Stop! That Car Might Be Someone’s Home: Please Amend Scofflaw Ordinance
Posted by Roger Valdez on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 · Leave a Comment
I just sent this e-mail at the request of Bill Kirlin-Hackett. This is a problem I have seen in my own neighborhood and I think needs to be addressed. I don’t think it is a huge problem, and I think a small investment of time and money would just about solve it. You should send an e-mail too.
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Dear Mayor Murray and Councilmembers,
In 2011 the Seattle City Council passed the Scofflaw Ordinance that seeks to get parking fines paid. It includes booting a vehicle that has 4 or more outstanding tickets to require payment. The problem with the ordinance is it makes no accommodation for persons living in vehicles. Parking Enforcement Officers are not doing the work required to identify this situation and offer resources and help to the residents of the vehicle. When the vehicle gets towed away, the people lose their house and end up on the streets, less safe, and more vulnerable.
This has got to stop. I saw this almost happen to a couple who were my neighbors on Capitol Hill living in their car. I was outraged at the boot and called Bill Kirlin-Hackett from the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness. He and I emailed and traded messages and thanks to his help, the towing was averted the car was repaired (they had lost the keys) and the couple kept their home.
First, I would ask that PEO’s verify to the extent possible that nobody is living in the vehicle. This could involve a preprinted notice or just asking!
Second, in every case no car should ever be booted or towed until an effort is made to help the people with resources or giving them a chance to move the vehicle.
Booting a vehicle when the people have no home isn’t going to recover the City’s money.
Third, the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness started the volunteer Scofflaw Mitigation Project in summer 2011 to do what they could to alleviate the harm this ordinance brings. But this is a stop-gap band-aid, under resourced and acting entirely with volunteers and donations. They have made literally dozens of requests of the Mayor to little avail. Resources ought to be set aside to pay tickets, make repairs, or take other actions to help avoid the loss of the vehicles.
This ordinance criminalizes being homeless. You all say you don’t want that. Please take care of this as soon as possible. I think much of this is about training officers who are trying to do their job to stop and ask before booting. They need permission and direction from the Mayor to make this a priority. I don’t think a lot of money would need to be set aside, and certainly a mechanism could be created to forgive tickets. This probably isn’t a big budget issue, but let’s find out.
Thanks for your consideration and response on this issue.
Roger–
