'Hostile architecture' to prevent homeless from camping would be banned under new Democrat bill in Washington State

Washington Democrats are proposing legislation to ban local municipalities from installing "hostile architecture" that prevents the homeless from camping in public spaces.

According to Senate Bill 6231, hostile architecture features “elements designed to restrict the use of public spaces by individuals experiencing homelessness.”

Items such as large rocks, gravel, even fencing that are erected “to prevent people from sitting or lying at street” level would be prohibited by the bill, sponsored by Democratic State Sen. Liz Lovelett.

However, the bill doesn’t prohibit the state from installing the items on state lands such as freeways.

According to The Olympian, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has spent almost $700,000 to place boulders where the drug encampments used to be located.

More than half of the funds, $643,000, was spent in one location, Interstate 5 and Sleater-Kinney Road in Lacey, a suburb of Olympia, WA.

The bill would exclude items that restrict vehicle access and prevent activities such as rollerblading or skateboarding and would take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, if passed.

Seattle residents and businesses that were tired of the city’s unwillingness to deal with broken-down RVs and tents inhabited by addicts, drug dealers, and criminals in desperation began dropping concrete blocks in front of their locations to prevent the RVs from parking and were cited by the city for their efforts.

The city did not cite any of the campers or RVs, including some that had been in the same spot for months, even years.

Residents called the hypocrisy "selective enforcement."

Aside from the crime, RVs parking near intersections created unsafe driving conditions, because the height and width of the vehicles blocked driver's views of intersections, and accidents have been observed by residents.