politely said no thanks and shut the door. HOWEVER, how did I know that he wasn't a sexual predator on work release? Or clinically insane? The neighborhood is made up of a lot of elderly people, young families, and working people....the last thing we need in Ballard is panhandlers going door to door.

For anyone who just moved here, or has a short memory, Donna O'Steen was murdered in her home on 65th in 2002...don't think THAT didn't race through my mind.

I think we need to get the mentally ill OFf the streets of Seattle and back into mental institutions where they will at least get food, shelter, and most importantly medication. That would probably solve at least 50% of the homeless problem in Seattle.

@ - 109 Oh, they wants facts, but only after they make up studies preporting to show the "likelihood of" is "directly proportional" to that.

It sounds like what you are trying to say is that not only do you not have anything nice to say about blacks, but becuase you often("likley..") get called out or being a biggot, you may as well be a biggot anyway!

I pitty the fool!

The Attorney General called for an honest conversation about race.

One of the ugliest manifestations of racism is in interracial crime, and especially interracial crimes of violence. Is A.G. Holder aware that while white criminals choose black victims 3 percent of the time, black criminals choose white victims 45 percent of the time?

Is Holder aware that black-on-white rapes are 100 times more common than the reverse, that black-on-white robberies were 139 times as common in the first three years of this decade as the reverse?

TO refocus things.....

Yes, that added homeless will help the local economy, as they will take in a movie, have some coffee, and go ou for some italian.

"TO refocus things….."

Translation: my insults did not silence the facts so now I am trying to direct attention elsewhere...

Firstly, my insults to you require no proof. They are to lampoon what was an absurd notion to begin with!


Secondly, In fact you are wrong.

The burden of proof falls to you who made the assertion.

And your "stats" did not even pretend to address the identity you established "The likelihood of being called a “racist” is directly proportional to the truthfulness of one’s observations about blacks"

Your stats were non-germane to the point you defined. You invoked the AGs name, and some stats, but none relevant to the identity you asserted.

You defined an identity. You claimed it had been observed empirically, and your argument is still left wanting. The idea that data could so clearly be used to define normative statements requiring “truthfulness”, is a task clearly beyond you.

You are either a troll or in possession of low mental capacity, and if the former is true, we certainly know the latter is!

estimated income of $1,500 on social security is high.
Current suplimental security income rate for an individual = $674
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/SSI.html

Also - I believe the western state hospital is over census. Meaning there is no room at the inn.
We can all agree that the mentally ill should be somewhere. Who is going to pay for their hospital stay?

Edog "blah blah blah blah germane blah blah non-germane blah blah"
======

Go hang out at 23rd and Jackson tonight.

Fighting with racist, I mean "realist" is going nowhere. Let's get back on the topic and ignore him until he leaves for the weekly Klan meeting.

The article linked by Nordic Woman above is quite interesting...
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolita...
...the basic point is that there are ways to keep the number of homeless on the streets down and that in the end it winds up saving the city money because they're less likely to use the emergency room and other city services.
Obviously we need to do something about the homeless problem. Leaving them on the street isn't working as we can tell by the number of deaths and crimes amongst the homeless, not to mention the costs in services and the negative impact on businesses. Whether the car camp is a good solution remains to be seen. I don't think it will do much at all, and it's certainly not going to do anything towards helping the situation with the aggressive panhandlers, drunks, and crazies.

"One afternoon a man (white, as it happens, not that it makes any difference) knocked on my door, panhandling. He said he was REQUIRED to bring back so much $$ to stay in some shelter."

That sounds more like you just dodged a burglary. The M.O. is that the burglar will knock on the door to see if anyone is home. If they are, they make up some nonsense like what you heard. If you're not home, they go around to the back door and kick it in and steal your stuff.
If this kind of thing happens to you, call 911 and report them.

Anyone who might be interested and trust CNN this was a overall good story.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/24/neighborhoo...

Having had family setup such groups I know they are quite effective at reducing crime.

jules--

#56 "but rude jabbing comments need to go elsewhere as you truly do suck."

who's mean spirited? welcome to the dark side my friend.

gurple,

why don't you see past the facts. the race of a person is important when stating the information in a case. it's asked when an initial crime is reported; description of the perp.......

Don't worry, naive politically-correct Seattleites, anyone who posts facts that can't be insulted away will have their ip addresses banned so we don't have to have our pollyannaish little heads disturbed by the truth.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/race.htm

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/vvr98.htm

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=9530

http://www.vdare.com/fulford/reporting.htm

Ernie- post #97...St Luke’s maybe helping just one "dude" who is living in his car/rec. vehicle, whatever...but it opens the door to the sanitation stations an car camp living as a part of our community. My point was if crazy Susan felt so enriched by the homeless, then bring 'em into their house and put a roof over their head and let them shower in the family bathroom. I think anyone else who feels that strongly they should adopt a homeless person to live with them...I do not believe our community has the capacity to set up shelters or car camps for the homeless. It is correct that they are parked up and down the street by Fred Meyer..but who allows it? I am guessing there are a lot of police that are just turning their heads even though it is against the law to live in your car on our city streets.

AS far as the mentally ill, which I agree that most of the homeless fall into that category...there are no places for them to go, and no one to support them taking their meds. I am pleased my uncle is in a group home, but his disability is easy to see (Down Syndrome) and someone who is mentally unstable, or has illnesses that range from psyzophrenic, bi-polar, or any other than require meds to remain functioning are simply falling between the cracks...it's a whole other discussion on how to handle their needs. The bottom line..St Luke’s, great thought, but Ballard is not the place to create all this change...it is too small even though it may have huge hearts...

