Is Everett Declaring War Against Those Experiencing Homelessness?

Editor’s Note April 13th 6:40pm: Item #2 has been pulled from the agenda. Items 1 and 3 are still set to be voted on by the City Council.

Activists from Seattle spoke at last week’s Everett City Council meeting warning that if the council passed three newly proposed ordinances the city would be met with costly future litigation. This Wednesday, the Everett City Council is slated to vote on three proposed laws that some say make experiencing homelessness a crime while others say are important tools the police need to prevent existing criminal behavior. The three ordinances being considered are:

1). An Alcohol Impact Area:

This ordinance creates an Alcohol Impact Area in the commercial areas of the city which asks for sellers of certain listed alcoholic products to voluntarily stop selling those products in their stores. The stated goal is to decrease the level of chronic public inebriation and illegal activity associated with the sale and use of alcohol. Merchants would be asked to voluntarily stop selling the products and after six months the police department would issue a report on whether the voluntary actions were working and if not, then the Washington State Liquor Board would be asked to place mandatory restrictions on stores within the boundaries of the Alcohol Impact Area. Items on the list include all flavors of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, a fairly mainstream product. You can see the ordinance, a map of the Alcohol Impact Area and the list of prohibited products here.

2). No Sitting or Lying on the Sidewalk Near Everett Gospel Mission:
This ordinance would make it illegal to sit or lie down upon, or place a blanket, sleeping bag, backpack, chair, mattress, couch, stool or any similar equipment, item or furniture upon a public sidewalk or any portion of the public right of way whether improved or unimproved in the following area: Smith Avenue north to Pacific and south to 38th street. There are exceptions for those in wheelchairs and people experiencing medical issues and a person would have to be warned and willingly violate the ordinance in order to be arrested. In addition, people would be prohibited from distributing food, beverages, clothes or other items to people within this zone unless they had a permit from the city. Again this is a very specific area of Smith Street only between Pacific and 38th street. However, Everett City Council member Ron Gipson has asked the city attorney to prepare language making this ordinance effective throughout the entire city. Gipson said he didn’t think it right to make this specific to one part of Everett and not all of it and wanted the option to have the council vote that way if others agreed. You can see the entire ordinance here.

3). No begging or panhandling for money, food or other items near signalized intersections or traffic medians:

This ordinance would prohibit people begging or panhandling within 60 feet of an intersection where there is a lighted traffic signal or a traffic median. It is meant to keep drivers or passengers of vehicles from passing things to or from pedestrians outside of the vehicle. It would not stop people from holding informational signs at those intersections. You can see that ordinance here.

There will be the chance for the public to comment on all three of these ordinances at the Everett City Council meeting this Wednesday night at 6:30pm before a vote is taken. The meeting is being held at the council chambers at 3002 Wetmore in downtown Everett and can also be viewed online on the city’s website or on the Frontier or Comcast cable access channels.