From: Subject: Tent City 4 FAQ Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 08:10:28 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.stjude-redmond.org/tentcity4/faq.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2962 Tent City 4 FAQ

Tent City 4 (TC4) Frequently Asked = Questions=20 (FAQ)


What is Tent City?
Tent City is a temporary encampment = of=20 homeless adults that moves approximately every 90 days. There are two = Tent=20 Cities in King County: Tent City 3 (TC3) in Seattle, and Tent City 4 = (TC4) on=20 the Eastside.
 
What is the mission of Tent City?

Why is St Jude=92s considering hosting TC4?
The Gospel of = Jesus=20 Christ has a clear bias toward the poor. Jesus said, =93Blessed are the = poor=94=20 (Matthew 5:3), and devoted much of his earthly ministry toward their = care. He=20 went so far as to proclaim that those who minister to the poor are in = effect=20 ministering to him (Matthew 25:40).

As Christians, we have a sacred responsibility to care for the poor. = By=20 hosting TC4 on the grounds at St Jude, we will be providing a safe place = for the=20 homeless to live.

Who sponsors Tent City?
Tent City is sponsored and managed = by=20 SHARE/WHEEL. (SHARE stands for "Seattle Housing and Resource Effort". = WHEEL=20 stands for "Women's Housing Equality and Enhancement League"). = SHARE/WHEEL=20 operates 15 fixed site shelters and two Tent City locations. SHARE/WHEEL = manages=20 350 indoor shelter beds in Seattle, making it the largest = shelter-providing=20 organization in the Pacific Northwest. SHARE/WHEEL has been operating = fixed site=20 shelters for 15 years and operating Tent Cities for five years.

Who runs Tent City 4?
Each Tent City has an executive = committee=20 elected by the residents. The Executive Committee is re-elected at = regular=20 intervals, to ensure rotation of leadership. All residents are required = to=20 attend weekly community meetings and to perform at least one task a day = for the=20 community, for a minimum of about 10 hours every two weeks.

How many people live in TC4?
The numbers vary but the = average is=20 from 40 to the maximum allowed 80.

Who are the people living in TC4?
Homeless adults: single = men and=20 women, and couples. Children are not allowed in Tent City.

What percentage of Tent City residents have a job?
The = percentage=20 varies with the TC4 population. Many of the residents are employed, = either=20 permanently or temporarily. You will probably see Tent City residents at = the bus=20 stop very early in the morning, because they will be down at Labor Ready = by 5:30=20 a.m. to get day-labor jobs. Other residents are in educational programs = to=20 improve job skills. There are a few people with disabilities that = prevent them=20 from getting a job; many of those are on waiting lists for permanent = disability=20 housing.

Do people leave Tent City 4?
The typical length of stay for = residents is about 6 weeks. The Eastside Tent City has found this area = to be=20 rich in day-labor and other jobs which lead to permanent employment. In = fact,=20 several residents of the 2004 Tent City stay in Woodinville now work and = live in=20 Woodinville=97such as at McLendon=92s and Woodinville Lumber. Other = residents, after=20 living a more settled, safe lifestyle surrounded by community volunteers = coming=20 and going 24/7, repair relationships with families and move home. One = other=20 unique event at Tent City is that while working to keep their own = community=20 together, many residents develop friendships with others living in Tent = City.=20 After saving money in the free shelter while working, they pool their = savings in=20 groups of 2 or 4 people to rent housing together.

How does TC4 handle security?
Tent City 4 is in a fenced = area, with=20 a single entry/exit point which is staffed around the clock. Potential = residents=20 must have, or obtain, photo ID. With the help of the local police = department a=20 check is performed for each applicant in which the applicant=92s name is = checked=20 against Washington Criminal Information Center (WACIC) and the National = Crime=20 Information Center (NCIC) for outstanding warrants and sex offender = status. All=20 residents must agree to abide by a code of conduct which includes rules = making=20 the area a drug- alcohol-and weapon-free zone.

What happens to potential residents who are not = accepted?
If a=20 person seeking admission has outstanding offenses, the person is not = admitted=20 and the police are notified to determine arrest status or method of = escorting=20 the person out of the area. If the person does not have appropriate ID, = he/she=20 must obtain it within 48 hours or leave. If the person is denied access = to Tent=20 City due to a history of violent behavior or sexual offenses, he/she is=20 personally escorted to the bus and given a bus pass if necessary. If = buses are=20 not running, the individual is placed in a taxicab with taxi script.

