[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by verified resident. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of South King Media, nor its staff.]
An update on the ridiculousness going on in Burien.
I went to Burien today to personally observe the loud Generator (100db)and bright lighting in the parking lot of Taproot ‘Church’ and La Costa Restaurant.
I wandered over to La Costa and talked to the ‘security guard’ who just happened to be the owner, Hector Ramos. He admitted the Generator was his idea. We discussed the merits and ethics of using it to disrupt the lives of the Homeless encamped on the Sidewalk. 🙁 He then asked me if I was handing things out to the Homeless and I told him I had. I had dropped off a Walker to a disabled Lady. He then ordered me off his property. I refused to without an official order. I told him I was getting a donut at the Donut shop and didn’t have to leave 😉
Homelessness is a problem that I do not have answers for. But Gestapo/Concentration Camp tactics are not the answer. The Burien City Council and City mis-manager need to quit blaming the Sheriff’s Office, the County, Dow Constantine and others and do their jobs.
And quit lying to the Public and Press about all the things they are ‘doing’!
– Stan Milstid
La Costa Owner Responds
Below is a response to this letter from Hector Ramos, owner of Burien’s La Costa restaurant:
“I walked to work on Tuesday, the 9th around 4:30 PM. I almost forgot about the homeless camp that arrived on March 13th in our business area. It all came back to me once I got to the front of the library with all the tents and garbage. Burien is a funny, perfect place that has been home to me for more than 40 years. This community has given my family more than a home. We have had the opportunity to work and prosper in little Burien, aka B-TOWN. My family owns and operates La Costa Restaurant on 152nd. My roots are strongly embedded in this community.
“The new norm is now dealing with multiple break-ins to the businesses in our mall, cleaning up garbage and human feces, witnessing drug sales, drug use, and prostitution. I could not believe an elderly parishioner of Taproot Church had to run away from a homeless person from the camp swinging a machete at her. We have spent tens of thousands of dollars on security, fences, gates, lights, camera systems, garbage removal, and employee turnover.
“I have videotaped the drug sales, drug use, and prostitution and reported it to the police with minimal action taken. I have witnessed a young man succumbing to a drug overdose and another catching himself on fire who then blamed the business owners for his burns.
“Stan Milstid of North Seatac Park approached me over social media about one week ago, where I stated many of these points. I explained to him our property lines, the right of owners not to have nuisances, fecal matter, drugs, and garbage on their property. I explained to him why no authorized drop-offs of any kind are allowed since it contributes to the garbage and waste resulting from the drop-offs. I told him the amount of time and effort it takes to clean the parking lot every morning, to make sure that the customers and employees are not harassed as they come to the mall. I explained that the generator powers lights for our customers and businesses. I asked Stan last Sunday if he had a home and if he had a family. He said yes, I do. I responded by stating that La Costa is my home, and my family is inside. I offered to transport the camp to his property at my expense including funds to help him in his efforts. Stan declined.
“Stan may believe that his heart is in the right place, but his misguided self-appointed policy advocacy promotes a spiral of destruction of basic property rights, continued drug crimes, crimes of prostitution, and death.”
– HR
EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have an opinion you’d like to share with our highly engaged local Readers? If so, please email your Letter to the Editor to scott@southkingmedia.com and, pending review and verification that you’re a real human being, we may publish it. Letter writers must provide an address and phone number (NOT for publication but for verification purposes). Read our updated Letter to the Editor policy here.
I agree with Hector. In fact I believe it is abusive to allow any citizen to live this way. It gets worse and worse. Drugs are the core cause of many of the on going homeless situation. Making those not on drugs to live amongst that violence, filth and danger is pure neglect and doing what has been done makes it worse. Forced hiring by local businesses, crime enforcement, including illegal drugs, and free housing are expensive but what choice do we have? Look to cities around the world for our future if the neglect continues.
Say it LOUD, Stan. The lack of compassion is appalling.
Compassion for homeless is nice and all but a random Joe-Schmo telling a business owner with deep roots in the community with 40 years in the business how to run their job is unnecessary and uncalled for.
Stan: Perhaps voice your complaints to Burien Council or house the homeless in your own home if you are unhappy with how the homeless in Burien are being treated.
Proposing solutions instead voicing a complaint against a business owner on a website will not get you far with treating the homeless issue.
I see everyday the insanity that Hector is dealing with while receiving very little support from our community. Business owners in Burien are being asked to be the front line of defense against the crimes that gravitate around tent encampments. The reality is that both the unhoused folks AND the business owners as well as their employees are suffering with the current conditions in our city. I watched the King County Sheriff’s department just stand by while the tents went up on Hector’s property as well as my own. Is this really the kind of future that we want for Burien where anyone can squat on your property and the only way you can get them off is to pay for a surveyor to define your property lines? That is what is happening right now in downtown.