@ 124 ROFLOL "adopt a homeless person to live with them" Yes, the economy was tough, and my wife and I kept trying, but I just could not lose my job. and the bank would not forclose, so We had to adopt our own homeless person.

“We need to do something.” My guess is what ‘we’ will do is nothing, nada, except express righteous outrage of course. Seattlites are not willingly going to pay one dime more in taxes to shelter homeless or offer any other services no matter what they might say on a blog. AND it is not against the law to live on the streets nor is it against the law to be mentally ill. It’s also very easy to say no to a panhandler. Heck I say no to those nasty Girl Scouts every year and let me tell you those little brats are persistent.

Walking around Ballard today and talking to business owners AND firends of mine who live here, they are 100% AGAINST any sort of homeless camp. Who exactly, are the people that KOMO interviewed?

And, for anyone who thinks that the vast majority of the homeless in Ballard are merely "eccentricss" who have led "rich,interesting lives", you might want to talk to some of the business owners who have been ripped off by these folks. Ballard Camera's ROOF is a handy place, apparently for the homeless...they find it full of syringes, and less savory items.

maria--lol re: the GS. refreshing perspective! thx.

Maria, I was a Girl Scout. That has to be on the complete opposite of the spectrum from homeless panhandling junkies.

I'm sure you won't find it so amusing when YOUR car gets broken into, as mine was, or you or your mother is accosted in a dark parking lot.

I just read the news; the person responsible for raping and killing a 13 year old girl down in Vancouver was a transient sex offender. How many of them are walking around Ballard? Will it be quite so amusing when your daughter is killed? I think not.

anyone who thinks the majoirty of the transients in Ballard are "justs plain folks" with "rich and interesting stories' should wake up and smell the lattes. We are inving more crime and drug use into this neighborhood than there is already.

"the race of a person is important when stating the information in a case. it’s asked when an initial crime is reported; description of the perp……."

Case? Crime? Perp? For pete's sake, we're talking about panhandling. Nordic Woman's anecdote was meant to illustrate her dislike for the unfortunate, not to initiate a manhunt.

I found a Girl Scout(tm) passed out in my saab one morning. Drunk on gin and cookies. All the windows were smashed. Gave me a such a good punch on the jaw when I woke her up, I recruited her into my long boat crew and we promptly raided Poulsbo.

"Will it be quite so amusing when your daughter is killed? I think not."

As rhetorical questions go, that is over the line.


Turn it down!

Unfortunately, we are not alone and they have us surrounded:

http://www.metrokc.gov/SexOffender/search_results...

http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/

The Ballard News tribune has a story here about Bergen Park and DRUGS. They interview an "artist" who hangs out in Bergen park all day, and lives in his car of the Olsens Parking Lot. It seems he is homeless but an "Artist" who hangs around outside the Chai House. He talks all about the drugs deals being done on the Chai House payphone in fact. But, since he is an artist, he dislikes the homeless people who are not, and is treated as the voice of reason for Ballard, in this piece by the tribune. Being a "hip homless person", the reporter never asks why HE is living in a car and why he hangs out in Bergen Park 24/7. The focus is un the homeless who are not "hip homeless" like him. So, if your homeless and living in your car in downtown Ballard you are allowed to live in the Olsens Parking Lot and follow the drug activity on the payphone all day, but if you sell Real Change your chased out of the Church Parking Lot a block away, and basically called a threat to society at large? From what I know, the man in the camper at the church does no drugs, knows nothing of the meth dealing on the street like this News Tribune "Artist" and works hard every day. He also works his butt off at Safecol field every summer on top of selling Real Change. But, he is the villian. Claim your an artist and hang with the hip people, and you can start your own campground in The Olsens Parking Lot, and be able to stay in the loop with the drugs deals on the phone all day. You people are insane. Maybe the guy in the Church lot should start acting like a hipster, so he can be left alone, or move over to the Olsens lot, smoke in frount of the Chai House all day and night, and start painting of writing poetry to make it look good for the neigborhood. God forbid he actually work and not be part of the Ballard in crowd. Many of you people in this blog have slandered a good man who is living in that Church lots and should be ashamed.

Maria..dear brilliant Maria...it may not be against the law to be homeless or mentally ill..but it is an infringment on our rights to have this small wonderful town compromised with a homeless camp..as you can see it is bad enough that they line our sreets in their cars, and hang out onthe rrofs,and are drunk in puiblic..where are the police I ask yopu?? Maria...you may be so strong and brave that you can scare off innocent girl scounts who are perfroming a civic duty by being part of an organization that builds character and improves self esteem in young women..and reduce to calling them brats while you advocare for the homless who may be a sex offender, drug addict or drunk....but I gotta tell you not a position to be proud of...

My intention is to support and advocate for the homeless as well, just not here in this small community..we do not have the room or the resources...thats it..larger communities will be happy to have Maria, Susan and loads of others offer their time to volunteer for the cause.

According to the King County Sheriff, there are 441 homeless or transient Level 3 sex offenders in King County. How many do you think are in Seattle? In Ballard? They will go where they have the best environment; ie: plenty of people on the street to panhandle, friendly churches to sleep in, and uber PC do-gooders to turn a blind eye.

One last thing... The man in the Church lot has been in Ballard longer than most of you yuppies calling me every name in the book. Many "Old Ballard" folks know him by name. I challenge ANYONE to name a single instance where he panhandled a penny EVER. You will not find one. Name a single instance where he was drunk. You won't find any, but I am sure many of you have been drunk in public. Name a single case where he has been high, caused trouble, been anything but a perfect gentlemen.... Since we have plenty of Ballard experts here, mostly who I assume are New Ballard, why don't you put the cards on the table. If you know anything romotley close to anything above, by all means speak up now. He is a hard working man, well liked in Ballard, and from a good Jewish family. Yes, there are reasons he is not working in corporate America, which are his business. A threat to anyone, he is not. This is a fact. His behavior in Ballard is much better than 99.99 % of the jackasses outside the bars smoking in Ballard every Friday and Saturday night.

