The Seattle City Council on Tuesday approved a plan to expand capacity at some shelter sites from 100 to 150 people, with future pilot sites allowing up to 250 people.
SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council on Tuesday approved legislation to expand transitional camp capacity across the city, part of Mayor Katie Wilson’s push to quickly add more shelter spaces and small camps as Seattle continues to grapple with homelessness.
The legislation would increase capacity at some existing shelters from 100 to 150 people and allow for future pilot sites to grow to as many as 250 people.
The vote comes as the city moves forward with plans to build a 90-unit small residential village in South Park near Clover Junction.
According to city documents, the proposed village will include 90 small houses, three staff offices, a security office, a kitchen tent, a community tent, sanitation units, a laundry room and a storage room.
Some South Park residents said they were unaware the city had identified the property for the proposal.
Khoa Nguyen, who has lived in South Park for several years, said he supports efforts to help the homeless but worries about the impact a larger shelter will have on the surrounding community.
“As a resident, I would feel like there would be homeless people coming in and it might feel dangerous,” Nguyen said. “I do understand, though, that they are homeless people and we need to do something about it.”
Councilors spent several hours at Tuesday’s council meeting debating how much oversight, safety and community input should be provided during the shelter’s expansion.
The City Council approved an amendment that would allow the city to negotiate additional security requirements for proposed shelters near schools or other encampments.
But the committee rejected another amendment that would have required trained nighttime security guards at larger shelter sites. Some councilors felt existing staffing and public safety requirements already addressed these issues, while others cited potential cost and operational challenges.
The committee also rejected an amendment that would have called for large shelters to be divided into smaller internal “neighborhoods.” Supporters argue the proposal will improve privacy and livability for residents, while opponents say it is too vague and could complicate operations.
Supporters of the legislation say Seattle desperately needs additional housing capacity and argue that small villages offer a safer, more stable option for outdoor living.
“With this temporary legislation, it’s an opportunity for us to make sure that this expansion is really well run and well done,” Councilman Dion Foster said during Tuesday’s meeting.
The legislation is considered a temporary policy while the city develops permanent regulations regarding the housing expansion.
The vote itself does not specifically approve the South Park site, but it does make it easier for the city to expand mini-villages and other housing projects across the city.
Seattle already has about a dozen hamlets. City documents say six more micro-shelters, totaling about 360 beds, are in the process of being licensed.
