Time to do more for homeless

The Olympian • Published September 29, 2008

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One week ago, Camp Quixote, Olympia's tent city, moved from The United Churches to St. John Episcopal Church on Capitol Way. It was the ninth move of the homeless camp in the past 20 months.

It's time to start a community discussion about finding a permanent site.

It was February 2007 when Olympia Unitarian Universalist Church on the west side reached out to a group of homeless individuals and invited them to set up a temporary camp on church property. The controversial encampment prompted a new ordinance in Olympia setting rules for tent villages. For example, residents must be notified when Camp Quixote is moving to their neighborhood and a community meeting must take place. The law governs the length of stay, sanitation and other aspects of operating an around-the-clock encampment for homeless men and women.

"It's really become part of the community. And that's wonderful," said Mindy Chambers, a camp volunteer from St. John's.

With the downturn in the economy, tent cities are cropping up across the United States. A recent Associated Press story said people who have lost their jobs in the ailing economy and others who have lost their home in the mortgage meltdown are finding themselves homeless and destitute.

"From Seattle to Athens, Ga., homeless advocacy groups and city agencies are reporting the most- visible rise in homeless encampments in a generation," AP reporter Evelyn Nieves wrote. "Nearly 61 percent of local and state homeless coalitions say they've experienced a rise in homelessness since the foreclosure crisis began in 2007, according to a report by the National Coalition for the Homeless. The group says the problem has worsened since the report's release in April, with foreclosures mounting, gasoline and food prices rising, and the job market tightening."

"It's clear that poverty and homelessness have increased," said Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the coalition. "The economy is in chaos, we're in an unofficial recession, and Americans are worried, from the homeless to the middle class, about their future."

Here in Thurston County, Camp Quixote has moved roughly every 90 days among five Olympia churches: Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, The United Churches, First United Methodist Church, St. John's Episcopal Church and First Christian Church.

The Tumwater City Council has adopted Olympia's tent city law, but no Tumwater churches have stepped forward to host Camp Quixote.

It's time.

The city of Lacey adopted an unworkable tent city ordinance, requiring the church to house the homeless indoors. Many pastors have said their church facilities are simply incapable of hosting a tent city under the city's oppressive ordinance. The Lacey City Council needs to revisit its tent city law and move to the Olympia/Tumwater model.

It's time.

The Thurston County Commission has yet to adopt a tent city ordinance.

It's time.

As Chambers said, "The need for shelter for women and children in this community is crushing. And it's only going to get worse."

That's why it's time for the community to begin the discussion about having a more permanent option for tent cities. The fact that Camp Quixote has been forced to pull up stakes every 90 days is disruptive for the 28 homeless individuals and for the communities that are partnering with them.

There is no doubt that Camp Quixote has been a success. It has the full support of the Olympia Police Department. The time is right to take the next step and find a permanent location for the camp.