My car has been broken into and my mother does not hang in parking lots in the dark. Neither do I. There are just as many psychotic types who do not appear to be bums or homeless; never forget good old clean cut Ted Bundy.

No Ballardgirl it is NOT an infringement on your rights. You have no right to dictate. You have no right to choose who shares public places. You DO have a right however to choose where you live.

John Wayne Gacy was a boy scout, so was John Edward Robinson. Bishop Richard Angelo was an eagle scout as was Charles Whitman. Look em up.

I do not "hang out in dark parking lots." Going grocery shopping at 5 PM, one should be able to feel safe, and not be accosted by aggressive panhandlers.

Here's another little tip for Ballardites; the homeless are now showing up at the gyms. Yes, you too can share your gym space with transients. Trust me, they aren't using the weight machines or taking Pilates classes. For considerably less than an apartment they can camp out at the local gyms, use the showers, and hang out for hours on end. So, between the library, the coffee shops and the gyms, (not to mention such places as the Golden City) your average transient can hang out all day in Ballard.

Nordic Woman..you are so right..and all this happens because we let it...no laws are being enforced (pan handling, loitering, trespassing, using city streets to park and live, public drunkedness, etc) Thats the tradegy...our community lets it happen..why I'd like to know...

so Maria...all girl scount are to be blamed for what serial killers did? I quote you:

"Heck I say no to those nasty Girl Scouts every year and let me tell you those little brats are persistent."


Is this a way to support a community, or do you also have a differnt interpretation for "infringement of rights" than I do? Here is what I found in the dictionary:

infringement - an act that disregards an agreement or a right;

I have a RIGHT to have laws that have been passed to be upheld...in our city it is trepassing, public drunkedness, lewd acts (public urination or exposure) parking laws, using my city streets as a camp ground, illegal sale of drugs and consumption of drugs on city streets...need I go on? Yes, dear Maria ,it is an infringement of my rights. You are, however correct that I cannot dictate..and I did not.. these laws were not passed by me...so I did not dictate the expected behavior of our citizens. They were here long before I moved here. Do you want to change them?

I also can choose where to live, and I chose Ballard for all the good reasons, it is a fantastic community. That is why I have a free right to protest homeless living in this small community without my vote.

If you or your mother have been acosted by serial killers who are not homeless and just psychotic residents of Ballard, by all means, make out a police report and give them a sketch..or check out the local boy scout troops, evidently everyone who is either a boy scout or girl scout fall into your pot of unworthy people. That is a pretty broad judgement..but you did call the young girls who are the daughters of our fellow neighbors..."nasty" and "brats". Perhaps I can give you a brochure for a differnt community to live in?

I have never once said that anyone who commits a criminal act should not be arrested. However being homeless or mentally ill is not a criminal act. Protest all you want but neither is illegal.

Jeez Maria..can you read? I never once stated that being homeless or mentally ill is a criminal act, my Uncle is mentally retarded, and I adore him. What is a problem is the large population of homeless who, in addition to decent folk, are also mentally ill, drug addicts and the like. FIRST AND FOREMOST Ballard is too small a community to take on this situation. Second of all the majority of homeless people I have seen ARE doing illegal things, like living in cars on city streets, panhandling, and doing drugs and several other things I mentioned.

I am fortunate that I can protest..and thank you..I will...my protest stems from the size of our community and the lack of follow through on laws being enforced that are already in place and being abused by a great many of the homeless population...and they do it because they can..simple as that...so read this carefully Maria, and while you are responding, I think you owe an apology to the girl scouts you insulted...they are YOUR commuity's children .

gurple,

you have more tangents in your blogs than algebra....

Ballard Tribune Double Standard. SHAME-
no one has slandered this homeless man..not once have I heard anything directed to him specifically, but rather a great deal of concern and protest against Ballard as a community supporting a homeless car camp in our community. I take your word he is a decent fellow in need of assistance..got a spare room for him..help him out and take him under your roof. We, as a community cannot support a car camp project with sanitation stations in this area. I have also heard concern anout the blind eye given to the existing homeless population who may be doing things against the law..Thats all I have heard, and few insults to girl scouts...

"gurple, you have more tangents in your blogs than algebra…."

A more than fair point! I shall endeavor to include a /much/ greater portion of algebra in each post.
a^2 + b^2 = c^2!

"The neighborhood is made up of a lot of elderly people, young families, and working people"

ours and every other neighborhood in this fair city. wtf is your point?

a neighborhood is about working together for the common good..where are we all with that?

My point is that there were a LOT of people home during the day., bolz.

We DID have the opportunity to elect another Mayor a few years back...remember Mark Sidran? The liberals in this town took exception to the fact that he enforced the "no sitting on the sidewalks" and "no agressive panhandling" policies. Boo, freaking hoo to all of you who elected Mayor Nickels.

The number of "situational homeless" is rising, but the real problem is the number of drug addicts and the mentally ill on our streets. Seattle is beginning to resemble "The Streets of New York."All the taxpayers will be barricaded in their homes, while the crazies and druggies run the streets.

We already have a big enough problem in Ballard...I see no reason to compound it by importing vagrants into the residential neighborhoods.

