I love the Opt Ed section of the paper. I believe we all need to write at least one letter on something we’re passionate about in our lifetime. In saying that, I applaud this reader

Any of us could be homeless due to sudden crisis. It could be me. I imagine myself trying to cope with the daily dilemmas and fear. I might well choose to shelter in a Seattle park as somewhere relatively safe, with friendly people, drinking water and bathrooms. People must be able to do this. It’s no answer in the long run, but folks who are on the streets need help right now [“Don’t permit homeless camping in green spaces,” Opinion, Oct. 11].

The city must also change its policy of harassing homeless people by prohibiting nighttime parking along some nonresidential streets. This is nothing but a mean-spirited punishment of people trying to survive in trucks and campers. Why are Ballard bar patrons welcome to park until closing time, but a senior with disabilities in a camper can’t get a few hours sleep after 2 a.m.?

Seattle needs to tax the wealthy and corporations to provide housing to solve the homeless emergency. We need an ordinance mandating that all longstanding residential and office vacancies be rented free of charge as shelter until no one is left on the streets.

Helen Gilbert, Seattle