The Safe Stay Community at 11400 N.E. 51st Circle will provide 20 modular shelters housing up to 40 people
VANCOUVER — The city of Vancouver’s first supportive Safe Stay Community for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness will be located at 11400 N.E. 51st Circle on city-owned right of way along an undeveloped cul-de-sac in the North Image neighborhood.
This is the first of several supportive sites the city plans to establish as part of its Homelessness Response Plan. Previously referred to as supportive campsites, the city’s Safe Stay Communities will use modular pallet shelters instead of tents, which will offer residents safer and more stabilizing shelter as they work to resolve their homelessness.
The Safe Stay Community at 11400 N.E. 51st Circle will provide 20 modular shelters housing up to 40 people. The site will be fenced and staffed 24/7 by the onsite nonprofit operator, Outsiders Inn. It will include trash receptacles and sanitation services, portable toilets and handwashing stations, meeting and office space, and access to supportive services provided by local agencies.
Part of the area near the city’s first supportive site is currently occupied by multiple homeless encampments. These encampments will be removed when the new Safe Stay Community is set up in adherence with the city’s camping ordinance, which prohibits camping within 1,000 feet of the supportive sites. The city anticipates work to clear and set up the first Safe Stay Community will begin in early December.
Public comment period now open
The city will mail letters to property owners, residents and businesses within 1,200 feet of the first Safe Stay Community site informing them of the decision and inviting them to provide feedback during a public comment period that ends Dec. 1. Comments are being accepted online, via email and by telephone. Learn more at www.cityofvancouver.us/safestaycomment.
The city will also host two virtual community information sessions during the comment period to share information about the first Safe Stay Community site and how it will be operated with nearby residents and businesses and respond to their questions.
Details about the information sessions will be included in the letters mailed to residents and property owners. Video recordings of each session will also be posted publicly on the Homelessness Response Plan webpage on Be Heard Vancouver (www.beheardvancouver.org/homelessness-response) and the City’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/CityofVancouverUS).
Additional updates on the city’s Homelessness Response Plan
The city plans to open additional Safe Parking Zones for people living in their vehicles as part of its Homelessness Response Plan. The city’s first Safe Parking Zone, located at C-TRAN’s Evergreen Transit Center, 1504 N.E. 138th Ave., was opened during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Vancouver Mall parking lot before moving to the transit center, has been operating successfully for more than a year.
With over 50 parking spaces for RVs/trailers and other passenger vehicles, the Safe Parking Zone currently serves more than 60 people. Similar services to what will be offered at the Safe Stay Communities are also provided at the Safe Parking Zone. Recently, the city hired one of the current residents to help manage the site and hopes that the opportunity will help him and his family transition to permanent housing soon.
Learn more about the current Safe Parking Zone at www.cityofvancouver.us/safeparking.
The city also recently hired a full-time encampment response coordinator as part of its Homeless Assistance and Resources Team (HARTeam). The primary responsibilities of the encampment response coordinator will be to assess camps for cleanup and sanitation needs, and locate, assess and clear abandoned camps. The city’s HARTeam provides compassionate outreach and assistance to people experiencing homelessness and serves as a point of contact for community members with concerns or questions about homelessness.
Community members can report active or abandoned camps and other concerns related to homelessness within the city limits to the HARTeam using the free MyVancouver mobile and desktop app. Visit www.cityofvancouver.us/MyVancouver to learn more.
Learn more about the city’s Homelessness Response Plan and sign up to receive email updates at www.beheardvancouver.org/homelessness-response.
Information provided by city of Vancouver.
No fukaten way! We need what once was called a “poor” farm. Take them away from any residential/commercial area. Edgefield used to be one. Hazel Dell had one long ago when the area was rural. Portland is reporting more crime and sexual assaults than ever before and it’s largely due to their new tent and tiny home “villages” smack dab in the city. Downtown by the train station, NE Wiedler near the convention/Lloyd Center, etc. The people making these decisions are complete idiots who lack ANY kind of critical thinking skills. Take care of the veterans. Have compassion, but don’t pander to the drug addicts.
gotta pass… we have all seen what has happened and still happening just south of clark county in PTLD. Anyone driving south on I-5 can attest… and hey, what happened to the big plans of the transition center near Grand blvd and 18th st?
Too many fights, too many drugs, too many police calls… what a S-SHOW.
PS… the shelters are $7900 a piece. Who is paying for that? My guess is you and me. Without anyone asking how my tax dollars are spent… Expect an influx of people looking to recycle rather than seek a better physical/mental life. Watch out neighbors, lock up everything.
Hmmm… with every residential project, is there not an environmental impact study paid in one way, shape or form by the prospective resident(s)? This smells of a development and I believe the creek and its long term sustainability should be looked at. C’mon people, lets think this through… this is not a short-term solution by any means. It’s a long-term issue to anyone living within OR outside the “1200” foot radius.
1,200 Ft? That is a ridiculously small distance for contacting people affected this. There better be mandatory drug testing to live in the shelters. Yes some people do become homeless through no fault of their own but we need to stop enabling drug addict’s. Enabling someone to continue a destructive behavior is not showing compassion but rather indifference.
exactly! this is going to be ram-rodded regardless of community dissent. expect the unexpected when this is praised by the folks that believe this move to be a “solution” and a “positive step forward”. No mention of holding any city or county representative accountable when this situation goes awry.
How long will this metro area continue to throw away our tax dollars on those outside of the possibly small percentage that are homeless and looking for help to change their circumstances? Stop coddling drug addicts and criminals who have no intention of working or bettering their condition. When will we learn that some don’t care and will continue on their tragectory. Some in our community want to feel good about themselves by verbally attacking taxpayers that speak up and are sick of the same old garbage. Some of the homeless have traveled to this area from out of town and out of state and have done this for years, even decades because nothing is expected of them, they can continue getting handouts and they can just live off the taxpayer, detroy neighborhoods, engage in drugs and crime with impunity. Why? Insanity – doing the same thing for decades and expecting a different result.
Awesome! “Staffed 24/7 by the onsite nonprofit operator, Outsiders Inn. It will include trash receptacles and sanitation services, portable toilets and handwashing stations, meeting and office space, and access to supportive services provided by local agencies.”
Previous camp I saw included having the residence share their talents/skills to keep the place running well. Each person needed to contribute in some way and/or look or work so they could work toward becoming self-sufficient. They had to be willing to take various free courses to learn new skills and deal with anger management and/or learn new communication skills. Every person has some degree of trauma they also need to look at & be healed from in order to move into handling their lives differently. Good Samaritan would be a good support & help. Should you wish help in that area, please contact me. Thanks, Susanna