Seattle lifts year-long suspension of 72-hour parking limit law

SEATTLE — The City of Seattle has lifted the near yearlong suspension of its 72-hour parking limit law, but there’s a grace period before vehicle owners start getting tickets.

The law was suspended as a prevention measure to limit the exposure to COVID for people who were living in their vehicles. When Mayor Jenny Durkan extended the eviction moratorium March 15 she announced the reinstatement of the 72-hour parking law effective April 1.

“The City opted to let these parking suspensions expire in anticipation of increased reopening needs” said Rachel Schulkin, a spokesperson for Durkan.

As more people return to work and business reopen, there will be a need for more street parking.

“I just hope they aren't going to go around and towing us for no reason” said Dwight, who lives in his RV in SODO. He has not moved from the same spot for a year. “Everything is working out fine and they should just leave it alone."

People living in RVs typically do the ‘RV shuffle’ to avoid being ticket for parking longer than 72 hours.

“Typically, people just move around the corner, one city block away to avoid getting ticketed," Dwight said. “We haven’t had to worry about getting tickets. It’s been nice."

“It worked out good," said Vance “Marty” McLay, who lives in 2003 former Salem Oregon transit bus that runs on natural gas he bought for $2,500. "I didn't have to keep moving. I keep it running so if they tell me to move, I can.

McLay has been living in RVs on the street in Seattle for 10 years.

“We will not immediately resume issuing citations starting April 1 and will instead have a grace period in which we remind the public about the parking rules," Schulkin said.

She said Seattle Police and the Seattle Department of Transportation are finalizing an education to get the message out about the reinstated law, and that will include the issuing “courtesy notices” to vehicles who otherwise would be ticketed.

SPD and SDOT are finalizing an education plan.

Typically, when there’s a change, the City has a period of education in which SDOT and SPD work together to get the message out in a variety of ways including social and media relations, coupled with Parking Enforcement “courtesy notices” letting people know about the new requirements and they are technically in violation. After that period, the City starts to enforce with citations.

Similarly, paid parking and enforcement of time-limited parking were suspended for several months last year but have since been reinstated.

The 72-hour restriction applies to any streets that do not have another listed parking restriction, regardless of if they are on a residential street or business district.

“It feels to me it’s going to be a form of eviction every 72 hours when they have to move," said Rev. Bill Kirlin-Hackett, the Director of the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness.

He and his squad do regular outreach to people living in vehicles and do scofflaw prevention.

“There needs to be harm free zones, Kirlin-Hackett said. “It’s having a safe parking zone on the street, with 4 to 6 RV’s becoming a cluster and have a case manager working with those RV’s."

He said all sides agree the RV’s can stay put until its occupants get into a safe form of housing. Seattle ended its short-lived practice of safe RV lots two years ago.

Enforcement of time-limited and metered parking were suspended for several months last year but have since been reinstated, Schulkin said..

The 72-hour restriction applies to all streets that do not have another listed parking restriction, regardless if they are on a residential street or business district.

“I don't really want to do move because I like it here," Marty said. “But if I have to, I will.”