The residents of Turritopsis Nutricula at 23rd and Alder had their day in court December 28, sort of. The judge found in favor of 307309 23rd LLC and ordered the John and Jane Doe occupants to leave and pay due rent.
The collective — which has been living in the unfinished duplex since November 19 — has until January 7 to vacate before police can kick them out.
Though the defense failed to appear in court, they did file an answer to the plaintiff’s complaint accusing the legal owner of abandoning the property and leaving it to rot when the real estate market tanked. They also claimed that the property owner actually owed the occupants money for rehabilitation work, and that they intend to trade such services for residency.
The attorney for the defense argued that the defendants took over the property without the legal owner’s permission and should give it back.
The judge ruled that the residents must vacate the property in ten days (January 7 by our count), though they have an option to extend that another ten days if needed. After that, police will be able to take action to evict them. The judge also ruled that the defendants can be held liable for rent (plus interest) and any damages discovered.
Attempts to contact attorneys for the defendants and plaintiff were unsuccessful. Both the decision and the defendant statement are posted below.
People arrested in Dec 23 raid charged
In other Central District occupation news, the three people arrested during a December 23 raid on a house at 19th and Spruce have been charged, two with trespassing and one with a weapons charge for possessing a four-inch knife. The legal limit is 3.5 inches.
A large number of officers showed up to evict people they said were squatting in the space illegally after some neighbors filed complaints. Two men were in the space at the time and were arrested. The third person arrested was among the large group of protesters who showed up when news of the raid broke.
Police accused the occupants of trespassing and vandalizing the property, but Occupy Seattle claims the occupants were artists who were painting a mural inside the 102-year-old house, which has not been legally occupied for years. Occupants also claim they were given a key to the home, which has since been boarded-up.
Occupy Seattle criticized the raid, questing the use of so many heavily-armed officers to evict two “unarmed Occupy Seattleites,” according to a press release:
Just hours before Christmas Eve, Seattle S.W.A.T Team surrounded a house in the 1900 block of East Spruce Street, only to find 2 unarmed Occupy Seattleites, who had been given a house key. After hours of lighting up the neighborhood with the shining headlights of 8 squad cars, a team of 15 Seattle S.W.A.T. entered the house with guns drawn and a battering ram. “The door was unlocked,” said Shanti, one of the individuals occupying the home. “No one was armed, everyone was peaceful.”
According to the Seattle Police Department, the raid came in response to a 911 call reporting several male and female subjects had unlawfully entered and occupied the residence. “The key was given to us,” said Cammi, another occupier.
The individuals have identified themselves as participants of Occupy Seattle and artists trying to better the community. The graffiti that was mentioned inside the home was a large mural on the wall, depicting a forest landscape.
Turritopsis Nutricula court documents:
“Though the defense failed to appear in court, they did file an answer to the plaintiff’s complaint …. They also claimed that the property owner actually owed the occupants money for rehabilitation work, and that they intend to trade such services for residency.”
The owner is being careful in how forcefully he allows the eviction to play out because he has, in the term most oft bubbled and slathered over by Ian Awesome, “deep pockets.” All these folks are doing is looking for lawsuits. Here, NY, Portland, Arizona, it’s all the same, litigious group hopping from one supposed social cause to the next, taking on homeowners, municipalities and the police, then filing suits. They positively foam at the mouth when talking about it. Poor Mr. West and his deep pockets.
Speaking of days in court, what ever happened with those crazy JPAE kids and their day in court? Can we get an update on what happened with their hearing? It was at the end of September. My guess is JPAE lost. Otherwise they surely would have been here gloating about the win. The silence is telling but it would be nice to have an official word.
Back on topic, I’m confused at how different the response is from the police for the spruce st. house and the alder house.
My guess is that it has to do with how the owner wanted it handled.
The JPAE is still waiting for the judge to decide. Hopefully the DESC JAIL FACILITY will not be located there which would allow the continued economic recovery of the neighborhood which is finally happening. The squatters, DESC and the other criminals in the neighborhood best look north of the ship canal, we have had enough of ghetto planning here.
We should send the DESC and the city north of Madison. Let’s form a new city that actually kicks out the bad guys. Rather than containing them in the zone.
Yeah, owners will be happy to pay for no-permit electrical improvements, and surely neighbors are happy with squatters using propane burners to cook and heat. Codes exist for a reason. These squatters are endangering the neighborhood.
Nonsense. Typical right-wing talking point, designed for the simple-minded.
Lawyers only take cases if they can make money on them, and no one would make money on a case like that. It would be thrown out.
How some people can manage to make it through the day is an eternal question.
Gentrification and misguided youth is what’s endangering the neighborhood. People cook using propane in their homes every day, but you don’t complain about that. Some people can’t afford not to use a propane stove and there are fire extinguishers all over that house including the kitchen. Repo-house flipping scum bags, banks and the marginalization of the poor black youth is whats endangering the neighborhood. Open your eyes. Prison and the military become the only option for some people and it doesn’t have to be like that.
Actually the raid that took place on Dec. 23 was at 19th and Alder. And having seen the house at 23rd and Alder, if it is 102 years old then my name is Santa Clause.
Yes, there is a split in the story halfway (see bold sub-headline). It’s two stories in one post.
Have any of you anarchists living at the Jelly Fish house been trained in putting out electrical fires?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaSPaF7n-OE
Your fire extinguisher will do no good if you blow the breaker like this guy did.
Also in regards to propane cooking in the home… I have no complaint with someone cooking with propane on an indoor range in a finished kitchen with the propane tank kept outside a few yards from the house. However, if you are cooking on an open flame hooked up directly to the tank in an unfinished kitchen, with the flame a few feet from exposed wood you are a menace to society. There is a reason there are laws against this. It’s flat out DANGEROUS!
The house at 23rd and Alder is totally covered in graffiti and likely trashed inside. Those supposed progressive, good neighbors have left a blight on the neighborhood. When I saw all the garbage written on the outside today, I thought, well, I guess some of us need to head over and paint the house because to be sure the de-occupyers won’t.
And it worked quite well for the anarchists during WTO, suddenly turned capitalists and paid $50K a head to go away.