Nate Sanford photo
Spokane has repeatedly clashed with Washington state over Camp Hope, which grew to more than 600 residents last summer.
It's almost over.
After more than 18 months of bitter back and forth, city and state leaders say they've agreed on a deadline to close what was at one point the largest homeless encampment in Washington — and arguably one of the largest in the nation.
In a joint statement Tuesday, officials from the City of Spokane and the Washington State Department of Transportation said all remaining campers will vacate the camp in East Central by June 30.
Twenty people live at Camp Hope today — down from an estimated peak of more than 600 last summer. The population has dwindled in recent months, but many of those who remain have disabilities, or mental health or substance use challenges that make finding housing especially difficult.
"Work is underway to take the necessary steps to find improved housing before that date for the remaining individuals at the site," according to the joint statement.
The announcement comes a month after a judge ordered the parties to put aside their differences and work together on a plan to close the camp. Camp Hope sits inside city limits, on land owned by the state Department of Transportation.
"Representatives from the State and the City of Spokane have met regularly over the past few months," the statement says. "Discussions have been thoughtful and candid."
The announcement comes a month after a judge ordered the parties to put aside their differences and work together on a plan to close the camp. Camp Hope sits inside city limits, on land owned by the state Department of Transportation.
"Representatives from the State and the City of Spokane have met regularly over the past few months," the statement says. "Discussions have been thoughtful and candid."
As Camp Hope's population exploded last summer, it became a political flashpoint — a jurisdictional mess and a visible reminder of the city's growing homelessness crisis that, quite literally, put the problem on the map.
Throughout the fall and winter, the city and state's disagreements boiled down to one key question: How and when should Camp Hope close?
The city wanted it done quickly, arguing that the camp was contributing to a spike in crime in the neighborhood, and that the recently-opened homeless shelter on Trent Avenue had room for the people living there. The state agreed that the camp should close eventually, but said the city's shelter network couldn't accommodate everyone, and that more work was needed to find shelter and housing that matched campers' needs.
Until May 30, state officials had refused to publicly agree to any deadline for closing the camp.
"Despite the horror conditions forced on Camp Hope by Nadine Woodward's administration, Camp Hope is closing ahead of its promised schedule with countless success stories of lives improved and a voice to tell the stories of the voiceless," Garcia wrote.
Garcia also said she was thankful to see Camp Hope closing, "legally, humanely, and as soon as we could."
While many Camp Hope residents were successfully moved into housing or shelter, more than half of those who left since November are unaccounted for, according to data released by service providers last month.
And while the camp may be closing, Spokane's homeless crisis is far from over. The city's most recent point-in-time count found that Spokane County's homeless population increased 36 percent since last year.
Throughout the fall and winter, the city and state's disagreements boiled down to one key question: How and when should Camp Hope close?
The city wanted it done quickly, arguing that the camp was contributing to a spike in crime in the neighborhood, and that the recently-opened homeless shelter on Trent Avenue had room for the people living there. The state agreed that the camp should close eventually, but said the city's shelter network couldn't accommodate everyone, and that more work was needed to find shelter and housing that matched campers' needs.
Until May 30, state officials had refused to publicly agree to any deadline for closing the camp.
Amid multiple lawsuits and threats of sweeps, the state Department of Commerce — led by Lisa Brown, who later stepped down to run for mayor of Spokane — poured $24 million into outreach work and new housing and shelter space for the campers.
In April, as the camp's population dipped below 100, a judge granted the city's request to declare the camp a nuisance, and ordered the parties to work together on a plan to close it.
After months of conflict, city and state leaders finally struck a collaborative tone with the announcement today.
But in a separate statement, Julie Garcia, the CEO of Jewels Helping Hands, was highly critical.
As the leader of the nonprofit that was tapped by the state to manage the camp, Garcia accused the city of "threats and stonewalling" that extended the camp's existence.
She criticized officials for refusing to provide water to the camp, threatening to sweep people out and not providing full police services to the campers.
In April, as the camp's population dipped below 100, a judge granted the city's request to declare the camp a nuisance, and ordered the parties to work together on a plan to close it.
After months of conflict, city and state leaders finally struck a collaborative tone with the announcement today.
But in a separate statement, Julie Garcia, the CEO of Jewels Helping Hands, was highly critical.
As the leader of the nonprofit that was tapped by the state to manage the camp, Garcia accused the city of "threats and stonewalling" that extended the camp's existence.
She criticized officials for refusing to provide water to the camp, threatening to sweep people out and not providing full police services to the campers.
"Despite the horror conditions forced on Camp Hope by Nadine Woodward's administration, Camp Hope is closing ahead of its promised schedule with countless success stories of lives improved and a voice to tell the stories of the voiceless," Garcia wrote.
Garcia also said she was thankful to see Camp Hope closing, "legally, humanely, and as soon as we could."
While many Camp Hope residents were successfully moved into housing or shelter, more than half of those who left since November are unaccounted for, according to data released by service providers last month.
And while the camp may be closing, Spokane's homeless crisis is far from over. The city's most recent point-in-time count found that Spokane County's homeless population increased 36 percent since last year.
