Why is the ‘Jungle’ encampment getting cleaned up now? Details emerge for future housing
City staff have given themselves and a contracted construction company four weeks to clean up the encampment known as the Jungle on Olympia’s east side.
Homeless Response Coordinator Kim Kondrat said the encampment’s residents will be staying put for now, but the cleanup hints at the city’s plans to purchase the property and build supportive housing there.
Kondrat said the city hired Layland Construction, a company based out of Roy, to work with city staff from Sept. 23 to Oct. 18 to clean up the forested property. She said the company has helped with previous encampment cleanups throughout Olympia.
She said the only items being thrown away are those they have permission to get rid of. Kondrat said residents of the encampment were given tape to mark things they don’t want taken, and nothing is being tossed without asking permission first.
She said a lot of the trash that’s present isn’t from folks who are living in the encampment, but instead from those who have visited and left. She said there’s tons of trash, scrap metal and biohazardous materials.
Kondrat said the cleanup is in part an opportunity for residents to clear their spots of items they no longer need. She said there’s a dumpster near Martin Way folks are able to use, but it’s sometimes difficult to haul items there. And it makes overall hygiene in the encampment better.
Kondrat said she isn’t comfortable stating how many residents there are in the Jungle currently, mostly because the number changes frequently. She said some days it’s 50 people, others it’s 100 or more.
She said there are many structures that have been built on the property. In some cases there will be several people in one structure, and in others one person residing over several structures.
Some old and junk vehicles will be pulled out of the property during the cleanup.
Kondrat said residents were made aware of the plans to clean the encampment weeks ago. She said staff have been giving out gloves and trash bags and snacks, and they’re taking the opportunity to conduct some outreach with residents.
Kondrat said the cleanup is also a step the city is taking in trying to deal with the Jungle. She said most of the property is privately owned, with a small city-owned section in the middle. The city is currently leasing the private property from its owner as a way to gain access and conduct outreach.
She said the city has applied for a grant that would allow it to purchase the private property for future development. The plan would be to create a manufactured home community with a road running through the Jungle. The plan to apply for a grant was approved by the City Council in June, and the Housing Team will know if it secured funding later this year.
“Long term it will give us time to get residents on the housing list and find spots that are available for them, but right now there aren’t enough spaces,” Kondrat said. “It’s not a quick thing, unless we have a lot more housing projects that we can get folks into.”
This story was originally published September 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
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