Thank yoy Nordic woman..well saidf..we are not a repository for the weak response to all the vargants and mentally ill who are migrating to our neighborhood by a ill equipped policing of our laws that are in place to alleviate these issues..where are the people we tax payer pay to enfoce the laws..and I mean the basic laws that protect us as a commuity and as a city of Seattle...HELLO???

whats witht he garple, gurple, Maria, Susan..can't we all get along..small community, realize what we can do and what we cannot..no brainer..no homeless camps should be easy to figure out, we are too small. Lets just take care of what we have. St Luke's great withe homeless dude, no more, pretty simple.Don't burden a small commuity with your one dude, and make the mistake of adding more.

These nut cases are not old Ballard homeless. The old homeless have no idea who these people are and want them out of here. From what I know, Portland is giving them one way tickets to Seattle to get out of there. Then, you have City Team shut down downtown, giving every lunatic a broshure of ballard with instruction on what days they have free lunch. Do the research. Get the drug dealers back downtown and the maniacs and leave the old ballard homeless alone. Some have been here 30 years and never bothered anyone. Your in thier home, not the other way around. The Crystal Meth and crack dealers from downtown moving in is the problem now, not the old Ballard winos. You have no clue what you're even talking about here most of you. For christs sake, dont you even see the gang grafitti? Yoo hoo? Hello?

You people have got bigger problems than a guy in a camper and your way over your heads, especially If you think you can handle it with a little meeting. It has to do with drugs. Plain and simple. The area is saturated with them, and if you think you can have meetings to get them out of here, good luck. These people are dangerous, from other areas, not even sleeping in Ballard, and out in the open. Why the cops won't stop them is anyones guess. But, again, these boys don't play around and I would be very careful in what you say or do because somebody is going to get killed if this situation is not handled by the police or DEA, not a bunch of nice sweedish bloggers. It's reality people. Be careful, because I care about the neighbors and don't want anyone getting hurt. The old time Ballard man on the street is your best friend against these animals and can point them out. Make them your enemy and your sunk. I would be kissing thier butts if I were you, because frankly, they are the only people who can save you, and the only ones who know what is going on on the streets of Ballard. They are not the problem here. This is not kids stuff your playing with and this is not the Andy Griffith show folks.

Ballard Tribune Double Standard. SHAME-
I agree, it is a bigger problem than the camper guy, however, when we give the "ok" to set up these camps, we are opening the door to more homeless populating the area.

Has anyone thought to contact the police department and ask them to please uphold the law in Ballard? I am sure enough complaints or phone calls will bring themover, even if just for the day. It might be a break from giving speding tickets, but it can't hurt to make the phone call.

Here is the info:

10049 College Way N.| Seattle, WA 98133 | (206)684-0850

Here is the website:

http://www.seattle.gov/Police/precincts/North/d...

Better yet, here is the form you can fill out that goes to the North Precient. SPeak up to the police force instead of just blogging about it.

https://www.seattle.gov/police/contact_form.htm

and here is other ways to report crime and contact them via email

https://www.seattle.gov/police/forms/default.htm

"Seattle is beginning to resemble “The Streets of New York.”"

As someone who grew up there (yes I just outed myself as not being 'Original Ballard') and having spent a fair amount of time in NYC visits in the last decade, I can tell you that Seattle has way more homeless on the streets than New York. Per capita Seattle has a much much larger presence of homeless and a much more aggressive group of homeless too.

"Some have been here 30 years and never bothered anyone. Your in thier home, not the other way around."

Um, no. They may have been here for 30 years but that doesn't earn anyone the keys to the city. I pay my taxes and do my part to keep the city running and after a decade in Ballard I hold no illusions of owning the place. This attitude held by some of the homeless that THEY own the place is part of the problem. You don't own it. You're not making it a better place just by not doing drugs. What do you add to Ballard? What do you add to society? What good do you do at all?

Seattle is beginning to resemble “The Streets of New York.””
Please note quotatin marks. This was a movie starring Kurt Russell as "Snake Plkiskin", whereby New York was turned into one giant prison.

People, the squeeky wheel gets the grease. EVERY time you see a drug deal go down, get license plate #'s and call the cops. EVERY time you get your car window smashed, call the cops. EVERY time you see someone taking a pee in your yard, call the cops. EVERY time you get a garden gnome stolen, call the cops. Sooner or later, they will up the patrols.

You mean "Escape from New York"

Kinda dramatic don't you think?

"This was a movie starring Kurt Russell as “Snake Plkiskin”, whereby New York was turned into one giant prison."

Escape from New York is the movie title:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082340/

Streets of New York is a very different movie from 1939:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031987/

I agree..weshoudl be able to call the police and have them rid us of the drugs, drunkedness, and crime..even overnight parking on city street, which is against the law...but the sad new is that they are not enforce. I just read an article by Jaylynn Chambers is a Seattle public relations professional who writes a reader blog for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about nightlife and entertainment

SHe too asked the police to enforce the laws we pay them to up hold. The response?

Requiring police to take a statement and description of the perps after a mugging and battery in downtown Seattle should be mandatory, and not just in theory. I'd daresay that trying to catch, charge, convict and imprison the offenders just might be in society's best interests, as well. Unless the perps have suffered from a lack of social justice, that is.

Yes, Chambers' report is second-hand, but from a source she trusts. As a public relations professional with her own blog at the P-I's site, I have to really believe she understands her responsibilities, and is legitimately convinced her neighbor's report is true. Below, I'll provide additional and striking testimonials collected by a neighborhood group, and even from a Seattle police officer, on poor police response and police understaffing.

"We reported suspicious drug-related activity to the police about six months ago and were told that they were not properly staffed to even investigate our complaints! The house in question is two houses away from ours and we had kept extensive details of individuals and license plates, etc., but the police were simply not interested."

