‘Growing concern’ over Burien homeless crisis fuels lawsuit against camping ban

BURIEN, Wash. — At least one former councilmember believes the city of Burien may have itself to blame for a lawsuit filed Wednesday regarding the city’s treatment of the homeless.

Burien’s recently-implemented camping ban means people can’t camp in areas like public parks or spaces like city hall plaza from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Now a suit has been filed regarding the ordinance.

Cydney Moore is a former Burien councilmember and the president of the Burien Community Support coalition which now runs a camp, and she says the City of Burien has mismanaged the homeless situation.

“The city had a rough year in 2023, and engaged in some pretty questionable practices,” she told KIRO 7.

Moore has always spoken her mind on homelessness, and she is still sounding off on the city’s response to the growing crisis.

“I think this lawsuit is a culmination of several actions over the course of many months that targeted the unhoused,” she said.

The suit was filed Wednesday and claims the city’s camping ban ordinance is considered cruel punishment.

Burien passed it last September -- with enforcement starting three months later in December.

It took months of debate at Burien’s council to even get to that point; it’s only taken weeks for the Northwest Justice Project (NWJP) to file this suit.

“The complaint alleges that the city of Burien’s new anti-homelessness ordinance essentially banishes homeless people from its city,” NWJP attorney Scott Crain said.

Crain says the suit was filed for three people without housing who were not offered shelter beds when their camp was cleared last month.

“Moving from camp to camp as a result, perhaps being arrested if they don’t move -- they would like to be able to live in their city shelter themselves and eventually find housing,” he said.

Burien has struggled with finding and establishing shelter space. The city’s own ordinance says criminal punishment for camping can only be done when shelter beds are available.

Alison Eisinger with the Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness says the group has been monitoring Burien’s situation for the better part of the last year.

“We have watched with interest and growing concern over what has been the public discourse in Burien,” she said.

Moore’s work with the Burien Community Support Coalition also gives her expertise in trying to find people shelter beds.

“Being involved in that I can personally confirm there are often not enough shelter beds,” Moore said.

Burien did respond to KIRO 7 this morning saying the city has no comment on pending litigation at this time.

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