SPOKANE, Wash. — A new report from the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) says "Camp Hope" is moving in the right direction.
The latest independent count conducted by I2 strategies estimates there's 108 people living inside the camp, down from the estimated 600 plus people living there over the summer.
WSDOT says while the latest numbers are encouraging, there's still more work ahead, and those that remain have major barriers that shelters and other housing options aren't equipped to handle.
"Some of the individuals have intensive substance use issues that preclude them from being able to participate at the shelters," Empire Health President Zeke Smith said. "Some of them have other kinds of medical or mental health needs."
Smith says some of the people still at the camp have criminal histories, making it difficult for them to transition out of the camp and into housing.
"We got to work together on this issue," Smith said. "These are our neighbors that are both in the camp that are homeless."
There's still 65 tents on the lot, and Smith says they're continuing to find housing options for those people and places for the remaining 12 RVs.
Smith says the next steps also include finding long-term funding for permanent housing and shelter, and eventually removing the fence around the camp and cleaning the site. However, he did not say how much longer all of that will take.
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