In another e-mail to Garneau, the officer states:

"...we really need about 200 (more) officers for the whole city."

You can google her, and see her blog. I still think that if enough of us who want crime off our streets and the huge population of homeless lead to an area where they can get clean if they need to and resources is out best bet. There is no point in turning a blind eye to all the RV's parked on the streets by Fred Meyer, or all the aggressive panhanding and public drug and alcohol abuse on our small town streets...make a call send an email...the police are being paid to serve and protect us.

10049 College Way N.| Seattle, WA 98133 | (206)684-0850

SPG (stupid population guesses?)-

"Per capita Seattle has a much much larger presence of homeless (than NYC)"

nyc has over 12X the population of seattle.

seattle does not have "way more homeless on the streets" than NYC. seriously, there are something like 60,000 homeless people in nyc. 1/12th of our population in seattle isn't homeless. there are, however, less institutions to take in the homeless here in seattle, hence the "appearance" of more.

but it seems you're more interested in eradicating them than making an effort to help out, other than paying taxes (which isn't an effort at all)

On most Seattle city streets, there is a ticket for overnight parking violations, and then the city tows the car to an impound lot. Why is this not being done on the streets, which are CITY OF SEATTLE streets where homeless have decided to live and take up residence?

Downtown when they want vagrants and loitering to stop, as well as sleeping in doorways they blast annoying music like they do outside of the McDonalds downtown...

holz, you seem so smart and well informed..you invite 'em over to your house to live. It is an effort to pay taxes, my property taxes continue to increase, and have you noticed sales tax? It must be great to be so rich it does not matter to you. Eradicate, yes, great idea. Balard is not large enough, rich enough or capable of solving the homeless problem with the population is now has on the community's streets. Get a reality check.

"Balard[sp] is not large enough, rich enough or capable of solving the homeless problem with the population is now has on the community’s streets. "

if you really think that, please don't ever own a business or run for gov't.

that's absolutely false, the community has more than enough resources to help the homeless if it so desired.

therein lies the problem: it's not desired. punt it on to the next community. great idea. where is the intiative? intelligence? compassion?

it's like bellevue moved to ballard!

This is not Stalinist Russia, and the the man in the camper is not required to dislcose "what he contributes to society" to your satisfaction. For all I know, he could contribute more than you because I know him, but you could simply be a new Ballard complainer, who simply do not understand Ballard of how the place really works. We were fine until you people dumped billions into condos and stores without any thought of crime preventions. You ruined Ballard, not us. If you want to solve the Meth and Crack problem, there are a core group of homeless who understand how to do so. You find out which ones are responsible, and you make them allies not enemies. Why should they help you solve all these petty crimes anyway? You attack them. Money talks and bullshit walks in Ballard. The police will ignore you until this place becomes Pioneer Square. Doubt me? Try calling them. You Market street business have got to get somes guts and quit being so passive aggressive hiding on here. Walk outside, use your voice and ask them to move along, or hire a few big guys who know the locals from the Maniac drug dealers who are here for the day, to at least clear them off the damn sidewalks. A Gaurdian Angels of sorts. The old homeless dont want them any more than you do and blame YOU. Spread some money around, and you will get results. Rely on the cops, and in 12 months this place will be over run with thugs even the cops cant get off Market Street. It's that seriouis. Now, being "Old Ballard", we all saw this coming. You should have figured in this problem when you "Visulized Ballard". Now, solve the damn thing for those of us whose neighborhood you have destroyed with Urban Sprawl. Get some money on the streets with private security, before you wreck the place even more. You should have factored this into your plans from day one before you set off on building the next Rome.

no holz it is not like Bellevue moved to Ballard...and I apologize for the spelling error, I forgot how rich and smart you are.

I do own a business although I do not plan on running for government anytime soon. There is no question that Ballard can assist a small population of homeless and provide resources to get them up on their feet. Holz have you seen how many cars, trucks line up the streets on the way to Fred Meyer? Have you not noticed the population increased, or read that Portland sent a lot of their homeless here with one way bus tickers’??? When the homeless issues overruns my ability and my family's ability to feel safe in the community that we have built and cherish (27 years here) then Yes, I do mind, and I know it has become a problem that is larger and more complex than we can handle. If you feel that is incorrect than please, by all means spell it all out on how you are going to work with this population that include, decent folks, drug abusers, alcoholics, sexual predators, registered sex offender, and the mentally ill. Round up all these folks and drive them in shifts to the resources you claim are available. You are naive, arrogant, and living in a dream world of your own making. The only compromise is to take 10-15 of them and help them here in Ballard, and ask other communities to take them in similar numbers so an actual impact can be made. There is plenty of compassion and desire to make a differnece, just not in numbers that will set up this small community to fail.

And yes, the campground in the middle of downtown is insane. It probably will be filled with people from outside Ballard, but I doubt they will be the drug addicts you are worried about. The Church is not that stupid. You ever thought of asking the guy in the camper to keep and eye on your place when he happens to walk by and let you know if it looked like problems were going on in the middle of the night rather than attack him. Maybe throw the guy 20 bucks or some other homeless "Old Balard" homeless guy you like 20 bucks to simply ask people not to mill around outisde your store, which they would glad help you with because its thier neighborhood as well. The cops wont help you, the old homeless blame you for the drug problems and urban sprawl. Work with them, not against them, or your totally doomed. It's that simple, because you're on your own. The cops will not even respond if you call folks. YOu ever think of asking an old ballard homeless guy "Hey so and so, do me a favor. If you see people congregating in frount of by shop, ask them to move along will ya? I will flip you 20 bucks at the end of each week for helping out Pal." Thats how you approach this. Not your way

Ballard Tribune Double Standard. SHAME-
I assume you will be heading up that endeavor, and will, of course. know that the $20 you are flipping will not be goiog to support his drug or alcohol habit right? Sounds like a sound plan, and all should be solved in no time. I fogot to ask you how to tell the "old ballard homeless" from the "new Ballard homeless" can you fill me in?

