Homeless encampments spread following sweep at Dottie Harper Park in Burien
New homeless encampments popping up around Burien
Tents are now set up on 152nd and 4th Avenue next to Burien City Hall, where a larger encampment had been in March.
BURIEN, Wash. - New homeless encampments are popping up around Burien after a larger encampment was cleared out from Dottie Harper Park on June 6.
Tents are now set up on 152nd and 4th Avenue next to Burien City Hall, where a larger encampment had been in March, and across the street from businesses like Dynasty Collect.
"People are going to want to avoid Burien altogether and especially for business and safety," said Emmanuel Guzman, co-owner of Dynasty Collect.
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'There’s nowhere for them to go'; Burien sweeps 2nd homeless encampment in a week
For the second time in less than a week, the City of Burien is forcing people out of their homeless encampment.
Guzman started noticing tents show up on 152nd Street not long after the sweep at Dottie Harper Park and says he has seen some people in the tents abusing drugs.
"We have seen one or two that look a bit more aggressive that carry huge sticks and are screaming out in public," said Guzman "It scares people."
Which is why Guzman says he is attending Burien City Council's meeting on Monday night.
"It's hard to relocate people sometimes, but I think there's a better solution than what's being done right now," said Guzman
The latest Burien CIty Council agenda shows an Outreach Coordinated Care Model Presentation is slated for the upcoming meeting on June 12, but it doesn't specifically mention discussions on encampments moving around Burien.
"[Burien City] Council may be willing to take up the conversation at a later date but at this time to my knowledge, there's no intention of discussing this ongoing humanitarian crisis," said Burien City Council Member Cydney Moore.
Moore spoke to Fox 13 as an individual and not on behalf of the council.
"The city is spending money on cleaning up or on throwing away peoples' belongings anytime there's a sweep," said Moore "So, it's costing us time resources and energy."
A homeless encampment set up at Burien City Hall moved to city-owned property on SW 152nd and 6th Avenue SW in late March.
The encampment grew in that location until a lease kicked in on June 1st with Burien C.A.R.E.S., moving twice until ending up at one of its current locations next to Burien City Hall.
Moore says a conversation to address the encampment hasn't been determined yet, but she did reveal there are plans to discuss the future of her and Planning Commissioner Charles Schaefer.
"At our recent meeting, the city council voted to hold a special meeting to discuss possibly censuring me and potentially removing Charles Schaefer from the planning commission," said Moore.
Moore says she doesn't know the exact basis for the vote.
She and Schaeffer has dealt with pushback from some community members who were upset for what she says, was upholding their duties as public servants.
"If our unhoused constituents ask us what is the city's law, what is the city's existing policy, and how can we comply with that law, we have an obligation both because of our office and a moral obligation, I feel, to inform people," said Moore.
She says this special meeting focused on her and Schaefer could come as early as this week, but it still doesn't address what to do about the encampments.
So far, Moore says King County's offer of $1 million to help with the encampment is still on the table.
"We have to find a way to move forward because this is not going away," said Moore. "We have to continue allocating resources in a way that will address this and not waste resources chasing people around from place to place," said Moore.