Latest city neighborhood grants: Polish Home HVAC upgrade, new fence for Howell Street P-Patch

Capitol Hill community center the Polish Home and a neighborhood p-patch have been selected for $75,000 in support from the city’s Neighborhood Matching Fund.

The grants are part of $818,698 supporting 21 different community-initiated projects in neighborhoods across the city part of the latest matching fund awards.

The Polish Cultural Center was awarded $48,875 to upgrade 18th Ave’s Dom Polski with a new HVAC system “to enable the community to continue to use this special space for Polish cultural events and community gatherings like National Night Out, Neighborhood Block Parties, and other programs.” Continue reading

Where the people from the Seven Hills Park sweep went

The City of Seattle says most of the eight people still living in tents at the park found space at a temporary shelter facility. Some remain living outside. The Seven Hills Park encampment has been cleared.

Thursday morning, nine or ten city workers entered the 16th and Howell park to begin dismantling tents and collect discarded items left behind from the sweep. Volunteers were on hand to help some of the people move their belongings. One person in a tent was having a difficult time waking up and a community volunteer stopped in with her to help.

CHS reported here on plans for the sweep of the encampment that formed after months of complaints from nearby housed neighbors as a flashpoint in Mayor Bruce Harrell’s efforts to step up clearance and shelter outreach work in the city.

The city’s HOPE Team that leads outreach efforts has hundreds of “set-aside” shelter resources “that can be prioritized for individuals residing in priority encampments that may be subject to a removal,” a city official told CHS on the day of the sweep. These set-aside beds represent about 30% of the city funded shelter system. Continue reading

Suddenly a flashpoint in mayor’s new response to Seattle homelessness, Capitol Hill’s Seven Hills Park to be cleared of encampment Thursday — UPDATE

Groups of residents and protesters awaited a Friday night tour of Seven Hills planned with city officials. Public safety director Andrew Myerberg met privately with a smaller group, instead.

The notices went up Tuesday at the park. Thanks to a neighbor for the picture.

The city has posted notice that Capitol Hill’s Seven Hills Park will be cleared of tents and belongings Thursday as Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office says it is responding to concerns following months of complaints from neighbors about tents and disorder in the 16th Ave at E Howell park.

Officials say they requested “that outreach efforts at Seven Hills Park intensify” in advance of the Thursday sweep.

“At the beginning of this week, city staff observed 12 tents, and outreach has identified eight individuals residing at this location long-term,” a Seattle Parks spokesperson said.

Officials say the effort had resulted in two referrals to “24/7 enhanced shelter” — “outreach is ongoing and those remaining onsite will all receive offers of shelter prior to an encampment removal,” the spokesperson said.

UPDATE 2/17/2022 9:30 AM: The clearance is underway:

The sweep follows months of complaints from residents in nearby buildings about camping in the park that began at the height of the pandemic with the number of tents ebbing and flowing along with clearances at other nearby parks spaces including Cal Anderson, Williams Place, and Miller Playfield. Continue reading

Police, Seattle Fire respond for 15th/Denny stabbing — UPDATE: Arrest

A person was reported stabbed near the encampment area at Seven Hills Park and was being treated by Seattle Fire outside the nearby 7-11 in an incident Monday afternoon on Capitol Hill.

Seattle Fire was called to the 7-11 store at 15th and Denny just before 1:45 PM.

Seattle Police were investigating a report the stabbing had took place at the nearby park, according to East Precinct radio updates. Continue reading

Police search for vehicles after gunfire and path of Capitol Hill traffic circle and mailbox destruction

Police investigated reports of gunfire and two cars racing through the streets of Capitol Hill Thursday night.

There were no reported injuries but a traffic circle near 16th and Harrison was wiped out, according to a CHS reader who witnessed the chase:

we just saw the craziest thing: two cars racing at high speed here in 16th and Harrison, one of the cars couldn’t stop and drove/jumped right throw the roundabout between the trees! We are still in shock, and this was like 20 minutes ago.

Continue reading