the Southwest Washington city of Washougal became one of the latest municipalities to pass an ordinance that bans camping in public.Mike McAtee ties a Christmas tree on top of his truck at the Activate Church Dream Center in Washougal
McAtee says even what's considered affordable housing in Washougal is out of reach
around a dozen people filtered through Activate Church
a Christian ministry that serves the Columbia River Gorge towns of Camas and Washougal
Visitors were there for a hot cup of coffee and a plate of ham and grits
They perused donated clothing and stocked up on free canned goods and holiday bags
had lived in the area for the past two decades and wound up homeless years ago after a string of problems: He broke his back
and he had fallen behind on child support payments
came when he was getting ready to leave town for a job and his car and boat were towed
along with all of his belongings and tools
James Jackson sits out side the Activate Church Dream Center on Dec
Jackson says he has camped out around Washougal for about a decade
and then the money to get your boat out of tow
it was going to be a couple grand,” Jackson said
“Another one that kicked me right in the guts
Jackson estimated he’s been camping outside for about 10 years
it is now illegal to camp on any publicly owned property
More violations lead to people being excluded from areas where they’ve camped and eventually arrested
It’s a sign of the shifting approaches to homelessness after the U.S
Supreme Court backed cities' rights to ban camping last year
Homeless advocates say the law will do little to solve outdoor camping
chief of police and mayor all declined interview requests
city officials said that police will “prioritize compassion by offering access to and information about available resources
ensuring individuals are connected with the support they need.” They also noted that there are a number of nonprofit and faith groups in town that offer services including meals and safe overnight parking
and that the city offers hotel vouchers when funds are available
City officials discussed the new ordinance in a public meeting in early December
councilor Molly Coston defended the plan saying it’s not meant to sweep all homeless people out of town
but is instead a tool for police when dealing with the most difficult homeless residents who don’t follow city rules
said the department wouldn’t tell people specifically where to go under the policy change
But officers would direct them to resources
“There are no shelter services here in Washougal
we do what we can to help these folks out,” she told the city council
but we can’t advise them where to camp in Vancouver
Jeff Liddicoat doesn’t like the term homeless—“I live outside,” he says
while attending an event held in at Pioneer Courthouse in Portland
Supreme Court heard oral arguments for the Grants Pass v
in what is possibly one of the most consequential legal decisions on homelessness in decades
“The way to end homelessness is through housing
It is housing with services,” said Sesany Fennie-Jones
executive director of Council for the Homeless
the nonprofit that coordinates resources in Clark County
She said many people experiencing homelessness actually have jobs
they just don’t make enough money to afford the rent in Clark County
a region that has seen notable population growth since 2020 and
Anti-camping ordinances can further disrupt people’s lives
they’re going to possibly lose their job because they have to figure out where to sleep outside
According to projections from Clark County in May 2024
about half of all the housing that needs to be built in Washougal in the coming two decades is low-income to meet state goals under the Growth Management Act
Washougal only has an emergency weather shelter
“If it ain’t snowing out or it ain’t 100 degrees out
they don’t think about it,” resident Mike McAtee said
McAtee has lived in Washougal his entire life
That will allow him to dodge the camping ban as long as he follows the rules around moving his vehicle
McAtee said he had tried to find housing in town
but even what is considered low-income is unaffordable
Washougal resident Mike McAtee ties a Christmas tree on top of his truck on Dec
“You can’t get an apartment around here for less than $1,500 per month,” he said
Vancouver has four tiny house villages to help people transition out of homelessness
Each village has individual shelters for up to 40 people
The city is also building a 150-bed congregate shelter that is expected to open in 2026
the homeless population in Washougal is small
but according to a 2023 survey from Council for the Homeless
there were 149 people in Clark County who had a Washougal address before they became homeless
That represented just 2.3% of the county’s overall homeless population
At least one other Clark County city is following Washougal’s lead
Battle Ground will consider its own ordinance about unauthorized encampments
Public meeting records state that public camping has “not historically been a matter of significant concern in Battle Ground” but also cite Washougal’s ordinance as a reason to put a policy in place
citations generally aren’t a deterrent for people camping in public
the city of Vancouver’s homeless response manager
“People do not just disappear because you’ve given them a citation or put them in jail for a night,” Spinelli said
“So those communities will just in perpetuity be spending those dollars
because it is very expensive to utilize law enforcement and jail as your sole means of addressing homelessness
FILE - Jamie Spinelli stands at a homeless camp in Clark County on March 8
Spinelli says camping restrictions are not effective at providing long term solutions to homelessness
she would get every community in the region to agree on the same way to address homelessness
That way people experiencing homelessness wouldn’t have to worry about where to move tonight or tomorrow
it feels much more worthwhile to look at it and address it in a long-term sustainable way
even though that means we don’t get immediate results,” she said
Tags: Washington, Washington Legislature, Homeless, Homelessness
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(KATU) — Voters in Camas and Washougal will soon decide the fate of Proposition 1
a measure that could significantly alter the governance and funding of their local fire services
The proposition proposes transitioning the current municipal fire department
into a regional fire authority (RFA) with its own taxing district
representing the East Clark professional firefighters
"Proposition 1 is a reorganization of the fire department
the governance model from a municipal fire department that is administered by the city of Camas to a regional fire authority administered by itself."
established through an interlocal agreement (ILA) between the two cities
has seen Washougal consolidate its fire services with Camas since 2013
"There is some perceived inequities between the two cities and essentially the funding model is not sustainable at the growth rate."
