"I was homeless from 2007 to 2014… I've been doing outreach work ever since. In fact, I started while I was homeless. I started this work in 2012. I do this because I’ve been there, I’ve seen it.....That is why now that I work at Scofflaw Mitigation Team and at the Safe Parking lot of the U Heights center, I know that in order for us as a society to assist, we must first truly try to understand what brought each individual to the situation they are in.” - Jen Adams
In May of this year, the City of Seattle started re-implementing a policy that prohibits vehicles to be parked on the same block for more than 72 hours. If one violates that policy, their vehicle can be impounded. These parking sanctions were put to a halt at the height of the pandemic giving everyone a space to shelter in place and avoid contact with others as well as moment to breathe and recuperate from the financial and human loss we collectively experienced. But that “moment to breathe” has not been enough for many members of our communities and the pandemic put many people in significantly worse situations than before.
For folks living in their vehicles, having their home impounded means living unsheltered. It means losing their safe space, their most important belongings, and an inability to reclaim their home due to unaffordable fees. For many of us, having a vehicle towed might be an inconvenience, but for people living in their vehicles it is devastating.
The University Heights Community Center and Scofflaw Mitigation Team, among other advocates and organizations, work very hard to assist folks whose cars are impounded by mitigating tickets and offering case management services - steering individuals towards finding stability and a healthy living and working environment.
At Facing Homelessness’ Window of Kindness we regularly see the impacts of the 72-hour rule, as well as the sweeps that have also been reinstated. Our visitors arrive having lost most or all of their possessions and are seeking support. We wanted to put a spot light on this issue and offer ideas for how our community can get involved so we met with Jen Adams of the Scofflaw Mitigation team. Jen graciously gave us her time and talked with us about her experiences with this issue and collaborating with the U Heights Safe Parking Lot program which is providing much needed support for folks living in their vehicles.
"I've tried to recover people's vehicles when they get sent to a tow yard so at least folks can recover their belongings and work tools. Clients report some of their items are missing and it does not feel like a secure place. That is what it means to experience this new parking regulation.”
When Jen was living unhoused she met our founder Rex and got to know Facing Homelessness. She is sharing her story and the story of her work in vehicle resident outreach, in hopes that those that have never experienced such a situation may understand the effects of the City’s 72-hour policy and take action to help.
"It took me a long time to claw my way out of being unhoused; I realized that very few people listened to me, to us. They othered me. We need to dig deep with people, to find out what their issues are so that we can help them steer their ship. I always say to the people I am working with, I'm not taking your ship. I don't want to drive it. I want to teach you how to steer it. Because everybody has a purpose and I want you to be able to find it.”
"In other places of the world, you can build a hut and live in it in peace. But not here: You're not allowed to exist. Not at all. We don't want to see you. We want you gone. We want you moved out of our sights and waterfront views. You can't be here, but we won’t also tell you where to go. That is why we need more safe parking lot spaces and social services like the ones we offer, like the ones Facing Homelessness offers. And if you're drowning in substance use disorder, let’s understand that it is a disease. It is because something bad happened. And now you're out in the middle of nowhere without a door to lock, without a way to keep your stuff and now you're spinning in circles because you don't know what to do. You just keep doing drugs to numb the pain so you can go on. That is why we must approach each one of us with kindness.”
Jen is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to navigating the system. She has the important numbers for tow yards, court dates and times for people who are low-income. “We tell everybody if they get a yellow sticker that they need to move the vehicle immediately. Because this administration is towing. Heavily. Right now there are a lot of people losing their vehicles. If it's not in their name, if the tabs aren’t current, it can be taken quickly.”
Jen’s knowledge and resources are critical for folks who rely on their vehicles for shelter. Some vehicles may not have been moved for a very long time over the past two years, and now may have mechanical issues.
"These are poor people who cannot afford anything. Whether or not they're on substances is beside the point. Because people housed are also on substances. This is affordable housing. This is the fact that five people can't share a house in the U district anymore. Apartments and structured housing have changed completely.”
We know that many of these folks are working towards being housed in a stable environment, surrounded by a supportive community, and being able to be employed with all their basic human needs being met. Loosing a vehicle serving as a home is a major setback on that journey. Jen notes the incredible resilience she sees in the face of these challenges.
What can we do? By raising awareness in our communities, we can educate and push our elected officials to implement kinder and more empathic regulations and invest in more affordable housing and safe parking lots. We encourage you to share this story with your family and friends and to think critically about ways we can create a safer space for all of us. If you know anyone who is living in a vehicle in threat of being towed, they can call 206-659-5512 with their name, plate, license and registration information.
The safer and more successful marginalized communities are, the more prosperous our city becomes for all of us. Check out the U Heights Center as well as Scofflaw Mitigation Team to see ways you can volunteer or donate!
Thank you Jen Adams, the Scofflaw Mitigation Team and University Heights for all of your advocacy and support for folks living in their vehicles!
University District | Clàudia
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