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News & ArtsFriday, June 5, 2009
City Not In My Quad, Yo!
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Jun 5, 2009 at 6:01 AM
Has any violence been traced back to Tent City? Has any resident of Tent City ever assaulted a permanent resident of a neighborhood in which Tent City took up temporary residence? Is it possible that the UW campus will be safer while Tent City's in residence?
Someone needs to let these douchebag NIMQYs know.
1
While I don't think the tent city folks are particularly violent or dangerous, there are issues. Sanitation is one. All those folks have to heed natures call somewhere. We have a tent city here in Baltimore. It's on the other side of town from me, but friends tell me you can smell it for blocks. There are also a lot of TB cases, as well as other diseases associated with third world living conditions. People have to live somewhere, especially in hard times, but this is really not a good solution.
2
I worked right next door to a Tent City and the smell can be bad. But on the flip side, Tent City does background checks on every resident (no one with a criminal history is allowed to stay) and they provide security as well. It's surprising to me that UW hasn't been more upfront with their students in regards to what Tent City actually is (ie NOT a cesspool of criminal activity).
4
The school and the group of STUDENTS who are trying to get the Tent City III to come to the UW have been VERY up front about what's going on. If the students would read The Daily or pay any attention at all to the processes used by the student government and school's administration, they would not be surprised OR worried by this tent city.
Seattle University hosted a tent city and had no problems, and we (UW) had one right across the street on the corner of 45th and 15th (and just a block or two up 15th before that) for several months with no problems. In fact, I actually felt safer walking home at night knowing that their were likely people from the tent city awake to notice and/or help in an emergency situation.
Stop being elitist. Stop being ignorant. Stop allowing your fear of homeless "cooties" to rule your lives. God, how I hate this NIMBY jackassery.
Seattle University hosted a tent city and had no problems, and we (UW) had one right across the street on the corner of 45th and 15th (and just a block or two up 15th before that) for several months with no problems. In fact, I actually felt safer walking home at night knowing that their were likely people from the tent city awake to notice and/or help in an emergency situation.
Stop being elitist. Stop being ignorant. Stop allowing your fear of homeless "cooties" to rule your lives. God, how I hate this NIMBY jackassery.
8
I love how they repeatedly say that it's "inappropriate". How fucking "appropriate" is it to live in a society where there is homelessness to begin with?
And never mind that there are a few homeless shelters in the U District already anyway...
And never mind that there are a few homeless shelters in the U District already anyway...
10
5, Thanks for the links. This does seem more organized than what we have in Baltimore, which is basically a Catholic church letting people live in a park they own. There is no sanitation or health services. It's an mess. They are literally killing these homeless folks with kindness.
11
@6 I second that.
If you're worried about smell, noise, crime and substance abuse, it's not Tent City you should be worried about, it's 17th Avenue.
If you're worried about smell, noise, crime and substance abuse, it's not Tent City you should be worried about, it's 17th Avenue.
12
It's so tiresome to hear those girls say "you wouldn't put it near a middle school", etc. Yes. Tent City has been sited next to high schools, middle schools and, several years ago, my daughter's DAY CARE. At no point was I afraid for her safety.
My hope is that more people - perhaps even the ones in the video - will get an education around this issue and change their minds. That's part of the point of this whole exercise, isn't it?
My hope is that more people - perhaps even the ones in the video - will get an education around this issue and change their minds. That's part of the point of this whole exercise, isn't it?
13
I lived a few blocks from a highly contested Tent City location in Kirkland. There was never a problem other than the grim spectre of an unshaved white guy carrying a duffle bag once. I never once found a turd or a needle on the sidewalk, or somebody humping the neighbor's dog.
I would think that UW students would be more concerned that somebody gets mugged by groups of teenage homeys every day. I would much rather live around a few hobos than a bunch of frat boys slugging it out over who gets to fuck the puking sorority girls. Living near frat row, that shit got old really fast.
I would think that UW students would be more concerned that somebody gets mugged by groups of teenage homeys every day. I would much rather live around a few hobos than a bunch of frat boys slugging it out over who gets to fuck the puking sorority girls. Living near frat row, that shit got old really fast.
