'Heaven' Sign on "Nickelsville" abode in homeless tent city

'Heaven' Sign on Nickelsville abode, originally uploaded by MaryWit.

Nicklesville is a homeless tent city named after Seattle's heartless mayor, Greg Nickles in the spirit of the Hoovervilles that sprang up around the country in the Great Depression. I visited the camp last week after they had set up the 150 pink tents donated by the Girl Scouts on a huge empty and abandoned lot. The lot was owned by the City of Seattle. It was secluded, clean and quiet. The residents are impressively organized inside the camp, especially considering the instability of constant flux. They have a "kitchen", port-a-poties, a "city hall" (heh!),, an official "Nickelsville" mailbox, a Nickelsville sign (complete with American flag), and "office", security, rules and plenty of good humor.

Supporters, press and visitors were treated kindly and with respect. Security informed visitors of the rules and asked that photos not be taken of residents without permission. Residents were open, warm, strong and friendly. Sadie was with me on the visit and was so spoiled by all the love she got she didn't want to go home. I made some great friends during those visits, and plan to go back if more help is needed when they have to move--or take another stand.

(I still haven't found work--lots of apps, no offers-- and unemployment will run out in a few short weeks. It's good to have this time to help others, and one never knows when you might be the next resident of Nickelsville.)

Within a couple of days, city workers were ordered to walk through the camp and hammer green removal notices throughout, with a 72-hour deadline. Nickelsville stayed put. On Thursday, more city workers were ordered to swarm the camp with even bigger No Tresspassing signs, which they hammered throughout the camp. Supporters brought wood, hammers, nails, tarps and other supplies to begin build wooden structrures. As the deadline neared, obervers, supporters and press vans arrived. Friday's deadline passed. On Saturday morning, I received an action alert that the police had moved in and were sweeping the camp. Some residents were willing to be arrested' observers and supporters were needed immediately. By the time I arrived, police were just making the final arrests. Tents had been removed, some were lost, stakes broken, and some building materials were lost or destroyed. Estimated loss was over $2,000. Soon after I arrived, they got a call that arrestees were being released and they needed cars to pick them up from the jail. I joined the caravan of five or six cars and headed to the police station.

Meanwhile, Governor Gregoir sent a senior advisor to stop the eviction. As it happens, the parking lot next to the land the camp was on, also vacant and unused, is state, not city, property. So the governer sent word that the people could set up Nickelsville in the lot. for five days until other land could be located or other arrangements made. They remain in the lot as of this writing. The five-day deadline is tomorrow night. (There is a link for property owners who would like to allow Nickelsville to set up on their land on the website below.)

Ironically, mayor Nickels cited sanitary concerns as the reason they could not stay on the empty city property. (The property is in a largely industrial area, and the community signed letters of support to let them stay.) Apparently, he feels that sleeping in city doorways and alleys is safer and more sanitary.

More of my Nickelsville photos are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marywit/sets/72157607500277529/

For more on Nickelsville, check out nickelsvilleseattle.org . Their site has links to media coverage, the history of the camp, further information and how you can help.