Bravo, Hector Ramos, for putting into words what most tax paying and law abiding citizens of this community feel. Business owners have rights too. Especially those who give back to the community like your family has for the last 40 years. It sickens me that some people and the police think it is perfectly OK for crimes to be committed against people like Hector, and that they are blind to the fact that their comments and actions support the criminal perpetrators. Upthegrove’s comments punish those who should be applauded for their actions, and he defends the disgusting actions such as drug use and prostitution of these homeless persons. It’s reprehensible and disheartening. Homeless people take advantage of good citizens; they are not innocents. Let’s get real here – poop, vomit, pee, needles, used condoms, and trash is disgusting when left on your doorstep. Even Stan admitted he didn’t want the homeless on his property. Let’s save and support Burien’s businesses, not those who seek to destroy them.
OMG STAN./Own a Business in Downtown Burien. Then you have a voice. We all have to deal with this. We own the private alley, the defecation, the needles, the bottles, the nudity, the **** You say, don’t blame the sheriff. Don’t blame Dow Constantine. Who do we blame? .. King County Shove DESC down our throat and then failed us with this. The fact that they turned on us the way they did. You don’t know all this scan. You don’t know all that all of us businesses know that are connected to the City Hall. So stand of the conversation unless you are vested in the conversation. !!……..They. took our power away. They took our mayor’s power away our City manager.. I’m absolutely over these people that do not live our reality and seem to think that we are the problem, not the homeless. They’re dying. They’re rotting. They’re not living their true life when they’re offered opportunities to clean their life up. and go into Treatment You can’t be serious, Stan. You just said this??
Any business and or property owner has every right to protect investments, employees and themselves from all hazards regardless the source or cause. Here we have a tenured business(s) impacted by rampant lawlessness and do-gooders cannot stop adding to the dysfunction and absolute impacts on public health and safety. Let’s not forget where much of the City budget comes from, B&O taxes and residents and outsiders going out to spend hard earned money.
Good to see someone is finally standing up for their livelihood and community. The city,county and state have done nothing but enable the mental illness and drug abuse. Stop enabling and start giving them real options. 1 build rehab and shelters that are strictly enforced no drugs, and then if they don’t want that option they can then go to jail that also needs to be no drug use and forced mental health services. Give them a chance to succeed not a hand out so they can keep their downward spiral.
I support the owner of La Costa 100 percent. He is the heart of this community. As far as the Nazi talk and accusations-enough already. We have eyes and ears and can see this community being destroyed by unwelcome invaders.
I totally agree with and support the comments of Hector Ramos. I continue to try to understand why activities that were illegal and not tolerated just a few months ago are now commonplace with no negative consequences. Thank you Dow Constantine and KC Sheriff Cole-Tindall for making Burien the dumping ground for the homeless problems that the county refuses to address effectively. Stan Milsted is an enabler with no record of actually getting results for his efforts. He is almost a clone of Charles Schaefer who continues to supply food and tents to the drug addicts on Burien’s streets. When will “enough is enough” of this enabling behavior be realized.
Mr Ramos,
Thanks for sharing. The rights of citizens and business owners are being harmed by the current status of homeless encampments in Burien. It affects me every time to come into Burien. Good points!
There many many people that stand with La Costa and all businesses being invaded by what Hector described above. The homeless camping there need to be directed to a sustainable area… Endangering and ruining the environment around themselves (its not an area setup for living!!) is the opposite of sustainable living
As a business owner in Burien, where small children coming to the business must watch naked homeless emerge from their tents, there has got to be a different solution. The x-xouncil woman who hired someone to move boulders to allow the homeless to move back in on 152nd should be arrested for destruction of city property. She had no right.
If we don’t hold people accountable for their actions and illegal behavior, we will turn into seattle quicker than we realize.
Burien, fight back. Find a resolution. Airport property sits vacant. It could be used. It’s secure(all fenced) so why can’t it be turned into something useful?
Way to go Hector!! Its nice to see you shed some light on the real situation for Stan.
I have seen the trash and tents on the strip near the donut shop. I don’t blame the mall tenants for wanting to get rid of the vagrant camp. It’s a crime-ridden eyesore.
Hector Ramos is correct, Stan Milstid is wrong. Burien does not need to support squatters who feel entitled to destroy others lives and livelihoods. If the people enabling the squatters feel so strongly about perpetuating their behavior, they should take them into their own homes and assume complete responsibility for them. The fact these encampments even exist is the most ridiculous and surreal part of this entire situation.
Good job Hector! Its nice to see someone standing up for whats right!
We love La Costa and cannot support them or any small business when we feel unsafe. Do yoir jobs!!!
Totally stand behind La Costa and the business owner!!!