WSDOT begins removal of 25-acre homeless camp in Highland Park

HIGHLAND PARK, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Transportation says it has begun cleanup of the 25-acre homeless camp in Seattle’s Highland Park neighborhood.

The encampment stretches between State Route 509 and Myers Way. An eviction notice was posted by WSDOT on Aug. 31.

Service providers then started offering housing that would meet the needs of the people who were living there.

Now, over 80% of people who were staying in the encampment have been matched with shelter or housing. WSDOT says that many people have already moved to those accommodations.

“Through the Right of Way Safety Initiative in the past year, the state’s partner agencies have worked with local partners and service providers to address 30 sites (closed and active) in five counties: King, Pierce, Thurston, Snohomish, and Spokane,” said WSDOT Deputy Communications Director Stefanie Randolph. “Within that work, 951 people have accepted housing offers. Of those who accepted housing, as of July 31, 2023, 795 people (93.6 percent) remain housed.”

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