14
The current tent city in the CD is located less than two block from the front door of Garfield H.S, about three blocks away from NOVA, and less than a block away from a day-care. It's been sited there at least three times since I've lived in the neighborhood, and I can't think of a single complaint I've heard, either from my neighbors, or from the community at-large with regards to its presence or its inhabitants. They're as clean as can be expected given their situation, well-behaved in the extreme, respectful of the neighborhood, and do an excellent job of policing themselves. When they leave, the vacant lot they use is generally in better condition than it was when they arrived.
15
Do these kids never leave campus? Do they not walk down the Ave.? Seriously, there are already tons of homeless people hanging around UW all the time. When I was a student at UW there were always homeless people camped out all over campus and in the basements of the libraries. I think having a tent city on campus is only a bad idea for the actual residents of tent city who will probably be tormented by some of the students. Just because someone pays tuition at a university doesn't mean they should be sheltered away from all of life's ugliness. I think its good for students to have a daily reminder of how fucked up life can be and how much they have to be thankful for.
16
well, i'm sure that video doesn't represent, um, the intelligent complaints against the tent city. but, woah. they complain saying they are spending so much money that they don't deserve a tent city... truly the best our nation has to offer! they've already leaned entitlement and are well on their way to a degree in nimbyism for sure.
complaints:
1. we didn't get a say in it
2. we didn't say anything before because they said it wouldn't pass
3. our representatives who passed it do not represent us
4. i paid for my education (uh, yeah, because that's not subsidized) not for tent city
5. it's dangerous (though they are not)
6. those people - hobos - are dangerous
7. they didn't provide us with enough information about it (huh?)
to me it sounds like the UW actually needs a tent city in order to educate these students on quite a few topics -- apart from compassion.
complaints:
1. we didn't get a say in it
2. we didn't say anything before because they said it wouldn't pass
3. our representatives who passed it do not represent us
4. i paid for my education (uh, yeah, because that's not subsidized) not for tent city
5. it's dangerous (though they are not)
6. those people - hobos - are dangerous
7. they didn't provide us with enough information about it (huh?)
to me it sounds like the UW actually needs a tent city in order to educate these students on quite a few topics -- apart from compassion.
18
I was a student at SU while they hosted Tent City and it wasnt a problem on campus or in the neighborhood at all. In fact I think it actually made it a safer place. Lets face it most of us are only a paycheck or two or three away from homelessness; where would you go if your parents or your friends didnt have a couch for you to crash on, what would you do if you lost your job and couldn't make rent or bills? Come on, its not like most of the people living in Tent City said to themselves "I wanna be homeless when I grow up."
19
these kids are dumb. crime goes DOWN when tent city is around. it's a community, an organization, not some bum ridden 'hangout', no one is there to cause trouble.
20
Tent City was near my neighborhood for a while with no problems. Every time one of the tent cities plans to show up anywhere a portion of the locals freak out and their concerns are never borne out. Ever.
21
with all the glowing recommendations, i think i'll move into a tent city this weekend!
except it will be city of 1 tent, and it will be at the end of the teanaway river road...
except it will be city of 1 tent, and it will be at the end of the teanaway river road...
23
if Tent City is such a benefit, will UW include pictures of it in their marketing?
to those who think it needs to be there to help teach the children, thanks, but i am not interested in being a lab rat or exhibit A in an economics or sociology class or poverty awareness program.
news flash: no one wants to be homeless. and no one wants the homeless to be living in their back yard.
to those who think it needs to be there to help teach the children, thanks, but i am not interested in being a lab rat or exhibit A in an economics or sociology class or poverty awareness program.
news flash: no one wants to be homeless. and no one wants the homeless to be living in their back yard.
24
@23:
Tent city is currently located three blocks from where I live now (not precisely "in my backyard", but probably close enough for your consideration), and personally, I much prefer having them hanging out there than the crack-heads and 'bangers who usually occupy that piece of property. In fact, when tent city is around, those other folks tend to stay away, so for all practical purposes having them there is a vast improvement.
