City, WSDOT starts sweep on fringe of ‘Jungle' homeless encampment

SEATTLE — Over the next several days, crews will be clearing out an area that is adjacent to part of Seattle’s large homeless encampment known as the Jungle.

%

%

On Wednesday, the city of Seattle and the Washington State Department of Transportation started a sweep of part of the homeless camp that is under Interstate 90 at Rainier Avenue South -- a hillside has become an off-shoot of the Jungle.

People who have lived there for years call the area "Freedom Hill."

Last week, WSDOT posted notices stating all items must be removed from Wednesday to Thursday. Notices said they must either move out or take an offer to move into a shelter.

When KIRO 7 visited the area Wednesday, personal belongings were scattered at the site and a backhoe had been brought in to move most of the heavy materials.

Dozens of people living in the camp have started moving out.

%

%

According to witnesses, there were about 30 outreach workers in the area who gave people information on how to store their belongings.

The sweep is the first step of a WSDOT project to move hundreds of people out of the Jungle because of health hazards and so workers can renovate the area around and under I-90.

Cox Media Group