Proposition 1 would establish a uniform tax rate of $1.05 per thousand dollars of assessed property value
resulting in a 45-cent increase for Camas residents and a 24-cent increase for Washougal residents
if voted in by the residents of Camas and Washougal would make it an equal playing field."
The proposed RFA aims to address staffing and funding challenges
including the ability to maintain three-person engine companies and eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for ambulance transport
Cliburn recounted a 2018 incident where a two-person crew had to break protocol to rescue a person from a house fire
highlighting the need for adequate staffing
READ ALSO: Portland farmers market vendors feel tariff strain as prices rise
Cliburn warned that if Proposition 1 is rejected
"The fire department will dissolve and each city will go its respective own ways," potentially leading to reduced services and layoffs
The RFA would begin operations on January 1
with initial funding provided by loans from Camas and Washougal
Cliburn assured that the RFA's funding would be transparent and solely dedicated to fire services
we don't share it with any other agencies just ourselves."
The decision on Proposition 1 will be made by voters in the upcoming election
"We would greatly appreciate your support of Proposition 1."
argue that the measure would unnecessarily raise fire taxes by 18% in the first year without ensuring future stability
City leaders advocate for the RFA model as a more "equitable and fair" alternative to the current agreement
Perman argues that the proposal shifts too much financial burden to homeowners without addressing why the existing agreement couldn't be modified
The RFA proposal includes interim "start-up" funding of $4.6 million from Camas and Washougal
with Camas borrowing money to loan to the RFA
Both cities would transfer fire stations and equipment to the RFA without compensation
yet would need to pay market value plus improvements to reclaim them
Perman highlighted that the RFA's funding structure relies heavily on property tax levies and service fees
Camas and Washougal residents already face high property tax rates
along with recent increases in other taxes and fees
"This is not a final levy scenario for Camas
You as Council will approve the property tax levy for Camas in November as usual and you as Council can choose this scenario to reduce the property taxes
we will start talking about options for you to consider."
"This isn’t about safety—our fire service already saves lives
It’s about adding another tax that will increase your existing fire taxes by 18% in year one
with no certainty about future increases," wrote Perman for the statement against and rebuttal of the proposition
An informational event hosted by L2444 is scheduled for April 6 at Backpacker Pizza in downtown Camas
a joint meeting with both proponents and opponents of Proposition 1 will take place on April 8 at 7 p.m
Voters will make their decision on April 22
(KATU) — Clark County officials are urging property owners not to miss out on potential tax savings
The county's Assessor's Office will host two educational events in Washougal to assist homeowners with the property tax relief program
The first event is a Q&A session scheduled for Monday
during the Washougal City Council meeting at the Washougal Council Chambers
This session will provide an opportunity for property owners to learn more about the program
READ ALSO: PBOT offers free compost from past Leaf Days
property tax exemption specialists will be available at the Washougal Community Center
to help enroll interested homeowners in the county's property tax relief program
The program is designed to reduce property tax liability for senior citizens and people with disabilities who meet certain criteria
participants are not required to repay the taxes
and their homes are not subject to property liens
To schedule an appointment for the enrollment event
homeowners can call 564 397-2391 or email taxreduction@clark.wa.gov
Clark County also stated walk-ins are also welcome
For more information about the program and to apply online, visit the Clark County Assessor's website.
by Shelby Slaughter
(KATU) — The City of Washougal has alerted residents about an increase in PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) levels
commonly referred to as "forever chemicals," in two of its wells
These chemicals are known for their persistence in the environment as they do not break down
According to the EPA, PFAS can be harmful to a person's health. The agency's website notes that exposure can lead to developmental delays in children
PAST COVERAGE: Forever chemicals (PFAS) found in Washougal water
the city assured that the levels remain within the safety guidelines established by the Washington State Department of Health
The city says they are actively monitoring
(KATU) — The Washougal School District faces a new warning from the State of Washington
The Superintendent of Public Instruction says the district is facing potential funding difficulties
The interim Superintendent told our news partners at the Columbian that the warning is quote “very concerning.”
He says the district has been upfront about its finances and is moving in the right direction
The district made about $4 million dollars in cuts for the current school year
He says the district currently has no plans to make more cuts during this school year
Washougal is one of nineteen school districts in the state to receive a ‘financial warning.’