Destination for Homeless Proposed for Area Near Lacey

A proposal to create a destination for homeless services near Lacey is bound to be as controversial as some of the comments made Thursday night during a joint meeting of Thurston County Commissioners and Lacey City Council.

And Commissioner Gary Edwards, never one to mince words, was perhaps more blunt than usual.

The proposal, which was referred to as a homeless mitigation site during the meeting, was first discussed by the commissioners in February, County Manager Ramiro Chavez explained at the outset.

That discussion first began with a site in the Mottman Industrial Park area of Tumwater, which later shifted to an area at Martin Way and Carpenter Road near Lacey, he said.

A lot of details still need to be figured out, said Commissioner John Hutchings, including what it will look like, how it will be monitored, what the rules and regulations will be, what will be required in terms of law enforcement, and most important, what it will cost.

But most agreed the mitigation site is needed.

Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder said homelessness is no longer an Olympia problem.

"It's starting to affect this entire region," he said.

Ryder said he supports the site because it's close to transit and the future Lacey Food Bank.

Commissioner Tye Menser echoed Ryder's comments and added the site is close to Olympia, Lacey and the county, and there's a building next to the proposed site that potentially could be turned into a services hub.

A specific address for the site wasn't mentioned during the discussion.

Commissioner Edwards expressed support, but only if the site holds the homeless accountable.

"We need to knock off this enabling business," he said, adding that "they have chosen a deviant lifestyle, and if we endorse it, and don't hold them accountable, they will continue to come."

He hopes the site will really help those who need help and can discourage others who have chosen this lifestyle.

"It's the pits that citizens get ticketed for over parking, but we allow some deadbeat to park there for days," Edwards said.

Lacey Councilman Jason Hearn thanked the county commissioners for their leadership but was less enthused about the location.

"The more in town you are, the more it becomes a Holiday Inn versus a mitigation center," he said.

Lenny Greenstein acknowledged the need for the homeless site.

"This problem is not going away," he said about homelessness. But, he too, emphasized a need for a destination that produces results.

"If we're not going to hold them accountable, it will serve zero purposes," he said. "It has to have the proper services and there has to be a time limit. It can't be a longterm enabling situation."

So, what's next?

Ryder suggested a sub-committee be formed with representatives from all jurisdictions that want to be involved.

"We really need to get working on this," he said.

Lacey Councilman Michael Steadman also reminded the group to include residents and business owners in the discussion.

He also asked that they stop stigmatizing the homeless.

"We create that stigma and we need to get rid of that and focus on services for that particular group," he said.

"We're all people," Steadman added.

Thursday's joint work session was not televised or streamed online, but County Manager Chavez said audio of the meeting was recorded.