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10,000 sign petition against council homeless plan

In the four days since the group Safe Seattle launched an online petition against the city's proposed ordinance to allow the homeless to camp in city parks and sidewalks, more than 10,000 people have signed it.

<p>Tent City Seven residents packed up and moved to a shelter.</p>

In the four days since the group Safe Seattle launched an online petition against the city's proposed ordinance to allow the homeless to camp in city parks and sidewalks, more than 10,000 people have signed it.

"I was absolutely blown away," said Harley Lever, who runs Safe Seattle. "But it doesn't surprise me."

The petition calls on the council to delay a decision for six months while it studies environmental impacts and allows the public to vote.

"[The proposal] doesn't do anything to get homeless people out of the outdoors. It doesn't help them get rehab. It doesn't change their situation. All it does is take the problems from the Jungle and other places and moves it throughout the city," said Lever.

Related: Council plan would allow homeless camps on thousands of acres

Other people are also organizing their neighbors to fight the ordinance.

Ari Hoffman, who is active at two of Seattle's Jewish synagogues, has been rallying membership to contact their council members.

"I've probably been in touch with more than 200 people," said Hoffman. "No matter what side of the political spectrum they're on, everyone seems to agree this is a bad idea."

The council will hold a special meeting to address the ordinance on Friday.

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