The Olympia City Council approved an ordinance that declares a continuing state of public health emergency related to human health and environmental conditions caused by increasing houselessness on Tuesday, October 25.
Initially adopted in July 2018, the city council reviews the conditions every six months to determine if the declaration for the state of public health emergency needs to be extended.
Community Planning and Development Director Leonard Bauer asked the council members at the council meeting to extend the declaration for another six months, which would take it through April 25, 2023.
Bauer presented the ordinance, which enumerated some concerns on public health and safety, sanitation, welfare, mental and physical health, and the supply of available shelter beds in Thurston County and Olympia that would warrant the extension of the declaration.
In approving the ordinance, the council agreed that the issues and concerns relating to homelessness "continue to present significant public health and safety issues for the entire community and necessitate urgent actions to mitigate the conditions giving rise to this threat to public health and safety."
Before approving the ordinance, Mayor Pro Tem Clark Gilman opened the public hearing for the declaration of continuing a state of public health emergency related to homelessness.
No community member showed up to participate in the public hearing.
The council directed that Olympia's personnel, services, and facilities be utilized as needed in response to the community's emergency needs.
The departments, officers, and employees of the City of Olympia are authorized and empowered, among other things, to:
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JulesJames
If no one cares enough to show up, that is strong evidence the “emergency” is government-caused. Enforce the law equally for all and all these stories of woe will whittle away within weeks. “Emergency” over.
Monday, October 31, 2022 Report this
olyhiker
There is not much point in showing up when the city council doesn't listen.
Monday, October 31, 2022 Report this
Coug66
Plans, studies and declarations are nice but where is the on the ground action? Thought there was an agreement with WSDOT to coordinate action for cleaning up highway right of ways. Henderson Blvd. passes under I-5 just before entering Watershed park. The mess under the freeway isn't going away, it's growing, like another social cancer.
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 Report this
JW
The emergency is self-created by offering more and more handouts. How has firehosing money at the criminal transients worked out the past ten years? Are we better off than we were ten years ago? The leaders of the homeless industrial complex sure are a lot richer, though!
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 Report this