By Abby Spegman
The Olympian
At times, it can seem like the Olympia City Council and city staff are going in different directions when it comes to reducing homelessness.
It apparently looks that way to some members of the City Council, too.
Since May, the council has taken steps to respond to homelessness, starting with a resolution that talked about harm reduction and dignity for all people. It passed an emergency ordinance on city-sanctioned homeless camps, declared a public health emergency related to homelessness, and directed staff to work with local service providers to expand shelter capacity and open a city-funded homeless camp on the edge of downtown.
Meanwhile, city staff and police have continued to enforce a ban on sitting or lying on downtown sidewalks and were preparing to clear homeless camps on city property. The city also recently closed Artesian Commons Park indefinitely, a popular hangout for people on the streets, citing threats to park staff.
“I think what we’re all seeing and experiencing is the messiness of trying to begin doing something after a long time of talking about it,” said council member Clark Gilman, noting the council sets policy but does not typically weigh in on day-to-day operations. “Here we are, four months into this work, and we’re still at a planning phase.”
At last week’s council meeting, council member Renata Rollins moved to end the “sit-lie” ban and designate city property for camping. She said later she decided to do so after hearing about stepped-up enforcement from people on the streets and local groups that work with homeless people.
“What my concern is, we sent a signal in our resolution in May that we wanted to change direction,” she said. “Essentially doing a crackdown on people who have no other place to go — that’s not the right direction in my opinion.”
However, Olympia police said there has been no change in enforcement; what has changed is the number of officers downtown on foot as part of its revamped walking patrol.
“I think what people are seeing is that we just have more staff down there to deal with some of the things that have been impacting our community,” Deputy Chief Aaron Jelcick said.
Neither of Rollins’ motions last week passed. But council members said they would look at possible changes as part of their ongoing work on a homeless response plan.
On Tuesday, the council is set to hear an update and could vote on funding for the plan.
Last week was not the first time a council member has sought to make abrupt policy changes.
At a meeting in July, council member Jim Cooper moved to stop nearly all camp evictions on undeveloped public property in response to a planned eviction of people camping on Wheeler Avenue Southeast.
“We have spent enough money on sweeps and cleaning encampments that we probably could have housed 100 people,” he said.
While the sit-lie ban will continue to be enforced, enforcement of Olympia’s ban on camping on city property has been paused after a recent federal appeals court decision.
Earlier this month, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a case challenging a Boise, Idaho ordinance against camping. It said cities can’t prosecute people for sleeping on public property when they have nowhere else to go.
Olympia City Manager Steve Hall said it will take weeks if not months to understand how the ruling affects enforcement of Olympia’s camping ordinance. He noted the city does allow people to sleep on downtown sidewalks from midnight to 7 a.m.
The decision delayed the planned clearing of camps on B Avenue Northeast and Franklin Street Northeast in downtown. Hall said there had been complaints about drug use, fires and assaults there, and that city staff had given campers notice they would have to leave.
Hall said he understands the confusion some people may have — seeing enforcement efforts alongside the City Council’s calls for a new direction — but to him, it makes sense.
“We still have a responsibility to manage public spaces for everybody,” he said. “We’re doing all those things at the same time.”
