SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Police have been monitoring the increase in incident calls around the growing Camp Hope, located off of I-90 and Freya, since December.
In just four months, SPD recorded 854 incidents within a quarter mile of the East Central homeless camp. This is a 58.4% increase in the number of incidents since 2021.
Residents in the neighborhood have mixed feelings about the growing camp. Some said they don't mind the residents, as long as they keep to themselves. Other neighbors said they feel threatened living in their home.
Tyrone Allen said he would rather his grandkids play inside.
"I would rather buy them a whole bunch of toys at Walmart to keep them inside," Allen said. "I would never let them play outside."
Allen has a Ring video doorbell on his front door. He said he thinks it helps when warding off late-night intruders or thieves.
"They see my camera and I think it turns them away," Allen said. "My neighbors though they've had people bang on their doors and steal their stuff. One of them had $5,000 worth of tools stolen from them."
He said he finds it hard to believe how people can be so unafraid to commit crimes.
The camp sits on state-owned land, which means the city can't just move people out.
But that doesn't mean East Central isn't calling on the city to figure out a solution.
"Our neighborhood is one of the poorest in the city," East Central neighborhood chair Randy McGlenn said. "A lot of our neighbors feel like we’ve become the dumping ground for disabled people. A lot of people feel like if people are going to be brought here, the city needs to step up and match those people with services and especially public safety."
McGlenn said more residents in the neighborhood complain about porch theft and breaking into cars.
Todd Browning said he's been a victim of porch thieves. He said there have been times when him and his wife watched people steal things from them and then followed them back to the camp.
As someone trying to sell his East Central residence, he said the camp is a reason potential buyers turn away.
“You’re driving into Spokane, Washington, and what do you see? That’s what you see. Does that represent Spokane? I don’t think so,” Browning said.
Browning's wife, Alycia Everett, works as a nurse and said he's scared of her leaving the house during the dark hours of the early morning or night.
Everett said one of her biggest concerns is how close the camp is to Libby Center around children. Her husband said he's noticed needles while walking past the center.
Browning said he has been in constant communication with local law enforcement and continues to report crimes committed against his home.
According to SPD, the 854 incidents reported so far this year have been a mix between calls for medics or police services. The area scope does include nearby businesses and gas stations around 200 S Ray so it is possible incidents are not all linked to the Camp Hope site.
SPD has also recorded data when officers were on site to see if there was any noticeable trend in crime rates. According to a presentation from the department, there was not a decrease in the number of incidents during the time officers spent near the camp.