For about a year, Seattle commuters have been watching a homeless camp grow near the interchange of Interstates 5 and 90. Tuesday night a fire broke out at the camp, the fourth time the fire department responded to the site this month.
The city informally refers to it as the Jose Rizal encampment, named after the city park that sits just to the east. It is just one of 400 unsanctioned encampments in the city.
What is home to some is an eyesore to many.
"A lot of people who live out here have mental issues or drug addiction issues and such, so they're not able to take care of themselves or their area as well as some people might be able to," said camper Chris Erickson.
Erickson takes pride in the home he built out of wooden crates. He keeps his area swept and makes sure to pick up the garbage around him.
"I feel like I probably get a little more respect because of it," he said.
His efforts and the efforts of some others convinced the city to allow them to stay. But he sees the situation going downhill.
"There have been quite a few fires over the last couple months," Erickson said.
Tuesday night was one of those times. A KING 5 TV crew, who arrived just before the firefighters, found one campsite in flames near trees, a fence line, and other homeless campsites.
"Watch for sharps in here okay? Needles. I wouldn't bend down, OK?" one firefighter told KING's photographer.
We returned the next day and could see the burned trash and debris left behind, and nearby, another unattended burning grill.
The city says it has conducted outreach to the people here 25 times in the last year. The navigation team made 150 contacts with people. But only 15 of them have accepted services.
According to Will Lemke, the spokesperson for Seattle's Homelessness Response, the city's biggest concern is how inaccessible it is for emergency responders. The camp is spread out over several tiers of the hillside.
Lemke said most of the residents have agreed to clear out garbage for regular pickup. The city has to prioritize clearing out encampments by how they impact health and safety, and how many shelter beds are available.
With up to 40 people living there, the city is allowing them to stay for now.
