Will Downtown Host Organized Camping?

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston

November 23, 2019 News

After years of removing campers under strained legal theories like parking strips = City parks and the obligation to maintain = the right to exclude, police will finally have  bona fide legal authority to eject campers from City rights-of-way, beginning December 16, 2020.

Violations will not be "enumerated offenses" which require exclusion if committed in a Crime Prevention District.  See Brynelson, T.  "Salem City Council approves sidewalk conduct ordinance without sit-lie aspect." (November 25, 2019, Salem Reporter.)  See Bach, J. "Homeless not banned from sitting, lying on Salem sidewalks." (November 25, 2019, Statesman Journal.)

The enactment of the camping ban was a partial victory for Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Director Tom Hoffert and Board President T.J. Sullivan, who told Council on behalf of the Chamber that Ordinance Bill 10-19 was "a critical step towards ensuring a safe and welcoming community."  They were joined on November 25th by seven others who supported the bill.  All other public comment (34 people at the November 25 meeting, and 12 at the December 2 meeting) strongly opposed it.  Hoffert also told Council that the Chamber was "engaged in assisting the complex coordination required to find solutions and provide access to needed services" through the Good Neighbor Partnership.

Tom Hoffert at 11/25/19 CC meeting

When Hoffert had finished addressing the Council, Councilor Lewis asked him if he would be willing to ask his board to work with other organizations to bring forward a bond measure that would allow the City to do what's needed in this area.  Hoffert said he would "take that challenge forward." 

Hoffert blogged recently that "Salem businesses are actively supporting our homeless service provider organizations, notably partnerships with Community Action Agency’s ARCHES Project, Union Gospel Mission and their Simonka Place for Women & Children, Northwest Human Services’ HOAP and the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley."  See the November 22, 2019 Public Policy Blog post here.  We asked him whether the partnerships he referred to in the blog  meant the Good Neighbor Partnership, or something else.  He did not respond.

Tomorrow, Monday, December 9, Council will receive a staff report that includes recommendations for how the City can both implement the camping ban, and tell campers who can't or won't go to the Union Gospel Mission or Lighthouse shelters, "you can go here."  See Brynelson, T. "Salem bans open camping, and now seeks a place to host it." (December 3, 2019, Salem Reporter); Bach, J. "Salem may set aside City property for homeless."  (December 2, 2019, Statesman Journal.)  If the "here" is an area where camping is allowed, it's likely to be some place downtown, in the vicinity of Marion Square Park, if not inside the park itself.  It will have to be supported with toilets, hand washing stations, copious trash receptacles and security, both environmental and human.  It will have to meet code requirements (e.g., SRC Chapter 98) on a continuous basis.  It will be expensive to maintain, it will create tremendous liability for the City, and it will not end anyone's homelessness.

Contrary to what some, including Councilor Nordyke, seem to believe, tents are not housing; they're not even considered shelter. 

Also Monday night, Council probably will also ask staff for a report that includes recommendations for a car-camping program.  See Bach, J. "Homeless car camping plan considered by Salem city councilor."  (December 5, 2019, Statesman Journal.)  Brynelson, T. "Salem official eyes organized camping for people who live in vehicles." (December 6, 2019, Salem Reporter.)  Eugene's program costs the City about $165K per year.  The sites are scattered throughout the City.

In the absence of some alternative that's 100% volunteer-run (like Safe Sleep United, a women-only shelter that's presently due to open December 15), or mostly volunteer-run (like the Salem Warming Network) the Salem City Council is going to have to make some hard choices.  Where's the money going to come from?  Not the Chamber.  More like the Homeless Rental Assistance Program, which actually ends homelessness.  

Let's face it.  There is zero chance a bunch of amateurs can throw together a safe camping program before the camping ban goes into effect.  Zeeee-Row.  Staff know it.  Council know it.

So, there's a substantial danger that, tomorrow night, Councilors Hoy and Kaser, who started this whole mess last summer by signaling their willingness to endorse sit-lie, might seek to expiate their sin through some kind of grand gesture involving General Fund dollars, and drag a majority of soft-headed councilors with them.

But, one has to wonder, didn't Kaser and Hoy see this coming in July?  Or August?  Or September?  Or October?  If they didn't, what on earth were they thinking would happen when they got their camping ban?  They should have let staff know months ago what they wanted to have happen in the way of mitigation.  If they even genuinely want mitigation, and are not just going through the motions in response to public outcry.  Uhmmmm, yeah.  This is not the way to make sound public policy.

12/9/19 Update:  ten sites made the list, including two in CANDO. Site  requirements and cost estimates (per site);  9 chemical toilets and wash facilities for 24/7 services at $2,500 a month. Trash dumpsters and removal $1,500 a month.  Tents $400 each (durable tents used for emergency situations).  Temporary fencing $500 a month for rental or approximately $20,000 for permanent.  Lighting for safety and security $200 a month. Camp building for case manager, security, or site monitor $15,000 to $20,000 1-time expense.  Staffing to administer the site and provide security 24/7 would bring the total estimated cost to about $1M a year, per the staff report and comments at the City Council meeting. 

At the meeting, although a majority of Council seemed willing to pay for six months, they were frustrated by the news  that it would take 60-90 days stand up a safe program.  Council opted instead to expand two of the warming centers (First Presbyterian and Church at the Park) to a duration model (open every night, regardless of temperature), at a cost of $213K.  Nordyke, Kaser and Andersen told Salem Reporter a campground could still be considered at a later date.  See Brynelston, T. "Salem leaders decide to shelter homeless instead of setting up public camping." December 9, 2019, Salem Reporter.)  Camping ban effective date of December 16 did not change.