Some people are probably looking at this situation combined with the other church discussion going on regarding changes to the old Calvary Lutheran Church on 23rd Ave. and 70th St. I would hope the current concerns are not directed specifically at this individual with the travel trailer.

jm-
I can't speak fopr everyone else, but I certainly was not directing it to this individual, who I understand is a good guy, and has passed criminal and drug tests. In my mind, this blog has been directed at the homeless problem and debated how a small community like ours can or cannot solve it. I think the concern is that we are taking on more than we can support with car camps in general, not helping out one man who is in need of assistance by a church.

Joke all you want. 12 months from now, this neighborhood will be The U District, I assure you of that. e/c The point being, If these store owners are too frightened to confront people congregating on Market Street, or have no idea how to handle those folks in a peaceful manner in which this will move along, find someone who can. The store owners who are too chicken to walk outside and handle the situation or to cheap to pitch in and find someone who will, are turning Market street into a third world country. They have no problem hiring Rudy to use his leaf blower, but are 100% against keeping the front of the shops littered with beggars, people signing petitions, selling things without a permit, you name it. Get some basic balls people. Do you really think this goes on in the Italian neighborhood I grew up in? No is the correct answer. If you people need to bite the bullet, and actually dig into your precious money to have someone clear the transients out, do it. You seem more than happy to have Ruby hang up lights and leaf blow, but you people are to blame for not planning any basic security when you came up with the New Ballard grand scheme, and have ruined the neighborhood. And yes, I will solve it if you want me too. Any business who wants a transient free zone post something here. I will clear them out and let the cheap business owners live with the problem. Security is not that unique of a concept. Why do you think they don't mill around in front of Old Peculiar. They have security shoo them away. They pay for it, which is how the real world works. Safeway does now as well. Do you think they enjoy paying for a service? You should have budgeted this in long ago, and I am stunned The Ballard Chamber of Commerce never planned for any of this when they promoted Ballard as a business district, then left you high and dry to handle the sidewalks. Let me know, and I will have those sidewalks cleared with some doorman buddies of mine and the problem will be over. Or, call the cops. Good luck. I don't play around with crime, drugs, or neighborhood wreckers personally.

I have no problem handling these bastards myself and I do. They do not hang around in front of my shop. I will maze/stun or anything else I have to do to keep myself and my employees safe. I agree the other businesses need to step up. You want to make money from people but not provide a descent place to shop. Do not allow pan handling in front of your business, I for one do not shop any where there is also panhandlers. I will not give them my money. I think using words like chicken or something else is not really needed, some people just don't know what to do. They are fearful they will get in trouble by the police if they do something to these poor down on their luck persons. The police should be more present but if they can't or won't finding a solution to this problem now is a must. It is ok to tell them to f-off. They are not as tough as they want you to think.

He's right... Dealing with a politicians is not what we need. We need direct action now, before this place turns into Pioneer Square. Ballard is saturated with Crystal Meth and Crack suddenly, which is 99% of why this neighborhood has suddenly gone down the tubes. It's beyond serious at this point. The city and the politicians will yes you to death, day and night. The problem is they will not drive these Meth and Crack Dealers away. Try calling the cops on a crack or meth dealer and see how you are treated and if anyone responds to the call. It's never going to happen. We are totally on our own here. A simple thing like forcing the owner of 7 11 to keep dealers off that block is what we need. I have called him many times, with no return call. The dealing is in plain sight all night, every night. There are very few problem areas, but this thing is spreading fast. None of these well known drug hubs should be tolerated. Zero...

holtz wrote: "seattle does not have “way more homeless on the streets” than NYC. seriously, there are something like 60,000 homeless people in nyc."

Okay, 'per capita' was the wrong word choice as I meant 'as a percent of population', but hopefully you understood what I was getting at, which was for a small city we have a large number of people living on the street.
According to the homeless numbers from http://www.lahsc.org/dev/countbycity.html
and wikipedia's population numbers we get this breakdown:

Seattle Hpop: 8,336 pop: 594,210 (.014)
San Francisco Hpop: 6,248 pop: 799,183 (.008)
New York City Hpop: 40,000 pop: 8,274,527 (.005)
Chicago Hpop: 6,715 pop: 2,836,658 (.002)

I don't put total faith in the numbers as one might be counting more of a metro area and another might be counting city only, but you get the point that Seattle ranks near the top (even if you use the 60k number for NYC you get .007 which is half the Seattle number).

holz said: "there are, however, less institutions to take in the homeless here in seattle, hence the “appearance” of more."

Which was exactly the point I was making. Seattle has more homeless out on the street than NYC.

holz said: "but it seems you’re more interested in eradicating them than making an effort to help out, other than paying taxes (which isn’t an effort at all)"

When did I say anything about eradication? Solving a problem does not mean some sort of evil final solution. I'd like to see the re-opening of the mental institutions that Reagan closed so we can take better care of the mentally ill who wind up on the street. I'd like to see a better social safety net for those that are starting to slip to keep them off the street. I seconded and referenced an article earlier about helping the homeless with housing to keep them from abusing the emergency room and how that helps keep the amount of TAX money spent on each person down. I'm not going as far as Susan, but I'm pragmatic enough to question what the homeless are contributing to society in their current state. Some of these guys are vets and should be honored for their service, and some will be productive and do some good again in their lives, but harassing people and doing drugs in the park isn't helping anyone.

