Title
Jungle Encampment Transition Update
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive an update on the Jungle encampment transition planning process.
Report
Issue:
Receive an update on the Jungle encampment transition planning process.
Staff Contact:
Stacey Ray, Assistant City Manager, 360.753.8046
Presenter(s):
Stacey Ray, Assistant City Manager
Chief Shelby Parker, Police Department
Background and Analysis:
In February the City launched in partnership with Thurston County and the City of Lacey, a Regional Jungle Encampment Transition Team (Regional Team) with a goal to safely and compassionately close the longstanding encampment in Olympia known commonly as the "Jungle."
The Jungle is an approximately 20-acre site with a mix of City, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and private land ownership. It is located between Pacific Ave and Martin Way and adjacent to a Category 1 wetland. The site is currently unsecured, with the City of Olympia having in place an Option to Purchase Agreement with the private property owner that allows staff access for homeless outreach, support and clean-up activities.
After having successfully closed 14 prior encampments through the transition of residents to shelter and housing options, the Jungle is the last remaining large established encampment in the region. Due to the encampment's size, significant impact on the surrounding community, and the conditions under which individuals are subsisting, both elected officials and executive leaders agreed that a regional effort was needed to make effective and sustainable progress in closing the site.
The Regional Team's make-up is representative of that shared effort and the value of also working in partnership with providers who have long been engaged in homeless response efforts in Thurston County. Regional Team members include representatives from the City of Olympia, Thurston Coun...
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