Title
Public Hearing to Consider an Ordinance Declaring a Continuing State of a Public Health Emergency Related to Homelessness - First and Final Reading
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Conduct a public hearing and move to approve the ordinance declaring a continuing state of public health emergency relating to human health and environmental conditions caused by increasing homelessness in our community on first and final reading.
Report
Issue:
Whether to conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance declaring a continuing state of public health emergency relating to increasing homelessness in our community.
Staff Contact:
Keith Stahley, Director Community Planning and Development Department 360.753.8227
Presenter(s):
Keith Stahley, Director Community Planning and Development Director
Background and Analysis:
Homelessness is an issue of urgent public concern facing Olympia and the region. On June 14, 2018, the Thurston County Board of Health declared homelessness a public health crisis in Thurston County.
The Point-in-Time homeless census conducted in 2018 found at least 320 people sleeping unsheltered in unmanaged conditions countywide. In addition to this annual count, City staff periodically conducts an early morning count of people sleeping on the street in downtown; routinely finding approximately 130 people living unsheltered within the core of downtown.
On July 17, 2018, the City Council passed and adopted an ordinance declaring a public health emergency. Since that date, the number of tents for homeless persons in downtown Olympia has increased substantially. Since first declaring a public health emergency, the City of Olympia has been in the process of identifying and implementing solutions-based actions to address this increasingly challenging issue.
Declaring a state of continuing public health emergency provides a factual basis for the City's present and existing publ...
Click here for full text