User:Marikafragen/Tent City 3

Tent City 3

Tent City 3
Tent City 3 is a homeless encampment in and around the City of Seattle, Washington. Started in 2000 by SHARE (Seattle Housing and Resource Effort) and WHEEL (Women's Housing Equality Enhancment League), the camp offers basic simple shelter (tents) for up to around 100 homeless men, women, and children.

Tent City 3's reason for existence is, ostensibly, survival.

Some critics have stated that Tent City 3 exists as a political stunt to attract attention.

History
Tent City 3 started in March, 2000, on private land on Martin Luther King Way (land owned by VN King).

The first few years of Tent City 3's existence were surrounded by controversy. The encampment moved many times in the first two years, but the length of their stays at particular churches grew to several months within several years.

In 2001, the City of Seattle, SHARE, and El Centro de la Raza became embroiled in a dispute over permitting. In September, 2001, a Superior Court Judge ruled that the City's denial of a permit to the encampment was not supported by the evidence.

On March 13, 2002, the City of Seattle, El Centro de la Raza, and SHARE signed a settlement agreement, called by the residents of the encampment "the Consent Decree."

The Consent Decree
CITY OF SEATTLE CONSENT DECREE AGREEMENT WITH TENT CITY3 On March 13 th 2002 SHARE/WHEEL and the Seattle City Attorney’s Office signed a settlement agreement entailing that the City no longer prosecute churches and social-service agencies who host Tent City3, and that Tent City3 agree to numerous conditions on how the encampment will be run.

Background: While Tent City3 was hosted at El Centro in spring 2001 they applied for a six-month Temporary Use Permit. After a 4-month review period the Department of Construction and Land Use (DCLU) denied the permit application. Four months later, the City Hearing Examiner ruled that although Tent City was not materially detrimental to persons or property, it was not “in the spirit of the Land Use Code”. SHARE/WHEEL then appealed to King County Superior Court. Meanwhile $14,000+ in fines were levied against El Centro de la Raza during Tent City3’s 6-month stay there. In March 2001 Tent City3 had moved to Trinity Lutheran Church in Ballard, and the Department of Construction and Land Use (DCLU) issued a Notice of Violation, demanding that the church evict the encampment within two weeks. After the Church publicly refused to do this, more than 300 citizens contacted the Mayor's Office to protest the City's action. The Mayor's Office then promised not to fine Trinity, and indicated they would not act to fine a church for hosting Tent City again. On September 27 th 2001, Judge Thomas Jefferson Majhan ruled that DCLU’s permit denial for Tent City3 was “not supported by the evidence”. After the ruling, the fines against El Centro de le Raza were dismissed.

The Consent Decree expired in 2012.

In 2011, Seattle proposed a bill that would not require encampments to move as often.

TC-3's Site History
March 31, 2000: On March 31 st 2000 First Things First held a rally in front of the Municipal Building advocating for A Roof Over Every Bed: shelter for everyone, an increase in affordable housing, and services with dignity. Following this rally SHARE/WHEEL set up a Tent City on vacant land owned by King Vn, Inc., at Martin Luther King Way South and Charleston, in south Seattle. The neighbors and the landowners had not been notified ahead of time but were notified within hours of the camp’s arrival. The property was owned by a group of businessmen who, after seeing that the campers were cleaning up the area, removing brambles, and patrolling for undesirable behavior in the underbrush, expressed willingness to have Tent City stay there indefinitely.

El Centro de la Raza invited Tent City 3 to their parking lot on July 16 th 2000, and in August, El Centro extended its invitation to January 16, 2001. A six-month Temporary Use Permit was applied for, and in the public comment period DCLU received over 370 letters supporting the camp and only 18 against. This resulted in a court battle (discussed above), resulting in a Consent Decree.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to trace all the sites where Tent City 3 stayed. However, some lists are available by time period.

March 31st 2000 – September 2nd 2001

 * 1) King Vn, Inc., vacant lot
 * 2) Coleman School I-90 LID
 * 3) Shower of Blessings, 9501 Rainier Ave S
 * 4) All Saints Episcopal, 5150 South Cloverdale Place
 * 5) Rainier Avenue Free Methodist, 5900 Rainier Ave S
 * 6) Star Bethel Missionary Baptist, 5922 Rainier Ave S
 * 7) Crown Hill United Methodist, 8500 14 th Ave NW
 * 8) St Marks Episcopal Cathedral, 1245 10 th Ave E, Capitol Hill
 * 9) Northgate Baptist, 10510 Stone Ave N
 * 10) Seattle Advent Christian Church
 * 11) Star Bethel Missionary Baptist, 5922 Rainier Ave S
 * 12) El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16 th Ave S, North Beacon Hill
 * 13) Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Mount Baker
 * 14) St Marks Episcopal Cathedral, 1245 10 th Ave E, Capitol Hill
 * 15) Riverton Park United Methodist, 3118 S 140 th St, Tukwila
 * 16) Trinity United Methodist Church, 6512 23 rd Ave NW, Ballard
 * 17) St Thérèse Catholic Church, 3416 East Marion Street
 * 18) North Seattle church of the Nazarene, ending Jul 31, 2001.

