CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to land use and zoning; providing that transitional encampments for homeless individuals are allowed on any property owned or controlled by a religious organization without approval of a permit under the Seattle Land Use Code, to permit transitional encampments for homeless individuals as an interim use on all publicly owned or private property within the City of Seattle, and providing for renewal of temporary use permits for transitional encampments as a Type I decision of the Director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections; amending Sections 23.40.002, 23.42.054, 23.42.056, 23.76.004, 23.76.006, 23.76.032, and 23.84A.038 of the Seattle Municipal Code; and amending Ordinance 124747.
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WHEREAS, Seattle has been in a State of Civil Emergency on homelessness since 2015; and
WHEREAS, the 2019 Point in Time Count found there are 11,199 homeless people in King County including 5,228 sleeping unsheltered on the streets; and
WHEREAS, tiny house villages have proven to be an effective place for homeless individuals and families to find the safety, privacy, and human dignity necessary to get back on their feet and transition to affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, tiny houses provide the security of a sturdy wood structure, a place to store personal belongings, insulation, and electricity; and
WHEREAS, tiny house villages have operated with a self-management model where residents democratically run their communities; residents have reported this model has helped them overcome the isolation and alienation of homelessness, and residents have become more successful transitioning into permanent housing; and
WHEREAS, in 2018 residents of tiny house villages successfully transitioned to permanent housing at higher rates than residents of shelters, with 56 percent obtaining permanent housing or transitional housing; and
WHEREAS, between 2016 and 2018, appr...
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