Changes to Astoria’s camping ordinance won’t go into effect until July 15, but work is already underway to prepare people camping on city streets.
Earlier in June, Astoria City Councilors passed amendments to the city’s camping ordinance as part of a new multi-pronged “shelter first” policy. Among other things, the changes councilors approved spell out a case-by-case approach to working with homeless campers but also add more serious consequences for people who repeatedly violate the rules.
An estimated 35 people are living out of tents in downtown Astoria. Recently, seven people moved into shelter as word went out about the changes to the city’s camping ordinance. Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly credits this to the work of Clatsop Community Action’s street outreach team.
The two-person team has been going out several times a week to connect with homeless campers in Astoria and let them know about the upcoming changes.
“We’re seeing some progressive movement in this,” Kelly said at a recent meeting with residents and business owners that was organized by the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. The meeting focused on issues related to homelessness.
“Don’t know if this ordinance is going to solve everything,” he added. “We’ll find out next month. But it definitely looks like we’re moving in the right direction.”
Kenny Hansen, one half of the street outreach team, told KMUN that several of the seven people who recently went into shelter have stayed in local shelters in the past.
“Sometimes, being sheltered is short term for some people,” he said. “They go out and then they end up going back.”
But, he added, news of the amended camping code is already creating an environment where people want to change their lives.
“It’s given them a reason to actually do it,” he said. “They’re not wanting to be out there generally anyway and with the changes in the ordinance, it’s given them a nudge to go in the right direction.”
For the first week that the amended ordinance is in effect, Kelly said additional officers will be tasked with going out each morning to make sure people follow the rules.
“We kind of want to set the precedent that we are going to be enforcing this, to kind of keep pushing the folks towards services,” he told KMUN.
Kelly said police supervisors recently met to talk through what it looks like to make individual accommodations for people who may struggle to comply — for medical reasons or because of other challenges — while still enforcing the code.
One woman at the chamber of commerce meeting noted that once the new camping ordinance takes effect on July 15, there will still be people who don’t follow the rules.
“How are we going to get those folks off the street?” she asked.
“We’ll find out July 16,” Kelly replied, saying he is trying to stay positive about the changes the new ordinance could bring in terms of compliance. “This is the best solution we had.”