- Million-dollar, 35-home pallet village proposed in suburban Burien
- Kennedy Catholic High School parents and staff raised safety concerns if allowed to continue
- Supporters of plan say ‘inaction and hostility’ are not a solution for homelessness
Seattle residents have expressed fury over a proposal to build a “pallet village” for homeless people near a Catholic school.
Parents and staff at Kennedy Catholic High School expressed concern about the impact of the 35-unit complex, citing fears of increased crime.
The million-dollar initiative is designed to provide temporary emergency housing to homeless people in the suburb of Burien for two years.
But opponents say the proposal threatens the “safety, equity and economic well-being” of the community, and that homeless encampments on the West Coast are synonymous with open drug use, violence and other crimes.
“A temporary emergency housing camp should not be located right next to a school, it is completely irresponsible on the part of the city council and I question their moral compass,” Amy McDonna, Kennedy’s mother, said at a planning meeting Thursday.
Parents and staff at Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien, WA, have expressed concern over plans to erect a “pallet village” for homeless people near campus.
The $1 million project is designed to be temporary emergency housing for homeless people in the area for the next two years.
But opponents, including mother Amy McDonna (pictured), spoke out against the plans at a city planning meeting, citing safety concerns.
“Both of my daughters attend Kennedy Catholic High School and I would be remiss if I didn’t speak on their behalf against the setting up of this homeless encampment that the city council is trying to push through.”
He questioned city leaders about what screening procedures would be implemented for “drugs, weapons, mental health and registered sex offenders” amid criticism that the plans lack clarity.
‘This whole debate has been a disaster from the beginning. Don’t exacerbate it. Recommend council go back to the drawing board,’ Deputy Chief Katie Burns said at the meeting.
He said that while the school was sympathetic to the town’s need, the proposal was poorly thought out.
A petition created by concerned parents also called the plans “ill-advised.”
“A thriving learning environment begins with safety, but the proposed small village raises concerns about drug use and crime, endangering the well-being of our children,” the petition states.
‘Our dedicated teachers and administrators deserve a safe work environment. A small village nearby threatens their safety and property, which is unacceptable.’
It goes on to state that there could be a detrimental economic impact on the community by discouraging parents from sending their students to school and weakening the “economic vitality” of Buriens.
The meeting attracted several concerned community members who questioned what safeguards would be implemented.
Concerned parents of Kennedy Catholic High School students have created a petition to stop the plans from going ahead.
But advocates of the plan said they are relatively crime-free and give people a chance to get back on their feet.
Burien currently has two shelters: a family shelter that can accommodate up to 219 family members and a women-only shelter that can accommodate up to nine single women.
Highline United Methodist Church also operates a severe weather shelter during times of extreme cold and can house up to 50 people.
Supporters of the measures argue that it is necessary to address the area’s homeless population.
‘If we want the situation to improve, we have to act bravely. Inaction and hostility are not a solution,” said one man.
Another woman, a volunteer who has worked in pallet villages, told the board that crime at the facilities is minimal and they help people get back on their feet.
‘If people don’t want to see homeless people on the streets, they belong in our community. Therefore, it is necessary that they be offered another place to live,” he stated.
For the proposal to move forward, the city’s planning board must vote on amendments to the zoning laws.
The vote on changing urban planning regulations is scheduled for February 28.