SoDo homeless camp moves near T-Mobile Park after city shuts it down

SEATTLE -- It only took a few hours after the city shut down a homeless encampment in SoDo for a new one to pop up.

Some of those campers setup shop in the same neighborhood.

At least a dozen campers went from a street that's popular with Seahawks tailgaters to a spot two blocks away near T-Mobile Park.

Businesses have repeatedly sounded the alarm on the SoDo homeless encampment. On Seahawks Sundays, Utah Street morphs into Hawk Alley - a popular spot for tailgaters.

"It's not that bad in the daylight hours, but things get sketchy after we're closed and a lot of car break-ins and thefts," said Ryan Santwire, owner of Paseo SODO, a popular restaurant on First Avenue and Holgate.

Tuesday the city shut it down over public health hazards, human feces, needles, and even propane tanks.

“Right now, it’s pretty bad. It’s one of the worst ones,” said Terry Wick last week to KOMO News. She is the co-owner of OB Williams Company.

The high-end wood manufacture’s warehouse is located along Utah Street.

A group of campers with most of their belongings and carts outside Paseo SODO said a few bad apples ruined it for the rest.

"We have systems," said Bonnie, a woman who's been living on the streets for three years. "I want to be a part of the solution. I got myself out here, and now I'm staying to help be part of the solution."

"With any group of people, whether homeless or not, you are going to have people who cause problems," said Ed.

He didn't want to share his last name either, but said the moving from camp to camp caused him to lose some of his bike repair tools. "That's how I work," said Ed.

Backhoes did the heavy lifting, crews hauled away two dump trucks filled with garbage and debris from the Utah Street location just north of Starbucks Headquarters.

But to the surprise of business owners, the camp is back .

Many of the campers essentially moved across the street.

"Just looking for a safe place to go," said Ed.

The RV owners drove directly two blocks east and parked on Occidental street.

"It's super frustrating that we can't figure out a way to make this better and not just a short time solution," said Santwire.

"Many of us are really tired. We're tired and we want a change and change in our life," said a teary-eyed Bonnie.

But she opted not to follow through on the city's offer of a shelter.

The city says only 12 campers showed interest in shelter referrals, but could go up, as some like Ed are still deciding.

"I'm not sure at this point it is an indoor thing and it's the politics that is unappealing," Ed said

The RVs are actually legally parked on Occidental, depending on zoning a vehicle can stay parked for 72 hours before having to move.

The city hopes to connect those inside the RVs to services and facilitate a move to a safe space.

For Paseo's owner, he is disappointed the cycle has continued, but knows the solution is complicated.

"There is only so much the city can do. I think the community needs to get involved," he said.