Whenever Louise Clauss sees a tent in a Lake City park near her home, she pulls out her phone, takes a picture and sends it to city officials via Seattle’s Find It, Fix It app to report an “unauthorized encampment.”
Within days, she says the city usually responds to her complaint by removing the encampment, only for her to find the same tent and person in a nearby park. So she files another complaint.
She is part of a record number of people reporting homeless camping to the city.
Harrell, who is running for reelection partially on the platform that his administration has made headway on homelessness and public safety, says reports are increasing because more people know about the app and believe the city responds.
But people living outside and street outreach workers say Seattle’s res