Tent city is currently located three blocks from where I live now (not precisely "in my backyard", but probably close enough for your consideration), and personally, I much prefer having them hanging out there than the crack-heads and 'bangers who usually occupy that piece of property. In fact, when tent city is around, those other folks tend to stay away, so for all practical purposes having them there is a vast improvement.
25
Some stats from Tent City 4:
154 documented police contacts or related incidents
25 criminal events or related contacts
129 non-criminal related contacts including disturbances
11 arrests of tent city residents
5 felony, 2 misdemeanor, 2 DV assaults, 1 DUI, 1 drug-related arrest
6 residents with known non-extraditable warrants for arrest
2 known sex offenders
10 rejected from camp
53 ejected from camp
$100,000 cost of police overtime
Yeah, sounds like a great idea!
154 documented police contacts or related incidents
25 criminal events or related contacts
129 non-criminal related contacts including disturbances
11 arrests of tent city residents
5 felony, 2 misdemeanor, 2 DV assaults, 1 DUI, 1 drug-related arrest
6 residents with known non-extraditable warrants for arrest
2 known sex offenders
10 rejected from camp
53 ejected from camp
$100,000 cost of police overtime
Yeah, sounds like a great idea!
28
From the Bothell (tent City 4) police memo:
Note also that Bothell police ran up an overtime bill due to "meetings, public information requests, and providing police presence" (which presence was 24/7, beginning to end, by their choice.
IOW, police costs resulted from community prejudice - not Tent City behavior.
Also, Reader1 edited the police stats prejudicially. There were 5 arrests on felony warrants, not felony incidents. Likewise the 2 misdemeanor warrant arrests - not crimes associated with Tent City, and plausibly not crimes at all.
Total arrests were 2 DV, 1 DUI, and 1 drug-related - remarkably low for any comparable population, especially considering 24/7 onsite police presence.
... we did not see an increase in crime in the Maywood Hills neighborhood ....
Note also that Bothell police ran up an overtime bill due to "meetings, public information requests, and providing police presence" (which presence was 24/7, beginning to end, by their choice.
IOW, police costs resulted from community prejudice - not Tent City behavior.
Also, Reader1 edited the police stats prejudicially. There were 5 arrests on felony warrants, not felony incidents. Likewise the 2 misdemeanor warrant arrests - not crimes associated with Tent City, and plausibly not crimes at all.
Total arrests were 2 DV, 1 DUI, and 1 drug-related - remarkably low for any comparable population, especially considering 24/7 onsite police presence.
31
Dan --
I totally support tent cities.
I live right across the street from one that was on 15th Ave NE in the U-Dist.
I'm sad that tent city is no longer accross from my apartment. I think it made the street nicer because it created a community with a set of enforced standards of conduct for all the homeless round here.
Now, the homeless are back to being nomads, with no place to go and no community of their own in which it is a matter of pride to stick to standards of good behavior in order to be viewed positively as actual members of the community.
Those uptight UW bitches sitting in the quad and bitching about the tent city need to pull the buttplug out of their asses and start thinking instead of bitching.
I totally support tent cities.
I live right across the street from one that was on 15th Ave NE in the U-Dist.
I'm sad that tent city is no longer accross from my apartment. I think it made the street nicer because it created a community with a set of enforced standards of conduct for all the homeless round here.
Now, the homeless are back to being nomads, with no place to go and no community of their own in which it is a matter of pride to stick to standards of good behavior in order to be viewed positively as actual members of the community.
Those uptight UW bitches sitting in the quad and bitching about the tent city need to pull the buttplug out of their asses and start thinking instead of bitching.
32
Well, if they set up camp next to the stadiums then the smell shouldn't be any worse than from the athletes :)
Seriously though tent city as far as I know, has been nearly a paragon of how a group of homeless people should conduct themselves. I'd challenge anyone complaining against their presence in the area to prove they, themselves are less detrimental to the the campus.
Seriously though tent city as far as I know, has been nearly a paragon of how a group of homeless people should conduct themselves. I'd challenge anyone complaining against their presence in the area to prove they, themselves are less detrimental to the the campus.
34
seriously. is the point that homeless people are more likely to drive drunk? in tent city? on campus? what?
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