SEATTLE — Neighbors near the Southwest Queen Anne Greenbelt are raising concerns about encampments in the area, saying they are impacting both the environment and safety.
“I just don’t feel safe in that, and that is the one where I have seen needles," Tracy Wallschlaeger said.
A video posted by a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous shows an up-close view of garbage, needles and other drug paraphernalia. The neighbor told KING 5 News that he has filed 12 "Find It, Fix It" reports with the city of Seattle, but none have been addressed. Wallschlaeger said she has also filed reports.
“I’ve had pretty good luck to be honest. A couple of them have sat a little bit longer, so I kind of want to give them some grace because there is so much of this when you walk around," she said. Wallschlaeger pointed to a spot in her neighborhood that was cleaned after she filed a report recently.
“That seems to be addressed right away and they can locate those spots easier because it’s very specific," she said. “I think there was one I gave up on because it was something really large.”
The city of Seattle told KING 5 they are well aware of the encampments in this greenbelt. It said its Unified Care Team is in contact with those living there and that the trash and debris will be addressed later this week.
“I think the problem hasn’t gotten any better," Wallschlaeger said. The city is monitoring over 200 active sites and argues they are making progress. It says since 2022, the verified count of tents has decreased from 763 to 345, and the number of RVs parked at encampments has dropped from 426 to 179. The city also said it is continuing to monitor the area and is working to get people there into housing.