Title
Public Hearing to Consider an Ordinance Declaring a Continuing State of a Public Health Emergency Related to Homelessness and COVID-19 - 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 and COVID-19 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 and COVID-19.
Staff Contact:
Leonard Bauer, Director, Community Planning and Development Department 360.753.8227
Presenter(s):
Leonard Bauer, 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 City Council passed and adopted Ordinance No. 7146 on July 17, 2018, declaring a public health emergency related to homelessness (the Ordinance). The Ordinance requires review of the conditions that gave rise to the public health emergency by the City Council every six months to determine if those conditions continue to warrant keeping the Ordinance measures in place. If the Council finds that the conditions still exist, the Ordinance may be extended for an additional six months until the sunset date of December 19, 2021.
After considering public testimony and reviewing the conditions that gave rise to this public health emergency, the City Council found that the conditions still existed and passed and adopted ordinances declaring a continuing state of public health emergency relating to homelessness as follows:
* Ordinance No. 7179 - December 18, 2018
* Ordinance ...
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