Tacoma begins clearing encampment under I-705

TACOMA, Wash. — The cleanup began at a South Sound homeless encampment underneath Interstate 705, and it’s coming none too soon for nearby businesses.

Workers began dismantling dozens of tents beneath I-705 in Tacoma this Friday morning. Last week, the city declared the encampment an “imminent threat to public safety,” but businesses directly across from it say it was left in place far too long.

Workers began making a dent in clearing out the encampment, but Tacoma officials predict it will take at least a week to fully remove the encampment.

The operation has raised the hopes of nearby businesses that the encampment will soon be gone, but there is plenty of skepticism, too.

“There was a rock and there was glass shattered inside the building,” said Todd Foster, a 15-year employee at Eagle Truck & Automotive.

He says this has been his work life for months, across from the encampment underneath I-705.

“This happened when we were closed,” Foster said. “They just broke the window, just to break it. Just to do, I don’t know, because that’s what they do.”

On this overcast Friday, the city of Tacoma was dismantling the encampment he believes is the source of their troubles.

Even before city workers could arrive, however, at least two fires broke out, a reminder of the safety threat the encampment posed. So late last week, the city posted notices telling the 60 to 80 people they believe live here that this was going away.

When asked where she will sleep Friday night, encampment resident Edilyn Domenden answered, “(I) have no clue.”

She says she has been homeless for nearly 20 years.

“Now with this going on, trying to chase us out of our home is another biggest trauma we’re all going to have to deal with again,” she said. “And I told everybody, ‘Enough is enough.’ How many more moves do we have?”

Allyson Griffith, the assistant director for Tacoma Neighborhood and Community Services, says they are offering shelter.

“I like we were very constrained in terms of overall shelter space in the community,” Griffith said. “We don’t generally see 100% uptake at any particular encampment, but we’d be right about at our shelter capacity.”

“I’m very grateful they’re doing this,” said Foster. “But when it’s cleaned up and things change, then I’ll believe it.”

He is doubtful because he says he can already see people who were living here moving behind his business.

The city says clearing out the encampment is a process that will last at least another week, maybe longer.

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