BURIEN, Wash. — On Monday, Burien City Council approved an emergency ordinance expanding when police can arrest someone.
The new ordinance, which was approved in a 5 to 2 vote, makes it illegal for individuals to reside, sleep, or have personal items such as blankets or pillows on public property at any time.
This decision falls in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which permits cities to prohibit sleeping in public spaces.
Monday’s vote expands the previous restrictions that were put in place in 2023 and revised in 2024.
Under this revision, there is no requirement that beds or shelters be available before it can be enforced.
However, law enforcement can still offer alternatives and, if accepted, the person would avoid being arrested.
The city says this latest ordinance was passed as an emergency because there has been no enforcement of Burien’s ordinance for almost a year despite court rulings.
The city contracts with the sheriff’s office for law enforcement services, and there became a legal back-and-forth when they refused to enforce the ordinance.
King County filed a complaint against Burien over the camping ban that was dismissed by a U.S. District Court judge. Burien then filed a counter-lawsuit.
KIRO 7 reached out to the sheriff’s office to find out whether they will enforce the new ordinance, and here is their response:
“It is the initial opinion of the King County Sheriff’s Office that this ordinance, as written, is enforceable, as it no longer contains vague language found from the prior ordinances nor does it allow the city manager to rewrite the boundaries of the no-camping zones at any time without notice. That said, I am asking the men and women of the King County Sheriff’s Office to continue to lead, as they do each day, with outreach and compassion while continuing to engage with regional service providers whenever appropriate. We are aware of challenges to Burien’s anti-camping ordinance pending in state court and based on the Washington constitution. We will monitor the state court decisions and adjust our practices accordingly.”
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