Olympia enters agreement with Washington, other local jurisdictions to address encampments on I-5

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The Olympia City Council has adopted two resolutions to address encampments on state rights of way next to Interstate 5.  

At the council meeting held Tuesday, July 12, Housing Programs manager Darian Lightfoot briefed council members on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) attached to a resolution.

The resolution discusses Olympia entering a partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce,  Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Washington State Patrol, Thurston County and the cities of Lacey and Tumwater.

Lightfoot said the state would provide the funds while the local jurisdictions and non-profit organization would develop a proposed plan to address the right-of-way encampments for short-term outreach, temporary housing, and long-term housing.

As for the short-term outreach, Lightfoot said the plan is to provide shelter beds, hotel stay for people experiencing domestic violence, an expansion of tiny homes and investment in permanent housing.

Olympia, according to Lightfoot, has requested the release of a funding proposal for outreach. She said the funding would last two and a half years. "This partnership of all entities within the MOU will take us until the end of 2025 to clear the right-of-way."

She added that the MOU outlined Olympia's commitment to ensure that residents in the right-of-way will not just be offered housing once.

She explained that people residing in the right-of-way would be on the binding list to receive shelter, short-term, and long-term housing.

"Proviso states that any funding awarded, at least half of the units must be permanent housing. Our whole package, over 50% of the units we are requesting funding for are for long-term capital investment in housing," Lightfoot told the councilmembers.

"We have a couple of projects in the pipeline that are still in the early stages that will hopefully add to permanent supportive housing and community," she added.

The city council also adopted a resolution that allowed inter-local agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation.

WSDOT is partnering with the city to ensure that the encampments remain clear, Lightfoot explained.

"If someone inhabits an encampment again, outreach services will be deployed. We will connect these residents to housing, clean up the sites, ensure the fences are repaired, install the [no-] trespassing signs," she said.

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