Lacey joins Washington’s efforts to address homeless camping on state’s rights of way

Lacey is becoming part of the State of Washington's efforts to create a framework to address homeless individuals living within the state rights-of-way during their Thursday, July 7 meeting.

Freeway onramps and exit ramps, highway medians and land next to freeways are the most visible examples of state rights of way. For example, the Wheeler Road encampment in Olympia is one such state property.

Lacey Community and Economic Development Director Rick Walk explained that the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is the first step in coordinating with Washington State, Thurston County, and other partners in conceptualizing efforts in funding or creating new housing resources.

"This is a setting stage to allow the opportunity to utilize state funds and resources to initiate some of our local initiatives… and how we can implement some of those strategies," said Walk.

Walk said Lacey will partner with Washington's State Department of Commerce, State Department of Transportation and State Patrol. Partners also include Thurston County and the cities of Olympia and Tumwater.

"It's really to try to establish a regional approach to this issue," said Walk. "This MOU establishes a framework for the strategy and identifies different actions that could be taken under this umbrella."

Still subject to change, some of the initiatives' projects include prioritization of at least 24 existing shelter beds, expansion of existing hotel leasing and building of 50 new tiny homes.

Under the MOU, the state agencies will work with the cities to provide appropriations and other state capacities at the scale necessary to address people living in state rights of way.

Local governments will expand and prioritize local capacity to perform outreach and provide housing to individuals and families living in state rights of way identified by WSDOT.

This specific MOU does not commit Lacey to any expenditures that won't come before the council first. The funding flow and execution from the state and local governments will be determined in the recommendations and contracts on future projects.

Councilmember Lenny Greenstein expressed optimism about the partnership, saying that the state must get involved in addressing the issue of homelessness.

"This can't be done without the state's involvement," said Greenstein. "It is really a good thing that the state's finally going to get involved locally on this."