City Council to Consider Resolution Protecting the Rights of Camp Hope

Lisa Gardner, City Council Communications Director, 509.625.6226

Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 8:32 a.m.

During Monday’s Briefing Session, City Council added Resolution 2022-0108 to tonight’s Legislative Session agenda for consideration. 

“This resolution is in response to the recent actions of law enforcement at Camp Hope,” said Council Member Lori Kinnear. “Uniformed officers disrupted ongoing work by local providers to get people out of Camp Hope and into appropriate housing options. These disruptions continue to delay meaningful efforts to find better outcomes for the people living in the camp.”

The resolution supports the July 20th plan approved by the Mayor and City Council President to rehouse the residents in the right of way and aims to prevent the City from leading or supporting unauthorized actions to remove unhoused individuals from Camp Hope.

“We all agree that the people living in Camp Hope should be rehoused in appropriate long-term housing as soon as possible so that they, along with the neighborhood, can return to normal,” said Council President Breean Beggs.  “The City of Spokane has endorsed dozens of initiatives to house people and decommission Camp Hope, and we need a recommitment to collaboration from all parties to finish the job.”

The resolution states the following related to potential actions taken by City of Spokane employees:

  • The City of Spokane strongly supports the July 20th Plan to rehouse Camp Hope residents that was signed by Mayor Woodward and Council President Beggs and that all parties should join together to accomplish this plan.
  • The City of Spokane strongly condemns any action by, or directive to, City of Spokane employees that would force them to take action against a set of vulnerable individuals without judicial authorization and thereby place them in legal and/or physical jeopardy.

“We have to keep focused on the fact that the people living in Camp Hope are humans in need of our unified support,” said Council Member Karen Stratton. “As community leaders, we need to set politics aside and lead with compassion.”

 

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