Bellingham City Council will likely approve a shelter protection area around the Way Station, a health care and hygiene center for homeless people, expected to open in October.
The city passed first and second reading of an ordinance establishing a shelter protection area in the one and a half block area around 1500 N. State Street, where the Way Station is located, at a council meeting Monday, Sept. 16. The area is intended to protect the homeless clients of the shelter and reduce the impact of any potential negative activities on the surrounding businesses and residents.
Within the zone, sitting and lying in public rights of ways will be prohibited, as will living in cars in permitted parking areas. If it passes third reading on Sept. 30, the area will include the “outer edges” of E. Champion Street, N. Forest Street, York Street and the Walton Place parking lot. Council members amended the ordinance to also stretch to Eleanor Apartments at 1510 N. Forest St., following resident feedback.
The Way Station, operated by Unity Care Northwest, Opportunity Council and PeaceHealth, will provide 17 respite beds for homeless people discharged from the hospital, and shower and laundry facilities. Way Station operators requested the shelter protection area, City Attorney Alan Marriner said at the Monday, Sept. 16 Committee of the Whole meeting.
The city previously approved a shelter protection area around the Lighthouse Mission homeless shelter Base Camp, however, the Way Station’s shelter protection zone will be the first surrounding a facility that isn’t an overnight shelter. When Base Camp closes and its clients move to the Lighthouse Mission’s new shelter in Old Town, the protection area will move from Base Camp to surround the new facility.
Operators will conduct the day-to-day patrolling of the area, reminding people of the rules and asking people to move along. The city will post signage in the area to explain the boundaries and the prohibited behaviors. City police will only respond “as appropriate,” Marriner said, but added that police response to enforcement of the existing shelter protection zone has been very rare.
Unity Care Northwest Facilities Manager Steen Brøchner-Nielsen said he doesn’t see the rules in the protection area as “black and white” and will enforce as they see fit.
“We don’t see it as you could never sit on the sidewalk,” Brøchner-Nielsen said.
Homeless Outreach Team Lead Marisa Schoeppach at Opportunity Council said there will be a no visitation policy at the medical respite center, except for case managers, partner providers or people supporting with transportation to appointments. Clients will be permitted to leave as needed during the day, but will be required to check in and check out.
Council member Jace Cotton questioned the default $100 fine of violating these rules, asking if a lower fine would have the same deterrence effect.
Marriner said if someone lacks the ability to pay they can do community service. But for someone to even get a citation, they need to have previously received a warning from a police officer.
Deputy Chief Don Almer said police have rarely been called to enforce the shelter protection areas. He said he doesn’t believe there has ever been enforcement action taken.
Council member Michael Lilliquist said this has been viewed as something that is intended to make life more difficult for homeless people, but disagreed, as he said it’s there to give clients a “zone of safety.”
“This isn’t anti homeless, it’s actually pro the clients who happen to be homeless,” he said.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
