Tashkent Park is the latest public space around Capitol Hill to cleared of encampments as city officials say they are ramping up clearance efforts as COVID-19 restrictions lift.
Notice of the planned July 1st sweep of the Boylston Ave E location was posted by Seattle Parks last week. We have not received details from the city about how many individuals were camping in the park and if any accepted referral to shelter or services.
In recent sweeps like early June’s clearance of Williams Place Park, the parks department has said public safety concerns and maintenance needs have required the encampments to be cleared.
As with previous clearances, Tashkent Park was closed to the public for maintenance and clean-up following the effort. According to the notice, belongings were not slated to be stored as in past camp clearances. We’ve asked the city for more details. UPDATE: A parks representative said outreach staff “reported that those who were residing onsite opted to take their belongings that they wanted as they moved into shelter.” The rep said the HOPE team visited the park and “indicated that those who were residing at this park said that the remaining belongings were no longer wanted.”
During the months of pandemic, Seattle officials said they were operating under federal CDC guidelines in allowing the camps to form. Continue reading