White Center greenbelt won’t be sold to pay for homeless relief, mayor says
Bowing to objections from green-space advocates and neighbors, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has nixed a plan to sell leafy surplus property near White Center to help pay for homelessness relief. The land instead will be retained for future park use.
In November, when the mayor proclaimed a state of emergency over homelessness and committed $5?million in one-time funding to address the crisis, Murray said the city would sell part of its property on Myers Way South to foot the bill.
But City Council approval is required before the city disposes of property, and in the months after the mayor’s announcement, environmental and community groups spoke up, asking him not to jettison a dozen acres of the unused and fenced-off stretch.
Murray agreed this week, citing that advice and saying Seattle Parks and Recreation will hold on to the site until money is available to repurpose it for public access.
Read more: http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/myers-way-greenbelt-wont-be-sold-to-pay-for-homeless-costs-mayor-says/
