Seattle City Council approves 'loitering' penalties for prostitution and drug zones

New criminal penalties for drug and prostitution-related crimes within some of Seattle's busiest areas are on the way.

In an 8 to 1 decision, the Seattle City Council voted in favor of two ordinances on Tuesday, one creates “Stay Out Of Drug Area” zones – or “SODA” zones – in six areas of the city. 

A Seattle municipal court judge can now order people who get arrested for drug-related crimes to steer clear of these zones or face a gross misdemeanor charge.   

The other establishes a “Stay Out of Area of Prostitution” zone on Aurora Avenue North from 85th to 145th street. This new SOAP ordinance also reinstates a prostitution loitering law as a misdemeanor. 

And it creates a new gross misdemeanor offense: promoting “loitering for purposes of prostitution”, meant to target sex traffickers. 

Soundside hears from KUOW politics reporter Amy Radil about the enforcement power these zones give the city, and the pushback from critics. 

And later, Soundside talks to Madison Zack-Wu, an organizer with Strippers Are Workers, about the concerns sex workers have raised about the legislation. 

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Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. 

Guests:

• Amy Radil, KUOW politics and government reporter

• Madison Zack-Wu, organizer with Strippers Are Workers

Relevant Links:

• New 'loitering' penalties targeting Seattle drug and prostitution zones approved by City Council - Amy Radil, KUOW

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