Marcus Williams is homeless, and by his account a "nobody."
About a year ago, he arrived in Olympia driving an old van. He parked in a parking lot near Percival Landing.
“I was told by parking enforcement that I could stay where I was because I wasn’t being a problem,” said Williams on a recent Saturday morning.
“I kept the area clean around where I was; I don’t do drugs; I was always respectful to city employees; and I was told that I could stay where I was.”
Formerly from Tumwater, he said that he had attended Oregon State University where he had earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Science.
“I had it good; I had a good job; a good life,” he continued. “Then I made a bad decision that led to my being here in Olympia.”
His stay in his van ended on Feb. 3 of this year.
“I had been told I could stay where I was,” he explained. “And then I come back to find that my van had been towed.”
When asked if he had any outstanding tickets on the vehicle, he declined to answer.
“My life was turned on its head. Not only did I lose all of my belongs, but I also lost my cat. And on the day I lost the van, it was very cold.”
A call to the city’s Parking Services Division asking for information about Williams’ case was not returned.
He added that he has gone to City Hall on numerous occasions and asked for help in having his van returned.
“All I know that it was put in a impound yard and that my cat is gone.”
As he got up to leave to go over to the Olympia Union Gospel Mission, he has lost any faith that the city will help him.
“Every time I go over to ask for help, I am told that the person I need to talk to is either not there or in a meeting,” he said. “It’s as if I’m a nobody to them.”
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BobB
This story is incomplete and premature. More information is needed. If his van was towed in February and is in impound, I would assume the city contracts with one or maybe a few lots to perform this service and somebody at city hall can provide him with the name of the vendors and their phone numbers so he can call to see if they have it. It's not at city hall. It would be interesting to know how he became homeless or if he doesn't want to share that, what he does besides trying to find the one employee at city hall that can give him information about his van.
Tuesday, June 3 Report this
Local360
@BobB Agreed. This is a half baked report. City hall isn't going to do anything. He can go to the place that has his van, pay the fine and get his van. If he doesn't have enough money, then obviously that is his issue. The City doesn't tow people for no reason. And just because someone says "you can park here..." doesn't waive away all the past parking tickets...
If he the van is being held due to unpaid parking tickets, that is another story; but we wouldn't know as many of the details are left out of the reporting. as I said, half baked.
Wednesday, June 4 Report this
Boatyarddog
Perhaps he can ask for an Email contact to get some response, rather than the usual "oh, there is no one here response. Ask for the email of who he IS supposed to talk to.
If the van was illegally parked.. he may have lost it for good.
Wednesday, June 4 Report this