HomeMy WebLinkAbout072126 Shelter CoalitionShelter Coalition Meeting
July 21, 2026
Present: Greg Brotherton - facilitator, Julia Cochrane - scribe, Chris Hannon - Olycap, Renata Munfrada and Monica Mickhager - City, Hunter?, Apple Martine, Anya, Mazure - Health Dept.,
Debbi Tesch - Housing Authority, Maggie and Gissla - LE.
Encampment Removal - Anya talked about the notice of removal and the confusion it cost. The trespassing notice said that they could not go on any county property including the Health
Dept. etc. Mazure - 7 days to prepare - the end of the workday Friday they were not given any timeline. According to the residents and providers - Sheriff were going through the camp
and actively destroying people’s property, slashing tents. Sheriff did not give a requested hour extension. Two people were relocated somewhere. People are not sharing where they are
for fear of being further displaced, and are deeper in the woods, with increased fire danger. Providers do not know where people are.
Supported vs Permitted Encampment - what is the path that people see to create a space for people to land for a year or so. Folks were camped in the woods near the mill for years, maybe
decades without incident till the DSHS encampment was removed. There are many examples in other communities of long term supported encampments. Smaller more approachable, dignity bus,
safe parking. Clallam County is looking into a dignity box. We can’t just keep kicking the can. Need faith based services. Sheriff and police are different. Police are under city council,
sheriffs and more independent.
Matt Ready’s encampment - the city has not received an application. Right now if neighboring property owners want to intervene it would significantly slow down the process. To get an
emergency reenacted would take Renata to take it to Emma, or what? When the emergency ordinance expired it was not known that would happen.
Monica asks how the “emergency ordinance” would help? The requirement for public comment would make it unlikely and expensive to go through the process. The interim ordnance really streamlined
the process from months to weeks. Emergency is easier to do than code change. SEPA takes an inordinate amount of time and is part of the non-emergency process. The next City Council
meeting is in two weeks in August. Renata is looking at City properties. Renata brings up the idea of another tiny shelter encampment. Greg does not feel we have the tax base to support
another tiny building shelters.
Maggie - history of homelessness. Faircloth Amendment - prevents the building of new social housing. 1998 - 2030, 500,000 affordable housing building will be lost. Then Grants Pass decision.
350 cities and counties put in no camping ordinances. Many states are criminalizing the homeless. This did not happen by accident.
Can there be a tax on developers, new buildings, that support homeless services. This was a state level thing that did not pass.
Trevor Breland - Shelter Manager - Bayside - via text: The shelter is full. He is replacing two full time and one part time staff member.
Next Meeting: August 4th - 11:15
Hybrid at the Recovery Cafe or Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25378659299171?p=MOWv4jHuEZYBdCL80K
Meeting ID: 253 786 592 991 71
Passcode: 9Jt3Ad7J