- $1 million 35-home pallet village has been proposed in suburb of Burien
- Parents and staff at Kennedy Catholic High School voiced safety concerns if allowed to go ahead
- Supporters of the scheme say a ‘inaction and hostility’ not a solution for homelessness
Seattle residents have expressed fury over a ‘pallet village’ for homeless people which is being proposed near a Catholic school.
Parents and staff at Kennedy Catholic High School voiced concern about the impact of the 35 home complex, citing fears of an increase in crime.
The $1 million initiative is designed to provide emergency temporary housing to homeless people in suburb of Burien for two years.
But opponents say the proposal threatens the, ‘safety, security, equity, and economic well-being’ of the community, with homeless encampments on the west coast synonymous with open drug taking, violence and other crimes.
‘A temporary emergency housing encampment should not be placed right next to a school, it is completely irresponsible of the city council and I question their moral compass,’ Kennedy parent Amy McDonna told a planning meeting Thursday.
Parents and staff at Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien, WA have expressed concern over plans to erect a ‘pallet village’ for homeless people near campus
The $1 million project is designed to be emergency temporary accommodation for unhoused people in the area over the next two years
But opponents including parents Amy McDonna (pictured) spoke out against the plans at a city planning meeting, citing safety concerns
‘My two daughters attend Kennedy Catholic High School and I would be remiss if I did not speak up for them against the placement of this homeless encampment that the city council is trying to push through.’
She questioned city leaders over what screening procedures would be in place for ‘ drugs, guns, mental health and registered sex offenders’ amid criticism the plans lack clarity.
‘This whole debate has been a mess from the beginning. Don’t exacerbate it. Recommend to the city council to go back to the drawing board,’ Vice Principal Katie Burns told the meeting.
She said that while the school had sympathy for the need for the village, the proposal has been badly thought out.
A petition created by concerned parents also branded the plans ‘ill-advised’.
‘A thriving learning environment starts with safety, yet the proposed tiny home village raises concerns about drug use and crime, endangering our children’s well-being,’ the petition states.
‘Our dedicated teachers and administrators deserve a secure work environment. A nearby tiny home village threatens their safety and property, which is unacceptable.’
It goes on to claim there could be a detrimental economic impact to the community by deterring parents from sending their students to the school and weakening Buriens’ ‘economic vitality’.
The meeting attracted several concerned members of the community who questioned what safeguards would be in place
Concerned parents of students at Kennedy Catholic High School set up a petition to block the plans from going ahead
But proponents of the scheme said they are relatively crime free and provide a chance for people to get back on their feet
Burien currently has two shelters: a family shelter that can serve up to 219 family members and a women-only shelter that can serve up to nine single women.
The Highline United Methodist Church also operates a Severe Weather Shelter during times of extreme cold and can sleep up to 50 people.
Supporters of the measures argue it is necessary to deal with the unhoused population in the area.
‘If you want the situation to improve, we have to act boldly. Inaction and hostility is not a solution,’ one man said.
Another woman, a volunteer who has worked at pallet villages, told the board that crime at the facilities is minimal and that they help people get back on their feet.
‘If people don’t want to see homeless in the street, they belong to our community. So, they need to be offered another place to live,’ she said.
In order for the proposal to go ahead the city’s planning board needs to vote through amendments to zoning laws.
The vote on the change to the planning rules is set for February 28.
