Pierce County Council Takes 2nd Swing At Safe Parking Program

TACOMA, WA — The Pierce County Council is taking a second stab at creating safe parking facilities for use by people experiencing homelessness.

Earlier this year, the council adopted a Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness, a roadmap council members homed would help end homelessness in the south sound. Following that roadmap, the council in April approved a plan which allowed religious organizations, civic groups, and commercial property owners in unincorporated Pierce County to set aside their unused parking spaces, and give them to residents who are living out of their vehicles as a safe and secure place to stay.

"Allowing regulated, safe parking sites for people and families provides a secure, temporary place for them to find stability as they work to improve their financial situation and seek permanent housing," said Council Chair Derek Young in a statement. "We have waited too long to respond to the growing homeless crisis. This is just one way we can begin to tackle meeting the needs of our most vulnerable residents."

Unfortunately for Young and other supporters, that program was vetoed by Executive Bruce Dammeier, and sent back to the drawing board. Now, one month later, the council has put forward a second pass at the program.

“This ordinance puts standards in place to protect the residents of safe parking and limits potential neighborhood impacts,” said Councilmember and ordinance co-sponsor Ryan Mello. “Without this ordinance, site operators won’t have the certainty they need to invest in the amenities and tools required to host safe parking.”

The biggest, most obvious change to this draft is that the program is now beginning as a pilot program. Under the pilot, safe parking sites are allowed on land owned or controlled by a religious organization, but only four limited duration sites are permitted on civic or commercial properties, and only if a religious group, non-profit or government agency operates the site.

In the earlier ordinance, the number of safe parking facilities was uncapped, and the facilities were expected to last for at least six months, possibly longer depending on their success. Sites would also have been allowed in a broader variety of locations like schools, parks and libraries.

In contrast, the four limited duration sites must be situated in urban zones, and can host "any number of vehicles" according to a news release from the council. The previous program limited sites to 7 or fewer vehicles, more if they obtained a conditional use permit.

Despite changes to their initial program, Mello and others say they're hopeful the ordinance will have an impact, and promise the council is still working on a long-term parking program.

“This is the cheapest, lowest-impact-to-the-community strategy from our adopted Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness that we can do to help as many people as possible,” Mello said. “One-third of those experiencing homelessness in Pierce County have a car, and half of those have an income and just need a safe place to park while they try to secure stable housing. If we don’t legalize safe parking, we will continue to see people forced into unsafe places along highways and dead-end roads.”

As with the previous program, hosting organizations have to meet with community members to discuss neighborhood concerns before setting up a parking facility. They must also check state and local sex offender registrations to see if anyone using their site is a registered sex offender, and provide on-site restrooms, drinking water, and trash receptacles.

Once the sites have been established, they'll be monitored by the county's Planning and Public Works Department, which will analyze their effectiveness and may recommend permanent regulations for safe parking facilities.

The legislation now heads to the executive's office for signature. Unlike the previous program, Dammeier has said he will support this legislation, the News Tribune reported

“I felt that this version of the bill addresses my concerns with the dramatic expansion of safe parking into civic and community organizations,” Dammeier told the Tribune.