SEATTLE--A traveling, makeshift camp site called Tent City 4, has moved onto the property of St. Brendan Catholic Church in Bothell, Wash., according to The Seattle Times.
About 30 homeless people moved their tents and belongings from Seattle's Lake City Christian Church to the new location. Volunteers from Bothell church helped them and donated food for a cookout.
But not everyone in the new neighborhood was welcoming. Bothell city officials filed a lawsuit against St. Brendan, seeking a preliminary injunction to determine whether the church has violated Bothell's zoning regulations by allowing the camp there.
“The lawsuit simply puts before the court our position that we have a right to insist upon the parties meeting the law,†said Manny Ocampo, interim city manager.
Ocampo also said the city wants to have a say in the governance of the tent city. Community members expressed concerns about the tent city being so close to schools.
But there were no protesters, only volunteers helping homeless people unpack, the day the tent city moved to Bothell. Volunteers also helped set up five portable toilets and a wash basin for the camp. Religious leaders and a group of middle school students were among the volunteers.
The tent city received truckloads of donated sleeping bags, blankets, toiletries, rope and food. Trinity United Methodist Church in Seattle donated $1,000, and other donations totaled about $700.
May Landas, whose two children attend a nearby school, said she has concerns.
“I am worried, as a parent,†she said.
Parish members said they support the Rev. Lawrence Minder's decision to host the homeless. He announced he would also live in the tent city for 90 days as a show of support and as atonement for not giving ample notice to the community outside of his congregation.
The welcome from St. Brendan stood out in contrast to the protest the controversial tent city underwent a few weeks earlier when people fought the encampment and succeeded in keeping it out of unincorporated county land outside Bothell. Tent-city opponents sued King County and accused the county executive of failing to give adequate notice.
