Nickelsville, the Seattle tent city that cropped up last year in protest of Mayor Greg Nickels’ policies on homelessness, will move to a permanent location on June 5, according to its organizers.
Though they haven’t announced what the new location will be, Nickelsville’s organizers say the new site will have ten times the capacity of the church lot they’ve stayed on for the last three months.
The cluster of 155 bright pink tents first formed in September in South Seattle. The tent city has moved several times as the city and state have evicted them from public lands.
Last week, the city dropped criminal tresspassing charges against 23 people who were arrested at Nickelsville in October. Read more on the Real Change blog.
Street Roots’ most recent coverage of Dignity Village, Portland’s only permanent tent city, is now online here and here.
– Mara Grunbaum
For those who can't afford free speech 
Predawn, Saturday June 7th. Nickelsville moved again to its original location of last September – a large vacant field in an industrial area bordering West Seattle.
The big difference? The parcel they’re on now is owned by Washington State – NOT the City of Seattle. It’s in Governor Gregoire and the Department of Transportation’s jurisdiction instead of Mayor “sweep the homeless or arrest them” Nickels.
As before, Nickelsville wants to sustain a permanent shantytown-type community of up to 1,000 people at this site. There’s not enough adequate shelter and the problem worsens. Many will risk arrest if they have to, to stay. We’re all appealing to the Governor with our support.
See realchangenews.org and the RC Blog featuring reports from our writer Cydney Gillis. Visit nickelsvilleseattle.org for more info.”
Great website & blog, you guys.
Revel Smith
Real Change, Communications Director
(media coordination for Nickelsville)
America has a lesson to learn, the homeless are with you always. Don’t be surprised if u find ur selves there. We r entering a depression. Then u will understand the “distaste” of those who think they r secure n their positions of life until they find themselves n the same position, then its a different story. Ur the one homeless.