Seattle Council Considers Civilian Homeless Response Team

SEATTLE, WA — Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis on Monday introduced legislation to establish a civilianized system to coordinate outreach and services at homeless encampments without involving law enforcement.

In August, the City Council voted to dismantle the Navigation Team, which included police officers and conducted encampment removals.

"This team will be exclusively civilian," Lewis said. "The City practice of using armed and uniformed police as agents of homelessness outreach and coordination is resolutely over. The new model will acknowledge the strength the City can bring as a partner by coordinating a variety of essential services to support the provider community."

Lewis's legislation would create the Unsheltered Outreach and Response Team to assume a collaborative role in coordinating homeless outreach with existing community organizations like the Chief Seattle Club, Downtown Emergency Services Center, REACH and the Urban League.

"Until we stand up more enhanced shelter and permanent supportive housing, the City cannot make credible offers of shelter to everyone who needs it," Lewis said in a statement. "Therefore, it is imperative that campers are engaged by people equipped to build trust and help manage the encampment so that it can be safe and hygienic while residents work to exit homelessness."

Under the plan, some of the support roles filled by the city would include providing garbage pickup and hygienic facilities. Lewis said his bill was the result of weeks of discussions among councilmembers, Mayor Jenny Durkan's office and frontline service providers.

"This new approach empowers the frontline workers with the skills and relationships to best serve unsheltered people in our city," said Colleen Echohawk, executive director of the Chief Seattle Club. "I appreciate Councilmember Lewis for setting the table for a collaborative partnership between City government and the experts in compassionate outreach."

The bill would also conditionally approve more than $2 million in the 2020 budget for contracts with non-profit organizations, allowing them to take on the outreach roles previously done by the Navigation Team. The council is scheduled to vote on the plan on Monday, Oct. 26.