SPOKANE, Wash. — Workers started Friday morning, putting up a fence around a Spokane homeless camp near I-90 and Freya.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said it would take about 24 hours to get the fence fully constructed around the camp.
"Fencing is an important first step to help address safety and security challenges felt both within and outside of the encampment," WSDOT said in a written statement. "Fencing benefits include better access control and management for those that enter and exit the encampment, prevents site growth, helps better manage the site overall and acts as a deterrent for “bad actors” to enter the encampment, creates safer separation from outside vehicles and protects those within and outside of the encampment."
Fencing goes up at Spokane homeless camp
Camp manager Maurice Smith said the last six weeks have been dedicated to cleaning up, organizing and condensing the homeless encampment.
“We had to move RVs, we had to move tents, we had to get a lot of things out of the way," Smith said. "Those things took time."
But Thursday, the camp was ready for Washington Department of Transportation trucks to haul out the excess trash and make room for the state-provided fencing.
Smith said clearing out a three-foot perimeter around the camp wasn't easy for everyone.
“I apologize to people when I say 'you got a lot of garbage, and they say well that’s my property,'" Smith said. "I get it. But understand, you’re not going to be able to take all of that stuff to an apartment or pallet shelter.”
Smith said these tough conversations are getting campers ready for a possible reality without the camp.
"This camp, one day, is going to go away," Smith said.
Clearing out the camp is something Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich has been vocal about. Knezovich told KREM 2 he expects to clear out people and property at the camp from Oct. 25 - Nov. 10.
Until that happens, camp management wants to make the current camp more safe and secure.
“The security fence is really a big signal to the community and the campers that we’re very serious about cleaning, organizing and getting everybody ready for the next step,” Smith said.
KREM 2 asked Smith to explain the thought process behind a fence serving as encouragement for campers to move on.
“The idea of putting up a fence isn’t meant to declare any sort of permanency," Smith said. "The purpose of the fence is to solve some immediate issues. Neighborhood security, camp security, we need that.”
Smith said the fence will have at least two entry points and lock after certain hours.
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