What happens to residents who violate the Tent City Code of=20 Conduct?
Illegal activities are referred to law enforcement. In = fact, the=20 police drop by Tent City at unannounced intervals throughout the day and = night.=20 They get to know the Tent City residents, and work together to maintain = a=20 peaceful camp. The code of conduct includes consequences for other = violations.=20 Repeated or serious offenses will result in the resident being barred = from Tent=20 City.

Does Tent City pose a threat to its neighbors or to school=20 children?
No. According to an official King County investigation: = "Concerning children's safety and the potential threat posed by Tent = City 4, no=20 evidence exists in the record suggesting area children or others are = facing=20 safety risk.... There is no reason to fear people living at Tent City = 4."

Has a Tent City ever been located in a residential area or near=20 schools?
Yes. Because the host is usually a church, Tent Cities = have=20 normally been in residential neighborhoods. In Bothell, an elementary = school was=20 located within a block of Tent City 4; previous Seattle Tent Cities have = been=20 within two blocks of at least ten schools, pre-schools or day cares. On = the=20 Eastside, Tent City has now been located near or beside schools in about = half of=20 its nine sites over two years. School officials have not reported any = incidents=20 of Tent City residents having contact with schools or their children, = except to=20 lessen the amount of litter in the area. And during the entire history = of all=20 Tent Cities, not a single child or other neighbor has been harmed by any = Tent=20 City resident, according to police records.

Are neighborhood schools and children safe from possible=20 intruders?
Schools already have procedures in place to deal with=20 unauthorized persons in their buildings and on their grounds. For = specific=20 information, contact the schools directly.

Has there been an increase in crime in areas where SHARE/WHEEL's = Tent=20 Cities have been located?
No. According to the police in Seattle, = Shoreline, Tukwila, Bothell, Kirkland, Bellevue, and Woodinville, there = has been=20 no measurable increase in crime in neighborhoods near any Tent City. On = May 21,=20 2004, the Seattle Times published an independent investigation which = found that=20 SHARE/WHEEL's Tent Cities do not affect crime rates.

How is transportation for residents handled?
SHARE/WHEEL = provides=20 METRO bus passes so TC4 residents can get to their jobs, to job = interviews, and=20 to medical appointments. When bus service is reduced (on weekends and = holidays)=20 taxi script is available. Also, typically a regular =93shuttle = service=94 manned by=20 host/resident volunteers will operate on Sundays. Church and resident = volunteers=20 are on an evening stand-by rotation to bring any later-bus-arrivals back = to Tent=20 City.

Does TC4 have toilet and shower facilities?
TC4 has = portable=20 toilets which are serviced 3 times per week. A portable shower on a = trailer will=20 be transported to the site. Drainage from the shower and sinks (called = "grey=20 water") is piped into the septic system at the church. The plumbing = setup will=20 be inspected before and during the stay by city code enforcement to = ensure=20 public health and environmental conditions are maintained.

What about garbage and laundry?
TC4's garbage dumpsters are = emptied=20 weekly. Residents do litter patrol of TC4 and surrounding areas. = Volunteers will=20 help remove recyclables regularly. Blankets and sleeping bags are = laundered once=20 a week at Everett Overall Laundry (services have been donated by this = business=20 for two years=97free of charge). Personal laundry is handled by each = resident,=20 usually at a laundromat.

How does Tent City get hot meals?
Usually a hot dinner is = provided=20 by a church or other charitable organization. Other food is donated, but = refrigeration facilities are limited. TC4 includes a kitchen tent with a = microwave oven for food preparation, but there are no electrical burners = or open=20 flames allowed. The Host Congregation is not expected to, but may choose = to=20 provide meals or any assistance they deem necessary for the well-being = of the=20 Tent City residents. Over the past two years, more than 50 religious and = secular=20 organizations have served at least 35,000 hot suppers at Tent City, for = an=20 estimated value of over $92,000.

Where does Tent City get tents, blankets, food and other=20 necessities?
Many tents, blankets and other supplies, including = food and=20 clothing, are donated by community support from local businesses, = parishioners=20 from the host church and from other church congregations, and by = residents of=20 the surrounding neighborhood.

 

Tent City 4 Code of = Conduct

We, the people of SHARE/WHEEL, in order to keep a more harmonious = community,=20 ask that you observe the following code of conduct:

Any of the following are grounds for being permanently barred from = Tent City=20 4:

If these rules are not respected and enforced, Tent City 4 may be = permanently=20 closed.