oxel (oxel@cb3rob.net)
Tue, 14 Dec 1999 17:19:09 +0100 (CET)
To: HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK list <HPN@aspin.asu.edu>, Homes Not Jails <ghq@iww.org>, Food Not Bombs list <fnb-l@tao.ca>, "Rainbow Family list" <gathering@cygnus.com>, NA Street Newspaper Association list <nasna@onelist.com>, Citizens on the Web <cjazz@interlog.com> Subject: WTO squatters crack 'deal' for homeless in Seattle, WA, USA FWD *********************************************************** HOMELESS PEOPLE'S VIEWS, News, Alerts, Actions & Research 7,000+ ONLINE POSTS by or via homeless & ex-homeless people HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn INFO & to join/leave list - Tom Boland <wgcp@earthlink.net> *********************************************************** If you were there, please send your account To: HPN via <wgcp@earthlink.net> SQUATTERS VACATE DOWNTOWN BUILDING AFTER 'DEAL' 1999/12/08 by Chris Solomon Seattle Times staff reporter The group of young, self-styled anarchists, homeless advocates and others who took up residence for nearly one week in a building near Virginia Street and Ninth Avenue danced on its tar roof yesterday, cheered by a verbal agreement that housing for the homeless would replace them after their departure. But not long after the two dozen squatters and their supporters slammed the door and melted away, warmed by the sun and their victory, the building's still-furious owner hedged on any deal. "This is like someone putting a gun to your head and telling you to donate to the Salvation Army," owner Wah Lui said, still fuming at the group's tactics and the lack of any punishment. Young people took over the building north of downtown last Sunday night. Since then, a variety of protesters - as many as 150 - have used "the squat" as a place to sleep, eat and congregate. Many called themselves anarchists, and at least one resident yesterday had been arrested last week for vandalism. But most said violence and chaos were not their goal. The word anarchos is Greek for "without a leader," and residents said that better explained their opposition to hierarchies that rob people of their voices and access to basic rights such as affordable - or even free - housing. Though some of the squatters came from out of town, several were from Seattle. One of them, who went by the name "Black," said he was homeless, despite being enrolled at Seattle Central Community College and having a 3-month-old baby. The squatters said the building was derelict and should be used for housing. Lui, who recently bought the building, said he has plans to renovate it. The city cut off power and water after the building was occupied, chasing out Lui's handful of tenants. Lui gave the trespassers a portable toilet, fire extinguishers and battery-powered lights. The police would not evict them last week. Under a deal brokered by Seattle's Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) and Bob Santos, regional director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Lui tentatively agreed to let two homeless-advocacy groups lease part of the building, provided the young people inside never returned. About 25 beds also would be made available for one week to people at the Julie Apartments across the street from the occupied building. Lui was also infuriated by a mention in LIHI's agreement yesterday that he would negotiate to sell a 50-unit apartment building on Seneca Street that he owns. The squatters and homeless advocates, meanwhile, didn't seem concerned that they had nothing in writing from Lui. They pointed to the 1992 occupation of the 100-plus-unit Pacific Hotel and the Arion Court downtown - two instances of public pressure that forced building owners to donate or sell the buildings for use as low-income housing. ******** The A-Infos News Service News about and of interest to anarchists ******** COMMANDS: lists@tao.ca REPLIES: a-infos-d@lists.tao.ca HELP: a-infos-org@lists.tao.ca WWW: http://www.ainfos.ca INFO: http://www.ainfos.ca/org To receive a-infos in English, email lists@tao.ca the message subscribe a-infos-en (end of original message) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ You can view this message and the related discussion by following this link: http://www.deja.com/dnquery.xp?search=thread&svcclass=dnserver&recnum=%3c82kov9$ i5o$1@dipsy.missouri.edu%3e%231/1 END FORWARD **In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.** ******************************************************* HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK <http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn> 7,000+ POSTS by or via homeless & ex-homeless people Nothing About Us Without Us - Democratize Public Policy ******************************************************* ---------------------------kraken-------------------------------- Adminstrator: kraken-post-admin@dvxs.nl Over kraken zie: http://squat.net/ Krakenmail op www: http://www.dvxs.nl/~skwot 'How-To' Kraken-post: http://www.dvxs.nl/~kraken *** to get english help: mailto:posthelp@dvxs.nl
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Tue 14 Dec 1999 - 19:15:01 CET