CW: Anti-Homeless and Classist Rhetoric Discussed

**We write this release as two student members of the University Transportation Committee, representing undergraduate and graduate students**

The University of Washington’s Transportation Committee will be voting to approve $300K in anti-homeless architecture at its upcoming monthly meeting. The administration is attempting to slip this proposal through in secret without the general public’s knowledge. The proposal allocates $300K in funding for security changes to the Central Plaza Garage which include the installation of new security gates at all external entry points, card access controls, and security camera systems.

On Monday, September 26th at 11:30 AM, the University Transportation Committee heard from over a dozen students and community members in public comments. Every speaker voiced opposition to the $300K budget line item for hostile anti-homeless architecture in the UW Central Plaza Garage. After a tense exchange between community members and transportation services, one of us student representatives made a motion to reject the $300K fiscal overlay for Central Plaza Garage security changes. This motion was met with a second and will be voted on at the October 24 University Transportation Committee meeting.

In an email, Eric Johnson, Transportation Services staff member in charge of parking operations, responded with this justification for the security updates:

“Areas of concern across all our parking system have included an increase in vandalism including graffiti, illegal skateboarding (damaging walls, curb stops), vehicle break-ins and thefts (including carjacking), the use of stairwells for illegal drug use (discarded drug paraphernalia, needles & syringes) and using stairwells by housing challenged individuals as a place to sleep, defecate and urinate.”

We urge UW to not go through with this violent project, as we should not be investing in hostile anti-homeless infrastructure in public spaces that should be open to everyone. Gating off the Central Plaza Garage will harm the students and community members who use it as shelter. UW should use this $300K to open 24/7 public restrooms, invest in affordable and livable student housing, honor their unfulfilled 2017 promise to build 150 units of affordable housing, and support the U-District’s existing mutual aid networks.