September 2 nd 2001 – April, 2003:

 * September 2 nd – September 31 st 2001 -- Dunlap Baptist Church, 8445 Rainier Ave S
 * September 31 st – November 11 th 2001 -- Church by the Side of the Road, S 148 th & Pacific Hwy, Tukwila
 * November 11 th 2001 – January 5 th 2002 -- Haller Lake United Methodist, 13055 1 st Ave NE
 * January 5 th 2002 – February 18th 2002 --Riverton Park United Methodist, 3118 S 140 th St, Tukwila
 * February 18 th 2002 – March 29 th 2002 --North Seattle Church of the Nazarene, 13130 5 th Ave NE
 * March 29 th 2002 – May 11 th 2002 --Trinity United Methodist Church, 6512 23 rd Ave NW, Ballard
 * May 11 th 2002 – June 30 th 2002 --Lake City Christian Church, 1933 NE 125 th St
 * June 30 th 2002 – July 31 st 2002 --St Marks Episcopal Cathedral, 1245 10 th Ave E, Capitol Hill
 * July 31 st 2002 – September 1 st 2002 --Haller Lake United Methodist, 13055 1 st Ave NE
 * Sept 1 st 2002 – November 3 rd 2002 --Church by the Side of the Road, S 148 th & Pacific Hwy, Tukwila
 * November 3 rd 2002 – January 3 rd 2003 --Highline United Methodist Church, 13015 1 st Ave S, Burien
 * January 20 th 2003 – April 20 th 2003 --El Centro de la Raza

June 2003 - present

 * June 2003 - September 2003 -- Temple Beth Am
 * Early 2004 Haller Lake UMC
 * May 17, 2004: move out of Lake City Christian. Start of Tent city 4 in Bothell.
 * May 17, 2004 - August -- Cherry Hill Baptist
 * June 2006 - August 2006 -- St Joseph's Catholic Parish
 * July 2007 -- Haller Lake UMC
 * January 2008 - February 2008 -- Cherry Hill
 * March 1, 2008 - Apr 26, 2008 -- Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, Ballard
 * April 27, 2008 - June 2008 -- St. Mark's Cathedral
 * February 2009 - April 2009 -- St. Mark's
 * April 25, 2009 -Jun 25, 2009 -- Cherry Hill Baptist
 * June 25, 2009 - August 2009 -- St. Therese Parish
 * August, 2009 - November, 2009 All Saints Episcopal Church
 * November 2009 - January 2010   St. George's Episcopal Church
 * January 2010 - March 2010 -- Haller Lake UMC
 * March 2010 - June 2010 -- Prince of Peace Lutheran
 * June 2010 - September 2010 -- Calvin Presbyterian
 * September 2010 - November 2010-- St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
 * November 2010 - February 2011 - Maple Leaf Lutheran Church
 * February 2011 - April 2011 - Cherry Hill Baptist
 * April 2011 - June 2011 -- St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
 * Jun 11 2011 - August 6, 2011 -- St Joseph's Catholic Church
 * August 6, 2011 - October 2011 - Haller Lake UMC
 * October 2011 - January 2012 - Prince of Peace Lutheran
 * January, 2012 - March, 2012 - Seattle Pacific University
 * Mar-Jun, 2012 -- St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
 * June 2012 - August, 2012 -- Haller Lake UMC
 * August 2012 - November, 2012 -- Riverton Park UMC
 * November 2012 - February, 2013 -- Calvin Presbyterian
 * February 2013 - May, 2013 -- Haller Lake UMC
 * May 2013 - August 2013 -- Shoreline Free Methodist
 * August 2013 - October 2013 -- St. Mark's Episcopal
 * October 2013 - June 2014 -- Bryn Mawr UMC
 * June 2014 - April 2014 -- St. Dunstan's Episcopal
 * April 2014 - July 2014 -- Riverton Park UMC
 * July 2014 - October 2014 -- Haller Lake UMC
 * October 2014 - December 2014 -- Ravenna site: 6307 8th Ave NE
 * December 2014 - March 2015 -- Seattle Pacific University
 * March 2015 - June 2015 -- Shoreline Free Methodist
 * June 2015 - September, 2015 -- St. Dunstan's Episcopal
 * September 2015 - December 2015 -- Bryn Mawr UMC
 * December 2015 - March 2016 -- Riverton Park UMC

Code of Conduct
Tent City 3 uses this Code of Conduct; it is published by them at every neighborhood notification meeting before the Tent City moves in.


 * SHARE/WHEEL Tent City III Code of Conduct


 * We the people of SHARE/WHEEL in order to keep a more harmonious community ask that you observe the following code of conduct:


 * SHARE/WHEEL's Tent City is a drug and alcohol free zone. Those caught drinking or using drugs will be asked to leave.
 * Sobriety is required.


 * No weapons are allowed.
 * Knives over 3 1/2 inches must be checked in.


 * Any violence will not be tolerated.
 * Please attempt to resolve any conflict in a creative peaceful manner.


 * Degrading, ethnic, sexist or homophobic remarks are not acceptable.
 * No physical punishment, verbal abuse or intimidation will be tolerated.


 * We are a community.
 * Please respect the rights and privacy of your fellow citizens.


 * No men in the women's tents.
 * No women in the men's tents.
 * No open flames.
 * No loitering or disturbing the neighbors.
 * No trespassing.


 * Attendance of at least once of the several community meetings held throughout the week is required; days and times will be posted so that you may work it into your schedule.


 * If these rules are not enforced and respected, tent city might be permanently closed.

Tent City 3 in Popular Culture
In an opinion article, Tent City 3 is compared favorably with Seattle's government.

And a picture of Tent City 3 made picture of the year at Time Magazine.