SPOKANE, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Department of Commerce responded to the city of Spokane's letter threatening legal action unless the homeless camp near I-90 and Freya Street is cleared out by next month.
Spokane City Administrator Johnnie Perkins sent a letter to WSDOT on Sept. 9 stating that the department had until Oct. 14 to clear out the homeless camp located on WSDOT's property. Roger Millar, the WSDOT Secretary of Transportation, responded to the letter on Sept. 13, stating the department acknowledged the letter and would respond later with a formal plan of action.
In the letter, WSDOT said the department wants to use their response "as an opportunity to outline a high-level plan of action." Additionally, the letter states that the city fails to acknowledge its own responsibility in finding long-term solutions to the ongoing homeless crisis.
"This is not the first time this has been explained to the city, yet the city remains resolute that homelessness and those experiencing it is a state problem and not a local one," the letter states. "It is both."
WSDOT's Right of Way Safety Initiative provides local agencies with federal funds from the Department of Commerce to be used on projects, such as providing shelter and housing options. According to WSDOT's letter, there are four actions that allow encampments like the one near I-90 to be removed from state right of way:
- The offering of shelter and services to people living there (local jurisdiction and service/outreach providers; funding offered by Commerce)
- Secure storage of their belongings (local jurisdiction and service/outreach providers)
- Safety and security for people on-site and work crews (local law enforcement and Washington State Patrol)
- Restoration and cleanup of the property (WSDOT)
The letter states the WSDOT started discussions with the city of Spokane in October 2021, prior to the existence of the I-90 encampment, to help cover costs such as law enforcement and garbage disposal from other camps. However, according to the letter, the city would not sign the contract from WSDOT.
"While the city is focused on the reimbursement of $350,000 in expenses if abatement of Camp Hope does not occur by the city’s irrational deadline, it has clearly lost sight of the $24 million investment the state has already made to immediately address homelessness in Spokane," the letter states. "With all of this in mind, the state will not entertain reimbursement discussions."
The letter also states that the launch of the Trent Resource and Assistance Center (TRAC) "does not represent an immediate solution for all residents" living at the encampment and calls the deadline set by the city to clear the encampment "arbitrary and misleading."
The I-90 encampment started as a protest outside Spokane City Hall in December 2021. In response, the city threatened to remove people living in tents around City Hall without providing other housing options, according to WSDOT. When those campers moved to WSDOT's property near I-90, WSDOT said they reached out to city officials immediately to let them know what was happening and to brainstorm ideas of how to address the camp.
"Now, you threaten fines and legal action on multiple fronts for a problem created by both your actions and your continued inaction," the letter states.
WSDOT, Commerce and WSP said they want to partner with the city to resolve the challenges brought on by the homeless encampment, but added the city "seems more preoccupied with blaming the state for the problem it ultimately played a hand in creating and not acknowledging its own roles and responsibilities regarding residents of its own city."
"Continuing to blame the state does not actually make that narrative true no matter how many times you repeat it to the press and elsewhere. The city - starting with the Mayor - is more preoccupied by optics than action," the letter states. "Regardless of past behavior by the city, we would like to get to a place of continuous, collaborative productive dialogue that recognizes we each bear a unique role and associated responsibilities with successfully resolving Camp Hope."
Below is the whole letter sent to the city of Spokane by WSDOT:
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