Is Tent City legal?
Tent City is not illegal. There is no provision in the zoning law for a tent city; however, every time an “illegal camping” case has been brought to court, in Seattle or elsewhere, it has been thrown out on the grounds that the preservation of human life is a higher priority than zoning laws. Surviving cannot be made illegal. Until a city has enough indoor shelter for everyone, judges are reluctant to convict a homeless person for sleeping outside. City officials are torn between not wanting to grant official approval to a tent city and not wanting to make life any harder for homeless people. The City’s original solution to this dilemma was to wait until a neighbor lodged a complaint about Tent City, then levy a two-week notice to vacate, with the possibility of being arrested if on public land, or fines levied against the owner if on private land. In the past, however, the City has construed a question about what was happening as a complaint. SHARE/WHEEL’s Tent City applied for a six-
