The mayor and City Council of Seattle will consider a controversial measure to combat its surging homeless population.
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray proposed the construction of three tent encampments as a temporary measure to provide shelter for the city's growing homeless population, according to an article by Alan Pyke. The city already has six authorized homeless camps, required to move every few months.
Mayor Murray announced the idea with an official statement describing the proposed legislation that would move the proposal forward. According to that statement, Mayor Murray is proposing the "permitted" encampments for vacant properties in non-residential areas. The encampments will also not be permitted on city-owned park property.
Pyke's coverage of the proposal details the ongoing debate about whether tent cities can be successful in addressing homelessness. Murray's proposal addresses at least one of the recommended best practices for tent city arrangements—leveraging social service organizations to connect tent city residents with permanent housing solutions.
Victoria Caliere also reported on the proposal for Reuters, focusing on the data showing the growing homeless problem in Seattle.
FULL STORY: Seattle Mayor Proposes Trio Of Tent Cities In Response To Surging Homelessness
Modular Housing for the Homeless
The Seattle region will try to save costs and speed construction on three new pilot projects by using modular construction to house homeless.
Seattle's Homeless Population Is Booming Too
While rates of homelessness drop elsewhere, tents and cardboard are becoming a very regular sight in Seattle. New wealth and newly unaffordable housing may be twin culprits.
Phoenix Takes a New Approach on Homelessness
Phoenix is centering housing—affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and eviction protections—in a new planning framework designed to reduce the number of homeless people living on the streets of the city.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research