From the City of Tacoma, Washington
cityoftacoma.org
Released
Jan. 6, 2020 at 5:15 p.m.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Tanisha Jumper, Media and Communications, tjumper@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5152
Megan Snow, Media and Communications, msnow@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5051

City of Tacoma and Metro Parks Continue to Work with Individuals Experiencing Homelessness at People’s Park

The City of Tacoma and Tacoma Police on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020 posted a 72-hour notice warning enforcement of the City’s Park Code could begin this week. The notice is the minimum requirement of communicating with people about enforcement efforts for encampment cleanup on public property.

The City continues to confirm shelter availability daily and provide outreach including sheltering options and resources for reducing housing barriers to people experiencing homelessness. Currently, the City and community partners have identified shelter capacity of the 38 individuals that have been living at the unauthorized encampment at People’s Park.

To address the health and safety concerns created by the encampment at People’s Park, Metro Parks will need to close People’s Park to clean up hazardous waste. The City in partnership and preparation for the needed People’s Park closure will enforce all current local, state and federal laws and regulations including those in the City’s Park Code beginning tomorrow, Jan. 7, 2020 a half hour after dusk when the park closes to day-use.

The City and Metro Parks are anticipating the park will remain closed through early next week and portions may remain closed through the completion of restoration efforts.

The City will assist individuals experiencing homelessness with this transition through referrals to available sheltering, transportation and the storage of personal belongings.  It is the City’s and Metro Park’s goal to connect all people in People’s Park with safe and healthy sheltering options and to restore the park, so that all people can safely access and enjoy it.

Background:

The City is committed to addressing the significant health and safety issues present in unauthorized shelter sites, which impact adjacent residents, businesses, and individuals at the sites.  As a result, a seventy-two (72) hour notice requiring transition to authorized shelters and the removal of abandoned property and unauthorized structures at People’s Park was issued to individuals at the park at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 3, 2020.   
The City of Tacoma has contracted with Metropolitan Development Council, Associated Ministries and Tacoma Ministerial Alliance to assist with coordinating advocates, service providers and faith-based communities to collaboratively work toward adding sites throughout the city to shelter people experiencing homelessness.
During the Tacoma City Council Meeting on Tuesday, November 19, the Tacoma City Council approved Resolution 40488, which authorizes the execution of an agreement with Low Income Housing Institute, in the amount of $388,000, budgeted from the General Fund, to operate the temporary emergency shelter site.
The City of Tacoma is establishing an emergency micro-shelters site at 802 Martin Luther King Jr. Way to address health and safety concerns caused by the growing encampment at People’s Park.
The site, when completed in December, will provide up to 22 micro-shelters and serve up to 35 individuals experiencing homelessness.
The site will provide basic human amenities, including portable toilets, garbage services, handwashing stations and drinking water. The property would be fenced and have 24-hour security, with on-site management provided by a contracted service provider with expertise in operating temporary shelter sites.
During the Tacoma City Council Meeting on Tuesday, November 19, the Tacoma City Council passed Ordinance 28637 to extend the Declaration of State of Public Health Emergency to remain in effect until such time as there is shelter availability for 95 percent of unsheltered individuals in Tacoma as noted in the annual Point in Time Count.
More information about the City’s homelessness services is available at cityoftacoma.org/homelessness.