Homeless scattered across the city, business owners welcome downtown cleanup

Editor's note: This article is part of an occasional series highlighting the impact of homelessness in Whatcom County.

Nearly two months after Mayor Kim Rand issued an executive order to combat drug use and clean up downtown Bellingham, many homeless people have dispersed to other neighborhoods, fleeing the close scrutiny of police and public works officials.

The move from downtown alleys and corners to more obscure locations poses challenges for outreach workers assigned to connect with homeless people, such as the Opportunity Council's Homeless Outreach Team (HOT).

“We're seeing people in very unusual areas of town right now, and we're getting a lot of calls from local residents saying, 'We've never really seen this before in our area. What's going on? “Wacom Homeless Services Center Director Terry Bryant and HOT Coordinator Marisa Scheppach said in a joint statement. “As a result, HOT is now more widely distributed throughout the city.”

The Cascadia Daily News reporting team observed more homeless people sleeping in the Whatcom Creek neighborhood and near City Hall, and spoke to two people who felt forced out of their downtown encampment. heard.

In response to a question about homelessness moving away from the downtown core, Rand said, “For a long time, there was a concentration of activity and impact in one very obscure area,” adding that the executive order's actions “have made it even more dispersed.” ” he said.

“I see more people here and along Whatcom Creek outside City Hall, and I have no problem with that,” Rand said. “Because it doesn’t interfere with my ability or the ability of city staff to do our job.”

The Feb. 20 executive order established a wide range of actions to combat the fentanyl crisis, including increased police patrols targeting drug distribution and use and public works efforts to clean downtown alleys and streets. A first responder office has been set up near the Commercial Street parking lot.

City and police data show some indicators show early positive results in EMS service hours and drug arrest rates, and many observers believe the city's downtown core is generally cleaner. He points out that it looks like there is.

Lund said the city is still analyzing metrics to measure the executive order's impact, but early data and positive feedback received from downtown business owners suggests some progress. Before the executive order, business owners told Lund that their revenues were declining.

“Spreading the problem a little bit won’t solve the problem,” Rand said. “However, some of the impacts on local small businesses have been mitigated.”

homeless people scatter

Bryant and Schoepach said April 1 that their clients are relocating to other parts of town because “there are no immediate reliable shelter options” in the city.

HOT has received reports of homeless people in more “remote residential areas,” abandoned buildings and homes, and the Washington Department of Transportation has received reports of people attempting to set up camps near freeway entrances and exits. We have also received reports.

Bryant and Scheupach said the distribution of people impacts HOT's “turnaround time” to assist and connect people to resources.

HOT is “doing its best” to expand across the city to maintain relationships with customers, employees said.

For homeless Shannon Regan, 53, and Amber Morris, 48, the increased police presence downtown has pushed them and others north from the downtown core to Meridian Street. It was.

“I think we are an unsightly mess that needs to be removed,” Regan said. “But we have nowhere to go.”

Regan and Morris prefer sleeping outside because they have more control over their lives compared to places like base camp, but are staying at the shelter for now. They were recently forced to move from where they were sleeping in the back of the county jail.

Morris said hurdles like long waiting lists and being forced to move around the city to get affordable housing are difficult to overcome. Bryant said April 18 that the Whatscom Homeless Services Center's housing application system currently has 641 households that have not yet been referred to the program.

“I get so wrapped up in red tape that I can’t move forward with anything,” she said.

Lund said the city plays an important role in the housing sector, pointing to the recent acquisition to relocate a tiny house village. He said the city is keen to purchase additional properties to expand smaller housing villages and housing opportunities.

Morris also wants to create a consistent place for homeless people to camp. Lund said the city is interested in exploring safe parking, but has not yet found an agency willing to take on the effort.

Early indicators show 'positive trends'

Lund said the focus of the downtown effort is not to blame or punish people for not having housing. He noted that the number of sitting and lying arrests downtown is essentially unchanged from before the order.

From January to the end of March, officers cited fewer than five people for sitting or lying down downtown, said Bellingham Police Public Information Officer Megan Peters.

“This is really focused on stopping illegal activity related to fentanyl,” Rand said, adding that the police directive is to assist people who are unhoused, not to cite them. Ta.

She said she has seen police officers and outreach workers making calls everywhere trying to find shelter for people.

“We need to provide more opportunities to bring people together, and even when there are opportunities to bring people together, sometimes it's hard for people to say no to those opportunities,” Rand said.

In the weeks since the executive order was issued, police have arrested more people for drug violations than in the weeks prior.

Between January 1 and February 20, the police department arrested 10 people for drug violations in the CBD and surrounding areas. But between Feb. 20 and March 29, they arrested 31 people, Peters said in an email. Drug violation arrests include both possession and use of controlled substances.

Lund said some of these arrests are related to fentanyl distribution.

Lund said the city, Whatcom County and local tribes are working together to “eliminate the supply” of illegal drugs and work on “alternative pharmaceutical treatments.”

Lund said the city is working to bring in a mobile medical unit to help up to 400 people who use methadone or suboxone to manage substance use disorders.

Two months after the executive order was issued, Lund said the most positive trend is that the average time spent on each overdose call is decreasing. This represents a faster response, with EMS adding 4.5 hours per month to responding to other emergencies.

Business owners are feeling the change

Another measure of success is qualitative. Lund said community members are thanking her for the changes they've observed downtown. She cited Daylight Properties' move to reduce security contracts as an example of positive change. Daylight manages her 21 buildings downtown.

“To me, this feels like evidence of an upward virtuous cycle as opposed to the downward cycle we've been in,” Rand said.

Daylight's interim CEO Krina Heuer said the company had reduced security ahead of the executive order because it expected Lund to follow through on his campaign promises. Since the executive order was issued, Hoyer quickly noticed work and additional patrols in alleys.

“It looked like the city was coming back… city government was putting time, energy and resources into downtown again,” Hoyer said.

Hoyer said in 2023, Daylight Building's tenants, residents and staff were “severely impacted” by “loitering, illegal drug use” and, at times, violence downtown.

“We understand that what is currently being done regarding the fentanyl crisis is not solving the problem, but rather moving it to areas outside of the downtown core,” Hoyer said. “It’s clear that there is a lot of work to be done when it comes to addiction, access to justice, and access to mental health resources.”

Interim Executive Director Lindsey Payne Johnston said the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and the business community noticed an “almost immediate” improvement in the cleanliness of streets, sidewalks and alleys.

Johnston said the city “recognizes the burden the fentanyl crisis has placed not only on businesses, but also on workers, visitors, customers and the most vulnerable people living unprotected in our city centres. ''He said he was extremely relieved. “Most companies are aware of the full extent of the problem and are seeking not just protection for their own livelihoods, but relief from the trauma of witnessing people suffer and overdose.”

Urania Shaklee, owner of Cute Butt Crazy Socks on Cornwall Avenue, has experienced the effects of downtown's struggles firsthand.

Year-to-date, the hosiery store's in-store sales are down 40%. Shackley, who has operated downtown since 2011, said he knows his numbers and the decline is unusual outside of the pandemic. The company has spent $6,000 this year to repair and abate property damage caused by drug ingestions within the company, and in the past six months, her business partner has resuscitated two people who have overdosed.

Shakley said she feels “cleaner now” with the alleys cleared, but she wants proof. The impact of this executive order and support for displaced and homeless people.

“At this point, can the city provide a basic place for people to exist, a place for organizations to come provide services, a place where treatment and counseling options can be offered?” she asked.

Charlotte Alden is a general assignment/corporate reporter at CDN. Please contact charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com. 360-922-3090 ext. 123.