On May 4, 2015 the Seattle Human Rights Commission sent a letter to the Board of Parks Commissioners expressing its concern that the proposed parks smoking ban will be enforced disproportionately against people who are homeless and lack access to basic shelter.
Citing the 22% increase in unsheltered homelessness in the City since last year, the letter states:
Seattle is facing a homelessness crisis…With severely limited access to overnight and day-use shelter, many homeless citizens reside in our City’s public parks, particularly those located in the downtown area.
It further explains,
If enforcement actions will be concentrated in downtown parks where many of those who lack access to basic shelter reside, it is likely that enforcement of the proposed ban will disproportionately impact homeless people.
The Commission also states that enforcement of the proposed ban though the issuance of infraction citations and trespass orders that make violators subject to arrest could “further contribute to a cycle of poverty and homelessness, as those unable to pay citation fines could face jail time, thereby increasing their likelihood of remaining homeless and socioeconomically marginalized.”
The letter references Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which describes the right to health as the right to “an adequate standard of living.” It argues that due to severe health disparities between homeless populations and the general population, “homelessness itself represents a public health crisis.” The City of Seattle was declared to be a “Human Rights City” on December 10, 2012, committing itself to protect, respect and fulfill the full range of inherent human rights for all.
The Commission urges the Board of Parks Commissioners to reject the proposed total parks smoking ban and instead retain the current 25’ rule while adopting “a more comprehensive approach to public health that recognizes the rights of all human beings to an adequate standard of living.”