The Tent City 4 homeless encampment will return to Bellevue on Oct. 31, settling north of downtown at the First United Methodist Church on 108th Avenue Northeast.
The nomadic group, commonly known as TC4, has made its temporary home in Bellevue before – twice at Temple B’nai Torah, once at Church of the Resurrection, and once at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.
The city approved a permit for the future encampment earlier this month.
Churchgoers at First United Methodist see hosting the encampment as a way to fulfill their biblical mandate to help the needy and reach out to strangers.
But neighbors of the church have raised concerns at public meetings about community safety during the group’s stay.
“There was some hostility initially, but there’s been a lot of dialogue and most of that has gone down,”said Rev. Beryl Ingram, senior pastor at First United Methodist of Bellevue. “Most people were just scared of the unknown.”
The stated purpose of TC4 is to provide a communal setting for homeless people who need a safe, sheltered place to stay. The camps also give residents a place to store their belongings while they work or attend appointments.
“These are people working hard to recover from lost jobs and whatnot,” said Joe Matsen, co-chair of the church’s Tent City 4 committee. “A lot of them are saving money and trying to improve their chances of finding a permanent home.”
The Bellevue Police Department plans to increase patrols in the area of the encampment, with a new downtown police unit expected to serve as an additional resource.
TC4 does criminal background checks on everyone wishing to become a resident of the group. Entry is denied to registered sex offenders and anyone with an outstanding warrant for arrest.
The camp also enforces a code of conduct that includes requirements of sobriety and non-violence.
Two daycare centers and a Montessori school are located within close proximity to the church, but the administrators for those institutions expressed little concern during public meetings about the encampment.
The church plans to monitor the two nearest bus stops on 108th Avenue with volunteers who have been screened for criminal background.
The encampment will be located on the east parking lot of the church, making it not readily visible from the street.
First United Methodist of Bellevue will host a chili feed Nov. 1 to welcome TC4 and introduce neighbors to the group. The event starts at 6 p.m. The church is located at 1934 108th Ave. NE.
Opportunities to support TC4 are available online at www.sharewheel.org.
