On Friday, October 15, the City of Seattle will reinstate its 72-hour parking rule, stating: “City Traffic Code does not allow a vehicle to be parked on the same block of a city street for longer than 72 consecutive hours.” The 72-hour parking rule has been suspended since March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the issuance of stay at home orders.
The reinstatement of this rule will cause harm to the thousands of Seattleites who have lost permanent housing and are now residing in their vehicles, and also to the hundreds of thousands of Seattleites who rent their homes and park on the street.
The 72 hour parking rule is discriminatory towards every Seattleite whose living situation does not offer them a reserved parking spot, so the October 15 rule change should be suspended and the policy abandoned. Seattle Department of Transportation is undoubtedly full of clever people who can find alternative ways to deal with “clearing unoccupied hazardous vehicles” without causing harm to hundreds of thousands of their neighbors.
Today’s action: Tell your Councilmembers, the Mayor, and the Director of SDOT to suspend the 72 hour parking rule
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Sample script:
Hi, I live in [CITY, ZIP]. I have heard that SDOT will reinstate the 72 hour parking rule on Friday, October 15, and I am writing to urge you to suspend this rule change and to permanenly end the practice. The 72 hour parking rule harms hundreds of thousands of Seattleites, including thousands of our unhoused neighbors and hundreds of thousands of renters.
[INCLUDE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE RULE CHANGE WILL HARM YOU; E.G., WHERE DO I PARK IF I LEAVE TOWN FOR LONGER THAN THREE DAYS?]
The City government is undoubtedly full of clever people who can find alternative ways to deal with “clearing unoccupied hazardous vehicles” without causing harm to hundreds of thousands of their neighbors.
Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]
Background
With estimated 40% of city’s homeless population living in vehicles, Seattle will restore enforcement of 72-hour parking rule: http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2021/10/with-estimated-40-of-citys-homeless-population-living-in-vehicles-seattle-will-restore-enforcement-of-72-hour-parking-rule/
With its citizens asked to ‘stay home,’ Seattle easing parking restrictions including dreaded ’72-hour rule’: http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2020/03/with-its-citizens-asked-to-stay-home-seattle-easing-parking-restrictions-including-dreaded-72-hour-rule/
Bonus: General Election Endorsements
We’re proud to announce that we are endorsing four candidates for Seattle citywide offices:
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Teresa Mosqueda for City Council District 8
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Nikkita Oliver for City Council District 9
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Nicole Thomas-Kennedy for City Attorney
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Lorena Gonzalez for Mayor
