SEATTLE -- The owner of a parked RV in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood who erected a makeshift second story on top of the camper said Friday that he will dismantle the upper deck after some residents and business owners complained that it was a safety hazard that could topple over and hurt someone.
Homeless outreach workers apparently convinced the man that it was in his best interest to abandon the project.
“ I’m taking down the (expletive) structure I said,” the vehicle's owner told KOMO News while declining to provide his identity or answer questions on camera. He said the entire upper deck and the wicker patio furniture placed on top of the RV will be removed.
That was good news to residents in the area.
“The structure is still there but we’re pretty happy just to see some tarps taken down," said Lane Imbler-Bremner, who lives in Ballard. "That’s more progress than we’ve seen in months.”
He was one of several neighbors who lodged complaints with Seattle City Hall about the wooden structure being built on the motor home parked on 8th Avenue NW right behind Reubens Brews and Fremont Brewery. The residents said they worried that the upper story could topple over and fall onto passing cars or pedestrians below.
Homeless outreach worker Jennifer Adams, who works with the Scoff Law Mitigation Team, said she convinced the RV owner that the issue was a distraction and impacting the bigger issues that need attention in the homeless community.
“There is no affordable housing whatsoever,” she said.
Even though the current RV owner has pledged to dismantle his upper deck, Imbler-Bremner said he is concerned that others could go up.
“It could happen just behind us," he said. "There’s more RV’s (and) it could happen at any location. And I’m scared it might."
Although the Seattle Department of Transportation is responsible for ticketing and towing RVs there is no ordinance currently on the books that will prohibit other RV owners from getting more creative with their vehicles.
“I’m not sure where to go from here,” Imbler-Bremner said.
No one from the Seattle City Council responded to KOMO News about whether they will introduce new legislation to prevent future similar occurrences. Mayor Jenny Durkan's office also did not respond.