An ongoing suit has been lodged against Burien, a city in Washington, issued by a Seattle homelessness nonprofit and several unhoused residents. The lawsuit claims that the city’s recently enforced ordinance effectively makes homelessness a criminal act.
The Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness, coupled with a group of unhoused residents, challenges the legality and constitutionality of the city’s Ordinance 818 — an act later amended by Ordinance 827. This law, they argue, violates human rights by criminalizing the state of homelessness.
“It shouldn’t be a crime to be human and homeless,” declares Alison Eisinger, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness, implying that the enactment of this law is a grave injustice against the homeless residents of Burien. The nonprofit, along with the unhoused people leading the action, are pushing for a repeal of the contested law, which they believe purposely bans homeless individuals from living in the city.
This lawsuit paints the law in a negative light, arguing that it is by no means a beneficial or progressive move for Burien. The unfolding events reveal a tale of a community pushing back against regulations they perceive as archaic and inhumane.
For professionals interested in reading further legal details about this case, you can find the original coverage here.