The Aberdeen City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a recommendation to close the temporary homeless tent camp behind City Hall.
If the recommendation is accepted, Mayor Pete Schave would be authorized to provide notice to participants and vendors at the camp and close it May 15.
The recommendation, from the council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness, cites lack of financial support from other government entities, particularly the county.
The recommendation reads, in part, “despite requests to Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services and the Washington Department of Commerce and state and federal elected officials there is no non-city funding being provided to support operational expenses of the TASL. There continues to be no substantive operational support offered by private or faith-based organizations.”
“The county has asserted its authority to provide homeless and unsheltered programs based on state law as the recipient agency for both the Commerce Consolidated Homeless Grant which funds crisis homeless response, and the recent COVID-19 Outbreak Emergency Housing Grant in the amount of nearly $390,000,” read the report, signed by Community Development Director Lisa Scott. “In its most recent response to the city’s request, the county and Public Health Officer declined through counsel to consider on-going operation of the (homeless camp) as ‘an appropriate use of the funds to address the public health crisis.’ ”
Operating the camp has allowed the city to enforce its laws prohibiting overnight camping and sleeping in public places such as sidewalks and parks. In the past, city officials have said that without an authorized facility or shelter, those practices are likely to be common again.
In February, the city proposed that the county use money it gets from the state to combat homelessness to split the city’s monthly expense for the city hall camp and what it would cost to move the camp to another location. That would be $13,800 a month from the county, plus $45,000 in a one-time expense of moving to the camp
In March, the city warned that if it didn’t receive outside funding, it would close the camp May 15. It is coming up on a one-year deadline for the temporary City Hall camp. At the time, it said that if it got funding support from a partner agency, the camp might be moved to a location behind businesses on State Street near its intersection with Michigan St. But that would take votes of approval from the council.
A second report recommends that in the event that funding becomes available beyond May 15, that the homeless camp be moved to the city’s property located at 421 S. Michigan St. The move would require a temporary-use permit to be approved by the council at a later meeting. The temporary permit could only be authorized for up to one year.
Wednesday’s meeting will be held using telephone audio conferencing, which allows the public to listen in, but will not include public comment periods, “For the immediate future and under the (Stay Home, Stay Safe) order and associated guidance,” according to a city statement.
Any comments must be sent to City Clerk Cliff Frederickson at cfrederickson@aberdeenwa.gov ahead of the meeting time, “and they will be shared with the City Council,” read the statement. The subject line should read “City Council public comment,” and the email should include your full name and ward number, or city if you are not an Aberdeen resident.
Council vacancy
Ward 5 Councilman Jerrick Rodgers has resigned from the council. In an email to the city dated March 12, Rodgers said his resignation went into effect immediately. His email did not provide a reason for his resignation.
The vacant seat is now open to anyone in Ward 5. Anyone interested in consideration for the seat should provide letters of interest an a resume to Schave by Friday, May 1.
