In a letter to the city, obtained by The Seattle Times, the ACLU and other homeless advocates submitted a call to action. They argue that the city's policies for homeless issues and clearing out of homeless encampments is harmful and making the problems worse. Instead, they drafted their own homeless ordinance that they hope the city council will consider during upcoming budget discussions. They say their proposal "strikes a balance between the rights and needs of people sleeping outdoors and legitimate public health and safety concerns." They also argue it "will lead to more effective and efficient use of public resources."