Dear Mayor Nickels,
On September 22, the Highland Park Action Committee held our regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

We had speakers from the White Center Community Development Association discussing some of the great things happening in that part of the neighborhood; we discussed our upcoming Halloween party for the little ones in our area; we had our usual crime report from one of our outstanding local police officers.

We also had two representatives from “Nickelsville”. We were all taken by surprise when this well organized group of homeless folks created this large tent city in our neighborhood, seemingly overnight.

Many of us are frightened or at least very concerned when we see those people who live on the fringes of society. They often don’t look like us or live like us, and it is sometimes difficult to understand why.

People wonder if have they fallen on hard times, or is this just a lifestyle choice for them. Perhaps they have substance abuse issues or they suffer with mental problems. Maybe they are just one of the thousands suffering through the terrible economic crisis that our country is going through right now, where a minimum wage job can barely allow an individual enough to pay rent, let alone thrive. Many among us are one or two paychecks away from this fate.

At first glance we may be happy to see some shabby old, housing project torn town and replaced by some bright, shiny new condos. But then we think, “Were did all of those people go?” We see some of them now living “off the grid” under the freeway or in the greenbelt. Anywhere they can survive for a while before the police remove them.

Mayor Nickels, many of us voted for you, and support many of the things you stand for. We are proud to live in a city that is recognized around the world as being not only beautiful, but also modern and forward thinking. But we feel that you have failed to truly step up and solve this terrible situation.

When the city tears down several low-income homes and replaces it with
only one, it’s obvious that we are going to have problems.

When politicians say that we have sufficient social services to take care of everyone, but then you speak to a person on the street who says that they have been turned away from 5 shelters because there are no more beds available, something doesn’t add up.

Forcibly removing these individuals from Nickelsville will not solve
the problem. They have few options and will probably just end up back under the freeway or hiding out in the greenbelt.

The Highland Park Action Committee feels that the city has the resources to help these people if they are willing to take serious action. A short-term solution may be to start with a task force to immediately identify unused buildings and arrange tax incentives for the owners if they agree to allow people a temporary place to stay.

I’m sure we all must agree that although Nickelsville may be our current solution to the problem, it is not the best one. These are human beings that at the very least need a simple roof over their head to shelter them from the elements.

Whatever you do, it needs action now. Winter is coming and people should not have to freeze to death on the street or barely survive in a tiny pink tent.

Sincerely,
The Highland Park Action Committee