Seattle council OKs more tent cities, tiny houses

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle City Council has voted to allow the creation of up to 40 tent cities, tiny house villages or parking lots where people living in their cars can camp — a sharp increase from the number the city currently allows.

The Seattle Times reports the ordinance approved Tuesday reflects a dramatic shift in Seattle’s attitude toward these temporary places for homeless people to live while waiting to get into housing: It allows encampments to exist indefinitely with renewal of a permit once a year and allows them in residential zones.

The first city-permitted tent cities opened in 2015.