Official Daily Action for Wednesday, April 14th, 2021
The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department has scheduled a sweep of the Miller Park Encampment for Friday, April 16th, ahead of the start of in-person instruction at nearby Meany Middle School on Monday, April 19th. The city claims that shelter is available for the residents of the park, but according to organizers in Homeless Organizing Community Seattle, Friday is not enough time to get everyone in the encampment housed through the Low Income Housing Institute, even if every camper qualifies for the program. Sweeps are inhumane; they remove the only shelter that occupants have been able to find or create, and even stand in opposition to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Today’s daily action is to tell the Mayor and City Council to halt the sweeps.
Action: Tell the Mayor and City Council to Cancel the Miller Park Sweep
Email Mayor Durkan: [email protected]
Find and email your Councilmembers: https://www.seattle.gov/council/meet-the-council/find-your-district-and-councilmembers
Script:
“Hello Mayor Durkan, and Councilmembers [NAMES], my name is [YOUR NAME] and I live in District [YOUR DISTRICT]. I am writing to urge you to cancel the planned sweep of the Miller Park encampments this Friday, April 16th. Although the city insists that shelter has been offered to the residents of the park, Friday is insufficient time to get shelter for everyone that needs it. Sweeps are harmful and traumatizing, and in opposition to guidance from the CDC for preventing the spread of COVID-19. I urge you to treat our unhoused neighbors with compassion and cancel the sweep.”
Background
Capitol Hill Seattle Blog report on Planned Sweep of Miller Park Encampments
