HomeMy WebLinkAbout071226 email - Implementing the County's Encampment Removal Policy at Mill RoadALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Commissioners,
I wanted to reach out ahead of the upcoming Mill Road encampment removal because I participated in the public process that helped shape the Unauthorized Encampment Removal Policy adopted
last November. I appreciated the opportunity you gave community members, service providers, outreach workers, and advocates to help inform the policy. While we did not all agree on
every aspect, I left feeling there was a genuine effort to balance public health and safety with harm reduction, dignity, and accountability.
Now it is time to put that work into action.
I understand the County is moving forward with the Mill Road removal in response to the recent fire and the associated safety concerns. I recognize there may be legitimate reasons to
address hazardous conditions, and I am not writing with the expectation that this email alone will stop the removal.
Instead, I am asking how the County is ensuring the commitments made in its own policy are being fully implemented. For ease of reference, I have attached the Unauthorized Encampment
Removal Policy adopted by the Board in November 2025.
The policy recognizes that homelessness is not a crime, that displacement creates additional hardships, and that the County must balance public health and safety with respect for people's
personal property and privacy. (Sections 1.3 and 1.4)
It also states that encampment removal should be a last resort. Before any removal, designated county personnel are expected to review the encampment, document health and safety concerns,
consult with Public Health, and assess the site through a public health framework before determining whether removal is appropriate. (Sections 1.10 and 6.2-6.5)
The policy further requires meaningful outreach, including identifying available shelter and alternative locations, visiting the encampment before removal, inviting approved outreach
providers to participate throughout the process, and continuing to facilitate access to shelter and services during the removal itself. (Sections 8.0 and 9.0)
I would appreciate hearing how these provisions are being carried out for the Mill Road removal. Specifically:
* Has Public Health been consulted as required?
* Has the site been assessed using the public health framework outlined in the policy?
* Have approved outreach providers been invited to participate before and during the removal?
* What information has been gathered about the people living there, including their needs, barriers to shelter, disabilities, transportation needs, and other factors that could reduce
harm?
* How is the County documenting these efforts so the public can understand how the policy is being implemented?
I also encourage the County to partner with trusted community volunteers to support the storage and transportation of personal belongings. The policy places significant importance on
documenting, storing, and returning personal property, and volunteers could help ensure people do not lose the few possessions they have while supporting County staff in carrying out
these responsibilities. (Sections 5.3, 5.7, 10.4, and 12.0)
Finally, I hope this removal serves as a turning point rather than another cycle of displacement. The policy recognizes the importance of low barrier shelter and the County's ability
to designate temporary public locations when adequate shelter is unavailable. (Sections 1.5, 3.5, 3.16, 3.17, and 8.0)
I encourage the Board to identify and publicly commit to a site for a low barrier emergency shelter or managed encampment and dedicate available grant funding toward its development.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, and other researchers have consistently found that communities spend substantial
public resources on repeated encampment removals through enforcement, cleanup, outreach, and emergency response, while investments in shelter, housing, and supportive services are more
effective and reduce long-term public costs.
Jefferson County has an opportunity to move beyond managing homelessness one encampment at a time. Naming a site and committing resources would demonstrate that the County is serious
about addressing the root causes of encampments rather than simply relocating them.
I appreciate the thoughtful process that produced this policy. Community members invested significant time because we believed it could reduce harm while the County worked toward more
durable housing solutions. I hope the County will honor that work by demonstrating not only that this removal is necessary, but that every safeguard and harm reduction measure adopted
by the Board is being fully implemented.
I would appreciate a response before the removal, if possible, outlining how these provisions are being implemented for the Mill Road encampment, whether this information will be made
publicly available, and what concrete steps the Board intends to take to identify a long-term low barrier site and dedicate resources toward its development.
I also encourage the Board to publicly share this information, regardless of whether you respond directly to me. Transparency about how the County is implementing its own policy will
help build public confidence, create accountability, and demonstrate that the commitments made through last year's public process are being carried forward in practice.
Thank you for your time and for your continued service to Jefferson County.
Sincerely,
Cendre Hunt
Co-Director
Well Organized
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