Seattle's Mayor took her council by surprise when she announced her plans to veto the bill designed to tackle the unhoused from cluttering the city's streets and living in squalor.
Mayor Katie Wilson announced Monday that she was rejecting the permit program for unhoused people living in RVs, which had passed the City Council by a 6-3 vote last month, throwing the city's crackdown into disarray.
Councilmember Dan Strauss said he was blindsided by the decision, accusing Wilson of breaking her word after he believed they had agreed to work together to put the sweeping new rules into effect.
'I am disappointed that she broke her commitment to work together to implement this legislation,' Strauss said in a statement following the announcement.
Yet, Wilson defended her veto by pointing to concerns over the program's projected cost, the fate of people whose RVs could be towed without them securing alternative accommodation, and the potential burden of legal challenges.
The progressive mayor insisted she recognized the need for a more comprehensive response to the growing number of RVs parked on public streets.
She said she intends to combat the dilemma and would issue an executive order Tuesday directing funding towards additional outreach services and two new shelters specifically for people living in RVs.
The proposed legislation would have represented a major overhaul of Seattle's vehicle-dwelling policies, with its most contentious provision effectively paving the way for an eventual citywide ban on people using large vehicles as homes.
Seattle mayor Katie Wilson announced Monday that she was vetoing a controversial bill that would have dramatically restricted homeless people living in recreational vehicles (RVs) on the city's streets
The council's proposal would have dramatically overhauled parking rules for RVs, with its most controversial provisions effectively paving the way for an eventual ban on people using large vehicles as their homes
The legislation had passed the City Council by a 6-3 vote last month
Under the plan, RV parking would initially have been restricted to just two hours during the day, while overnight parking would have been prohibited.
That would have marked a significant departure from existing rules, which allow RVs to remain in designated industrial areas for up to 72 hours.
People living in RVs could have applied for special permits granting them an exemption from the restrictions. However, eligibility would have been determined through a one-time census, meaning anyone not counted during that process would effectively have been excluded from the program.
Those receiving permits would also eventually have been expected to accept accommodation offered by the city.
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The legislation would have given Seattle authorities additional enforcement powers, including the ability to tow vehicles found violating the new restrictions without the standard advance notice currently required.
The wider package also sought to update the city's definition of 'junk vehicles', expand services for people living in RVs and make it easier to secure parking lots where vehicles could be stored while their occupants entered shelter.
However, the proposed permit system drew fierce opposition from advocacy groups, which warned it could leave vulnerable residents without homes while doing little to address the underlying homelessness crisis.
Critics also raised concerns about potential legal challenges, pointing to protections under Washington state law for people living in vehicles.
The decision reportedly caught the bill's sponsor, Councilmember Dan Strauss, completely off guard. He claimed the mayor had previously assured him she would not veto the measure and had instead agreed to work with the council to implement it
The wider package included plans to update Seattle's definition of 'junk vehicles', expand services for people living in RVs and make it easier for the city to secure parking lots where vehicles could be stored while their occupants entered shelter
Opponents highlighted San Francisco's experience with a similar approach, claiming the program resulted in approximately 100 more RVs being towed than households being helped.
The financial implications also became a major sticking point.
City estimates suggested establishing and administering the permit program could cost more than $10 million by the end of 2027, at a time when Seattle is already wrestling with a contentious budget debate.
Wilson has proposed a budget designed to balance the city's finances next year and beyond, but her plans have faced resistance from council members unhappy with proposed cuts to programs and staff positions.
Strauss, meanwhile, questioned the city's cost estimates and argued that the legislation gave officials the flexibility to make adjustments if problems emerged during implementation.
Supporters of the bill said Seattle had gone too long without a comprehensive strategy for dealing with people living in vehicles and the growing challenges associated with RV encampments.
The mayor's veto now sets up a potential confrontation with the City Council.
Councilmembers have 30 days to override the decision, but doing so would require all six members who originally supported the legislation to maintain their positions. A single change of vote would leave the veto standing.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the mayor's office for comment.
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