BURIEN, Wash. — A Feb. 10 confrontation between Burien City Council Member Linda Akey and people planning to sleep in tents outside her condo building is the latest issue surrounding homelessness in the city of a little more than 50,000.
Two videos, recorded by an unhoused individual and given to KING 5 by a community activist, show Council Member Akey telling the group “You are trespassing if you’re up against the building.” She goes on to repeat twice “I have authority,” before telling a man “I live here and you do not belong here. You are trespassing right now.” The incident happened outside of the Burien Town Square Condominiums.
The video captures Akey insisting the unhoused individuals not set up camp against the building or else she will call the cops.
The situation reaches its tensest moment when a woman claims Akey touches her; the woman cusses out the council member. A tent blocks the view, so KING 5 cannot verify if Akey touched the individual, but the two appear inches apart in the video. Akey is also accused of being drunk. KING 5 cannot verify that claim. Statements from her did not address either accusation.
On Friday, The B-Town Blog was the first to report the story. Council Member Akey sent a statement to the blog which, in part, apologized for raising her voice. She also clarified she was acting in her capacity as a homeowner, not a council member.
Monday evening, a press release was sent out on behalf of Akey who’s currently traveling. That release, in its entirety, can be read below.
Mayor Kevin Schilling told KING 5, he spoke to CM Akey after seeing the videos. He discussed with her they “needed to have a more positive approach.” Mayor Schilling said Burien is doing all it can to address homelessness.
"We've effectively permitted and zoned for and are in the planning process for 650 affordable housing, supportive units coming online this year and into next year,” he said. However, tents set up on a nightly basis throughout the city show they need more help.
"We need the bigger governments to step up and provide the resources I know they have,” Mayor Schilling said. “To help these people get off the streets and into shelter and services, job training, drug assistance, be reunited with their families."
Progress on a plan for pallet shelters in Burien is making its way through the planning commission according to the mayor. Late last year, the City of Burien accepted King County’s offer of 35 pallet shelters and $1M to run it for a year. There’s no firm timeline on when the shelter will open.