SPOKANE, Wash. — Jewels Helping Hands is criticizing Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich's mid-November deadline to clear out the I-90 homeless camp.
Jewels founder Julie Garcia says the head count at the camp was 443 as of Saturday, Oct. 15. Garcia said there's simply not enough shelter beds available, specifically low-barrier ones. The city, on the other hand, says this is not the case, and that everyone at the camp has an opportunity to live at in a safer, more humane environment at the Trent shelter.
At one point during the last several months, Jewels Helping Hands says there were upwards of 689 people living in the single city block. Over the last four weeks, 349 campers have left and moved into housing and shelters.
"There will be no new guests, only a decrease in the number of people there from here on out," Garcia said.
Garcia said it will take more time than the sheriff is giving them to clear everyone out.
"We don't have enough space yet created for these folks to go," Garcia said during Tuesday night's East Central Neighborhood Council meeting.. "There is not enough beds in our shelter system."
During that meeting, neighborhood council members passed a resolution calling for the camp to empty out no later than Thanksgiving.
"I would be extremely concerned if there was this hard deadline and there are not options and solutions in place," said East Central resident Sam Mace.
Garcia warned that homeless people don't just disappear. If law enforcement removes them in November, people will start to camp in parks and neighborhoods.
But, developer Larry Stone, who owns and leases the Trent Shelter to the city, says there are enough beds available and ready throughout the entire shelter system.
"The time has come," Stone said. "The City has notified the state that they have plenty of spots at the Trent facility and several other facilities. Union Gospel Mission has notified that they have 54 spots available. When I add those up it far exceeds the population at Camp Hope."
Catholic Charities is also in the process of renovating the former Quality Inn on Sunset Boulevard which could house up to 110 people living at the camp as early as mid-November.
In a statement to KREM 2, City Spokesperson Brian Coddington said in part:
"There is space to move people indoors and out of the elements while the assessment work is being done. Individuals' belongings can be stored on site and they can sleep in a bed and eat regular meals in a safer, healthier, more humane environment while maintaining the same ability to connect to permanent housing. That opportunity is available to everyone at Camp Hope."
Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich has already agreed to extend the camp's deadline at the request of service providers to some time during the second week of November. The sheriff said people who refuse to leave will be arrested. Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl has also warned that the property could be declared a nuisance.
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