We are Here as a Voice of Conscience, Crying out for the Displaced
Published on Washblog on August 4, 2007 by Noemie Maxwell

King County has adopted a Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness.  But, as Sarajane Siegfriedt reported last night, the Port of Seattle and the City of Burien made a decision to tear down 162 units of affordable housing in the Lora Lake Apartments in Burien, refusing Ron Sims' offer of purchasing the apartments at market rate.  Yesterday, the Church Council of Greater Seattle held a service of lamentation at the site of these apartments.  The title of this piece is a quote from one of the clergymembers who spoke.  I don't know her name yet, but here's a photo (click to enlarge):

Below, are a number photos taken by Sarajane Siegfriedt and by me.  Sarajane is the photographer and author of the captions, except where noted.  

This morning, as Cherisse Luxa notes in her comment on Sarajane's previous Washblog story, there was a motion made by a Port of Seattle Commissioner to "suspend the demolition until there can be a special meeting of the full Commission and the motion will also direct the Port Commission staff to work on finding a compromise." I believe that the work of the Church Council and other activists played a big part in this change in direction.  See more information on the site of Church Council of Greater Seattle: Service of Commiseration and Seeking a Fair Society.  And here's my Flickr Slideshow of the event.

Homeless people, community activists and clergy join in a service of lamentation, based on the idea in Hebrew Scripture, and receive ashes on their heads as a sign of the impending loss of low-income housing in the midst of a housing crisis in Seattle. Michael Ramos of the Church Council of Greater Seattle distributes the ashes. Each of the 162 apartments threatened with demolition was named as clergy shared words of lamentation. The Rev. Sandy Brown, head of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, led a group of 15 interfaith clergy in a "service of lamentation" protesting the decision to tear down 162 units of usable, affordable housing in the midst of a housing crisis in King County. Tent City 3 resident attended the demonstration at Lora Lake Apartments to "lament" their being targeted for destruction to make way for a commercial development Residents of Seattle's Tent City who recently occupied one of the Lora Lake Apartments to protest its being targeted for demolition, to be replaced by commercial development, when 8,000 people (including them) are homeless on any given night in Seattle. The Burien City Manager (back to camera) told a protester that "Burien would rather see dirt [on the site] than housing." He said, "Burien already has its share of low-income housing." The Rev. Sandy Brown huddles with over 15 interfaith clergy who support retaining Lora Lake Apartments as low-income housing in the face of a housing crisis in the Seattle community. Reverend Sandy Brown, Director of Church Council of Greater Seattle, clips the fence at Lora Lake apartments. Photo by Noemie Maxwell. The Rev. Sandy Brown, wields a set of wire cutters as a gesture of restoring access to the 162 Lora Lake Apartments slated for demolition by the Port of Seattle. Brown is head of the Church Council of Greater Seattle. Bending to receive symbolic ashes on his head to "lament" the loss of low-income housing in King County is the Rev. Paul Bentz, Lutheran Churches of Washington Rev. Paul Benz, Director, Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State, looks on as Raging Grannies perform at the Lora Lake service of lamentation held by the Greater Church Council of Seattle in Burien, WA on July  23, 2007. Photo by Noemie Maxwell. Members of St. Patrick's Catholic Parish in Seattle protesting the loss of low-income housing in Burien, next to SeaTac airport. Photo by Noemie Maxwell. Tina L-R:  Don Bennett, former Vice Chair of 11th District Democrats;  Cherisse Luxa, Tina Shamseldin, Chair of 33rd District Democrats and housing advocate; Sarajane Siegfriedt. Photo by Noemie Maxwell.