Safe parking program strives ‘to make no one feel less than’

The only safe parking program in South Snohomish County is approaching its 10-year anniversary.

Since December 2015, the Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Congregation (EUUC) has served about 350 people through its Car Camp Safe Parking Program. The program offers 10 overnight parking spaces for unhoused people who are living in their cars. 

Grant Gladow, who helps run the program, said the church initially started with five parking spaces. They increased that number to 10 after seeing the need.

“I can only see greater demand due to the cost of housing these days,” Gladow said. “A lot of our guests can’t even afford to get in an apartment.”

According to the county’s annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count earlier this year, 246 people were unsheltered and living in a vehicle. That makes up about 46% of the total number of unsheltered people.

In 2024, the PIT Count saw 206 people unsheltered and living in a vehicle. That is about 33% of the total number of unsheltered people that year. 

The EUUC’s parking program serves families with children under 18 years old and women. The EUUC conducts an intake review and background check beforehand. RVs and tents are not permitted, and the maximum vehicle length is 20 feet.

Guests are allowed to park between 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. They have access to water, garbage, recycling, a microwave and portable toilet. Church volunteers periodically interact with guests, and there is a phone number guests can call for questions or concerns.

Guests must display their parking permit on their dashboard. They can stay for 90 days, but extensions can be granted if the program isn’t full, doesn’t have a waitlist and at the discretion of the EUUC.

Guests are typically referred to the program or through word of mouth. Gladow said the parking spaces are usually full in the summer. In the winter, spaces range from 30-50% occupancy.

“Out of the 350-plus people we’ve had, most of them are pretty wonderful,” Gladow said.

In June, the Hazel Miller Foundation awarded the program $9,990. The grant went toward gas and laundry vouchers for guests who stay at least two weeks and are actively seeking employment, housing and other resources. 

When asked what the future holds for the program, Gladow said the church is thinking about ways to provide more direct help to guests. This could include case management services, he said. 

“What we’re trying to do reflects the social justice efforts of our congregation, whose mission is to honor the dignity of every person,” Gladow said. “We’re just trying to strive to make no one feel less than.”

Before starting the safe parking program, EUUC spoke with those who had an existing parking program. Lake Washington United Methodist Church (LWUMC) in Kirkland was one of them.

LWUMC Safe Parking Program Coordinator Karina O’Malley said having a program such as this is “an incredibly impactful, inexpensive and flexible response” to people living in their cars.

“It can give them stability. It can give them a place for their kids to come back home after school. It can connect them with outreach workers and other resources,” O’Malley said.

LWUMC’s parking program opened in 2011. It offers a plethora of resources for its guests, including a shower and laundry trailer, kitchen and food pantry. Guests also have access to case management services. 

Those looking for a safe parking program nearby can call 211 or go to search.wa211.org. 

— By Angelica Relente

Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.