VANCOUVER, Wash. — The city of Vancouver is planning to open three sanctioned homeless camps by the end of the year. They will be known as "supportive campsites."
The campsites will provide basic services and support to help some of the hundreds of people living outside in the city.
“My hope is that we provide safer more healthy, humane places for people to stay in a more stable way than historically has been the case,” said Jamie Spinelli, homeless response coordinator for the city.
Monday night, Vancouver City Council approved a contract with local nonprofit Outsiders Inn to run the first campsite. Before founding the outreach organization, executive director Adam Kravitz was homeless himself. That's also the case for others working for the peer-run group.
"We speak the language, we understand the situation and we know because it was just a very short time ago that we were in the same position that we're talking to these people in. And so just our showing up is a message of hope,” said Kravitz.
A list of possible locations for the campsites hasn't been formed yet. Officials are currently looking for spots that are at least 10,000 square feet that can hold up to 20 tents and 40 people, enclosed by a screen or fence.
Spinelli said they should be within a half mile of a bus stop and preferably with water and power available.
The cost for Outside Inn to run the first camp for a year is roughly $571,000. To those who think that's a lot of money, Spinelli and Kravitz say the current system is not paying off.
“So it just makes sense to ensure that we're spending our money smartly, in a way that can really help solve the problem instead of just band aids forever,” said Spinelli.
“Bringing 40 people back into the fold of thinking about being housed and thinking about being worthy and thinking about being wanted and needed, it's priceless, really,” added Kravitz.
Once the campsite locations are chosen, anyone within 1,200 feet of them will be notified and have a chance to weigh in before the homeless campers move in.