Trust me, do you really think the cops will arrest you for chasing off a drug dealer in frount of your shop with a tazer or mace? Getting aggresive? Your right. These scumbags are not tough, not even from Ballard and are cowards. I for one would work with Saw it go down on some Black op, clean up the neighborhood projects, if ya catch my meaning..... Off the books, but effective. Nothing illegal naturally.

LOLOLOL The wannabe tough guys are here. I love it.

There is no wanna be sweetheart. I am a tough guy, and fed up at this point. I will tell you what. Any men, who think outside the box of calling 911 for help, who are willing to work on projects with me having only to do with chasing the Meth and Crack Dealers out, and creating a plan to get panhandlers out of downtown Ballard, contact me. We have 12 months before we lose this neighborhood at the most. Homeless issues aside, the Meth, Crack and Panhandling issue is my concern and quickly spinning out of control. It will destroy Ballard and we will have a new Pioneer square on our hand in 12 months. I have several covert ideas I would like a few Old Ballard Gents to join me in implementing for starters. Ten years or more in Ballard and you must know who is who in the neighborhood. Targeting old Ballard Winos is not my goal. I am talking about everything from Petition people on Market Street to 7-11 2 am Meth dealers. This will be a secret group, and for men only. Sorry Ladies, but this may require a bit of heavy lifting, if you know what I mean. The membership will remain top secret as will all operations.

blackhelicopteroperations@yahoo.com

OH Maria is here, the crappy ballard hag.

Black op-
Not quite what I was thinking- I was more thinking people just stand up to these people on a daily basis.

No need to worry. You continue your good work and the Black Helicopter will form and work behind the scenes. Gentlemen interested please contact me. Serious and discreet only. This is a top secret group and membership is 100% top secret as well. This mission is to only clear out the Meth and Crack dealers and clear Market Street of anyone interfering with the flow of business and the saftey of customers.

I already have the first mission ready to undertake. Gentlemen, shall we? this is the contact info for the first operation.

blackhelicopteroperations@yahoo.com

I had no idea there were so many Glenn Beck wannabes in Ballard.

awww yikes, they are tough guys who type. : ) I can see him now in his Lance Armstrong costume.

It's sort like that movie The Watchmen.

I agree, they need to be shown the door out of Ballard, and I agree the homeless who are the crack, meth dealers and sorry, yes the mentally ill and aggressive panhandlers...

as far as the decent folks, there was a great show on Oprah today about a program called "The faces of recession" there is a nationwide program called "homesharing" where families and individuals can sign up to move in with other families, rent a room and eventually pay rent, which is a win for them and a win for the one doing the sharing and collection the rent. If you go to oprah.com you can read more about it.


My issue is keeping Ballard safe and rid our community of the high number of homeless who are in general unsavory folks who are not just folks down on their luck, and can actually pass a criminal background test, as well as a drug test. Anyway chek it out.

Unfortunaltely if we have to take matters into our own hands as described by Black Helicopter Operations..then maybe we will get a police precence here after all..in the meantime we have to survive as business owners and members of the community, as not be overtaken by increased crime as a result of the homeless population thinking this is Pioneer square and a good place to deal drugs, get drunk and the like.

you do realize renters don't even have to take drug tests or criminal background checks, right?

and since homeless people don't readily have access to email, unless you count the library - where most of you feel they shouldn't be allowed, the oprah.com thing is pretty much out.

i'm not rich, nor do i have a large enough home to take in anyone. i've also never advocated that, and probably never would.

i'm just not a conservative, inconsiderate prick. plus, i look forward to the ballardites that do attempt to "take matters into their own hands" and commit or attempt to commit crimes on people they perceive as being sub-human.

hilarious. your implications that these people are all criminals is asinine. saying these people offer nothing to society is equally asinine - the same could be said for most of us - going through the motions... not really doing anything beneficial to society, just purchasing chinese trinkets, pumping out moronic babies, over eating to excess and wasting precious oxygen.

additionally, if you have so many issues w drunks, where is all the outrage about people going to the bars thursday, friday and saturday that get loaded and drive home? these people are FAR more dangerous. vagrants aren't killing 300+ people a year in washington state. drunk drivers, on the other hand, most definitely are.

yikes--

????

holz--

from your rantings, i would say you are.

Holz - I do consider Crack and Meth Dealers Sub-human. Panhandlers as well. Any grown man, who who beg on a street for 50 cents or a cigarrette is pathetic and should be ashamed. They must and will be shown the door. With or without you. We already have several men on clean up duty as we speak and more are free to join at

blackhelicopteroperations@yahoo.com

Membership is top secret, as are all operations which are presently underway as we speak. Dealers you have been warned. Your days are numbered in Ballard. Panhandlers, your next.

How can people pull themselves up by their bootstraps if they haven't even got boots?

Going from homelessness to stability is difficult. For those able to work (not hindered by mental or physical disabilities), a stable shelter is of the utmost importance. You think folks on the streets aren't just as scared of violence as people who are housed? Just as scared of assault, sexual violence, and disease?

By providing safe and clean shelter a community takes a gigantic step towards addressing its own complaints. If you don't want to see the homeless, make it easier for them to get out of homelessness. In a car camp, a tent city, or a shelter in a church basement, a community grows. The people who utilize the space take care of it. It's in their own best interest. It's called self-management.

We can't cover our ears and pretend that homelessness doesn't exist. And we certainly can't hope to shove it away by employing classic NIMBYism. What we as communities can do is recognize the problem, educate ourselves on its root causes, actually try talking to people experiencing homelessness, and make a game plan. Ghettoizing the shelters downtown, crammed into shelters like sardines only makes it worse.

