Capitol Hill crystal shop owner and candidate for City Council says launching initiative effort to ban homeless camping in Seattle

Rachael Savage, a Capitol Hill business owner, is launching a citizen initiative aimed at banning homeless camping in Seattle and directing individuals to detox-treatment-shelters. To qualify for the ballot, she needs to collect around 26,000 signatures, representing 10% of the votes from the last mayoral election. Savage points to recent legal endorsements for similar measures in Burien, where the city council criminalized homelessness through an emergency ordinance. She is currently preparing for Tuesday’s top-two primary, where she hopes to challenge incumbent Alexis Mercedes Rinck in the November General Election. Savage has built her political campaign on opposition to the city's handling of addiction and housing issues, particularly criticizing a proposed Downtown Emergency Service Center.

Her political journey began with a Republican mayoral candidacy before shifting to the city council race. The initiative reflects a growing sentiment among King County voters regarding homelessness policies. Savage's efforts highlight a contentious debate surrounding the management of homelessness in Seattle.