Photo A chronic homeless encampment behind Fort Vancouver High School’s baseball and softball playing fields is causing a stir as the Little League season approaches. The camp tucked along Northeast Campus Drive initially appeared in spring 2020. It ebbs and flows in its size and makeup, as do other congregation sites in Vancouver. Some people find housing, and others transition to other camps as new people move in. Justin Cvitkovich, Alcoa Little League president, said parents didn’t want to register their children for the program because of the encampment. The Little League was previously halted for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he added, and the camp is preventing the season from happening again. “It’s kind of devastating because it’s been a rough year for kids anyways,” he said. Fort Vancouver High School administrators and resource officers monitor the encampment. School district spokesperson Pat Nuzzo said the school can’t do anything about the camp because it’s not on its property. However, staff are taking steps to discourage campers from entering school property, such as discontinuing power to nearby playing fields.

Cvitkovich, a parent of two former Fort Vancouver High School students, criticized the city for not removing the camp, especially because of its placement by the school. Although the camp is near the school, Vancouver police Officer Tyler Chavers said there have not been any reported incidents concerning those living in the camp or their vehicles. Complaints only refer to its presence and abandoned vehicles, rather than reports of threatening and harmful activity, he said. Staying in place to stay safe The city of Vancouver’s response to chronic homeless encampments falls in line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for mitigating the spread of the coronavirus. If shelter options are not available for unhoused people, they are allowed to remain where they are. Clearing the encampments would cause people to disperse to other areas in the city, potentially increasing infection rates and wouldn’t resolve anyone’s homelessness, Chavers said. Vancouver’s Homeless Assistance and Resources Team and police officers monitor the encampments for waste mitigation, general sanitation and perform outreach to connect its residents with resources. Through this outreach, six people from the Campus Drive encampment have been housed in the past 18 months.

The Little League organizers and players said they’re concerned about the potential of increased criminal activity in the area. However, it doesn’t reflect the reality of the encampment, Chavers said. Cvitkovich and other parents point to alleged drug use at the encampment as an indicator of crime that warrants its residents being removed. If residents have drugs, though, they do not face being detained and moved to a jail. Washington’s 2021 Blake Decision defines drug possession as a misdemeanor instead of a felony. Currently, jails are not holding people charged with low level crimes. Instead, police officers refer those charged to prosecutors who recommend drug treatment options, which are voluntary. Seeking solutions The city is addressing chronic encampments by providing more shelter options throughout the area. However, these projects take months to come to fruition, according to city staff. In the meantime, workers continue to do outreach and connect houseless people to the resources they need. The Safe Parking Zone near C-Tran’s Evergreen Transit Center, 1504 N.E. 138th Ave., reserves 40 spaces for those who are living in vehicles to park in a secure area and have access to restrooms and handwashing stations. Vancouver’s Safe Stay Communities house up to 40 people and are dedicated to connecting its residents to resources to resolve their homelessness. Each site is designed to be like a tiny village, which offers sanitation services, communal spaces and access to local agencies.

The first supportive community began its operations in December at 11400 N.E. 51st Circle in the North Image neighborhood. A second site is intended to be established at the former property of Golden Skate, 4915 E. Fourth Blain Blvd., which is near the Campus Drive encampment. A virtual public forum is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today and 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday for community members to comment and ask questions about the prospective site.

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