Ellington

Nickelsville residents are starting to settle into their new home at the University Congregational United Church of Christ parking lot, even if it’s much hotter than the last time they were in the U-District.

Minister Catherine Foote said that the 60 members of the mobile community, who arrived Aug. 14, are settling in well and that there hasn’t been any negative feedback thus far about their stay.

“Reception has been very positive so far,” Foote said. “We’ve had the experience before, hosting Nickelsville during the winter of 2008, so it’s helped make it work out a lot more efficiently this time.”

She said that she received an anonymous call earlier this week praising the church’s decision to once again host the community.

One of the concerns that arose last time Nickelsville sprung up around the UW was the lack of available bathroom facilities for the temporary tenants. Local businesses expressed complaints that some of the homeless residents were abusing business restrooms.

Foote said that the church took these concerns into consideration and have supplied temporary bathrooms and extended their open shower hours to provide better access for Nickelsville residents.

However, Harmony Tseng, manager of the Washington Square apartment complex next to the church, on 16th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 45th Street, said that the presence of Nickelsville has made some tenants uncomfortable.

“Every time they have this program, our residents feel a little insecure that they’re gallivanting around at night,” Tseng said.

Senior Kali Brandt, a resident of Washington Square, said that she has noticed an upswing in the number of homeless individuals around the Ave and the U-District, but that it isn’t that big an issue.

“I completely support the church hosting them, and I’m totally fine with it,” Brandt said. “They don’t cause a problem, and I haven’t heard anything other than the stereotypical general dislike.”

The church held a meeting Aug. 17 to discuss living conditions and to let the encampment residents voice their opinions about Nickelsville.

Many residents present at the meeting hold positions in Nickelsville, like Michelle Vestal, head of security, and Peggy Hotes, liaison for Veterans for Peace. There are other positions, such as tent masters and head kitchen coordinators. The residents also meet every day at 6 p.m.; Sunday meetings are mandatory.

James Heiden, who has been with Nickelsville for three months, made it clear when he stated why this encampment is needed.

“Why is Nickelsville needed? In one word, survival,” Heiden said at the meeting. “Too many people are dying in the streets to exposure of violence.”

Daren Norrington, another resident, said he hopes Nickelsville one day becomes permanent, and added that the community is eco-friendly by way of recycling waste and using recycled material for building permanent housing.

The Nickelsville community has been working with Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn to find a more permanent location before the winter, when temperatures fall and tents fail to provide adequate warmth.

Foote said that their presence in the U-District is, she hopes, one of their last stops before a solution is found and that University Congregational had planned to host Nickelsville again if the need arose after their winter stay last year.

“We said that if somebody comes back to ask us for help in the future, we wanted to approve it ahead of time,” Foote said. “We raised a third of the funds necessary to host Nickelsville after they left in winter 2008, and within a week of their request were able to unanimously approve their stay with the church board.”

If Nickelsville residents stay for their self-allotted maximum period of three months, Foote said that it will cost the church around $27,000 in fees and lost parking revenue.

Reach reporter Nick Visser at news@dailyuw.com.