Appeals court rejects appeal of Seattle homelessness measure

SEATTLE (AP) — A charter amendment that would change Seattle’s approach to homelessness will not appear on the November ballot, after an appeals court rejected an emergency motion from the measure’s backers. The Washington Court of Appeals declined the appeal from Compassion Seattle on Friday, a week after a King County Superior Court judge blocked it from the ballot, saying it would usurp the City Council’s authority and conflict with state law. The measure, officially known as Charter Amendment 29, would have directed the city to provide 2,000 units of housing within a year and to keep public land clear of encampments. Opponents called it an unfunded mandate.