Take a breath. The knee-jerk reactions don't solve anything. Think big-picture. How can we get what we want (safe streets, clean parks, respectful interactions) and be a part of the solution? Be creative.

Maybe the Union Gospel Mission needs to open a branch office in Ballard.

"In a car camp, a tent city, or a shelter in a church basement, a community grows. The people who utilize the space take care of it. It’s in their own best interest. "

then why do i constantly see trash strewn around these areas? doesn't seem like they are taking care of anything! and when i say trash, i'm talking beer cans, liquor bottles and the like.

I think there needs to be a better definition between homeless and criminals who happen to be homeless. I agree, the rampant, unsupervised (by police) abuse we endure as a community with meth, crack heads, mentally ill who engage in violent behavior, as well as alcoholics who are drunk in public, passed out in bushes or peeing on a building need to be dealt with either by help if they want it, or shown the door if they don't.

Holz, the libraries are public, and as long as people respect the rules of the library are welcome to use the computers. The Oprah show may that discussed home sharing may not be the perfect solution to the variety of people in our community, but it would allow the churches another way to help without turning their parking lots into car camps, or alleviate the need for tent cities.

Holz, you are incorrect, most people who rent do have to pass a background check, as well as a credit report check. They may not have to pass a UA to show they are drug free..but perhaps you could look into the folks who are part of "Real Change" there are requirements there for them to be clean and sober in order to be part of the program. People who are taking the first steps, that is, asking for help, and aligning themselves with groups who can perform outreach are the ones who need to be helped. The folks that are adding to fear, crime and abuse of our community I am hoping Black Helicopter Operations will be showing them the errors of their ways...sorry, but obviously the police are not helping us...

Glasses..I agree not a "knee jerk" reaction, but at least a strong show of intolerance for them to see will certainly cease some of the activity if they do not get away with it so easily.

Holz....get a grip, there is no comparing the patrons of bars, or establishments that perhaps drink too much and drive as compared to the typical wino or drunk that is homeless and whose preference is to be passed out in a bush. They are both dangerous to themselves and others, but let's keep the focus on the variety of homeless in our small community…Those we can help and those who are abusing us and our town.

Here is the link for homesharing. People who are on the list, are working through organizations, and agencies that they stay connected because they are decent folks who have fallen on hard times and are looking to move forward.

http://www.nationalsharedhousing.org/states/was...

“In a car camp, a tent city, or a shelter in a church basement, a community grows. The people who utilize the space take care of it. It’s in their own best interest."

Smoke enough weed and kumbaya and you'll believe anything I guess.

If you check, there is a homeless shelter meeting tonight for concerned neightbors, just posted on www.myballard.com

With 193 posts on the subject may be a good venue to learn more, and find ways to help the good people and options for handling the not so good...

Concerned neightbor-

smoke enough weed and you will be in rehab...if you are concerned than do something positive

Where is Susan now that we need her, to get more enrichment from her and the kids?

There was 228 posts on this subject
_________________________________

The old Calvary Lutheran Church on 23rd Ave. and 70th St., which is currently for sale, will soon become home to a nighttime SHARE shelter for as many as 20 homeless men. “They came to us a week or so ago,” said Our Redeemer’s Pastor Steve Grumm, whose church merged with Calvary Lutheran last year. SHARE’s one-year arrangement with the Church of the Nazarene in West Seattle is expiring on March 1st, and the group was looking for a new home for another one-year run. “(They’re) a responsible and accountable group,” Grumm said, pointing out that SHARE pre-screens all the members, many of them have jobs and the shelters are only open at night. Once the doors close, members aren’t allowed to leave until the next morning. “They’re places where people have hit some crisis in their life,” he said.

Grumm said he spoke to other churches that also host SHARE shelters, such as St. John’s Lutheran on Phinney Ridge, and the reviews have been very positive. Flyers have been distributed to neighbors in the area, and all are invited to a meeting at Calvary Lutheran on February 26th at 7 p.m. The group is expected to start moving in on February 28th. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact Our Redeemer’s Church at 783-7900 or SHARE/WHEEL at 448-7889. (Thanks Ivan for letting us know about the flyer.)

Black Helo boy, you go get em. Must be tough being back from I-raq and not have any body to mess with. YOU SHOW THEM WHOSE BOSS BOY! Especially pan-handlers. They are a tough lot. Good luck in this so very important operation! Your mom would be proud! *tears of joy*

Concerned Neighbor-

This is so silly. You don't know me, do you? You also don't know the homeless. Hiding behind anonymity on the web is common, but I beg you to take the time to meet the folk you despise so much.

Nearly 200 posts that range from kill 'em all to hug 'em all!
For the record, since some of my comments may not have been written as clearly as I'd hoped, I think we need a better solution to the homeless problem than a bunch of tough guys harassing them (which is a crime BTW).
If the city would invest in a more permanent housing/counseling program it will actually save money in the long run.
The SPD has to do a much better job of policing the lawbreakers who happen to be homeless.
My comments earlier asking what the hardcore drug using homeless contribute to society was a response to the ridiculous claims that Ballard belongs to the homeless, but it hasn't been answered. If these people can be helped in a meaningful way, not just pushed somewhere else, we would all benefit. I think the solutions for this are needed on a larger scale than what we individuals can do, and a more long term solution than letting them sleep in the parking lot.
Let's all take a moment to remind our city's leadership that they need to lead.

The Mayor: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/citizen_response.htm
206-684-2489

And here's the link for the rest of the city contacts:
http://www.seattle.gov/html/feedback.htm