SPOKANE, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has confirmed that the I-90 homeless encampment, commonly referred to as Camp Hope, permanently closed on Friday.
The state’s largest homeless encampment closed as state agencies have officially moved the last individual who was living in the encampment into housing. Just one year ago there were an estimated 600 people living at the site.
Chris Senn, a former resident of the encampment, shared he lived at the encampment since the beginning.
"I moved into camp about a month after it opened. And I was here till I moved out of camp back in December," Senn said. He admitted, he never thought it would clear so soon.
"It's surreal. I didn't think we'd get it closed as quick as we didn't get as much help out as we did."
“The situation at Camp Hope highlighted the scale and complexity of our housing and homelessness efforts in Spokane and across the state,” Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement. “This work requires collaboration with local governments and community partners. Legislators this session approved new policies and historic funding to help communities build more affordable housing and expand access to substance use treatment, behavioral health and other services. We appreciate all those who assisted the hundreds of people living at this one site, and remain focused on the long-term, statewide effort to connect more people to safe, stable housing.”
Julie Garcia with Jewels Helping Hands said the non-profit was able to do as much as they could to help.
"As service providers, we were able to do the work that was necessary, and that's proof is in that pudding. As soon as the lawsuits subsided and the rhetoric subsided, we were able to just put our heads to the ground and house people," Garcia said.
"200 plus people from the 467 have received some sort of housing 150 plus of them have received employment, or been employed during this time."
Mayor Nadine Woodward said finding housing for some people has been a long time coming.
"We have people that are no longer living in a field because there are better options. For them, this has been a long time to get to this place," Mayor Woodward said.
According to WSDOT, the site will be transitioned to remediation and restoration. Contractor crews will remove the fencing surrounding the perimeter as well as the onsite portable office space.
Neighbors of the homeless encampment were excited to have the camp come to a close. Some shared they were tired of finding things like needles in their yard.
"For me, having children, it's a huge piece of mind. I've caught several people exposing themselves in front of my house, outside my childrens' windows, directly in view of our front porch. It's not been fun adjusting," said a neighbor, Heather Humbird.
“WSDOT is grateful to each and every service provider that worked hard to resolve Camp Hope in a safe, humane, respectful way while meeting the needs of those living unsheltered,” said Roger Millar, Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation. “It is our hope that the housing and services provided by the state Right of Way Safety Initiative breaks their individual cycle of homelessness.”
WATCH RELATED: KREM 2 News | Continuing Coverage: Camp Hope
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