SPOKANE, Wash. — Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich is moving forward with plans to remove people and their belongings off the Department of Transportation's property, and on Tuesday, set up an emergency operations center.
The center will be a place for service providers and officials to meet as they work toward the common goal of getting people into shelters before the cold weather sets in.
"I can tell you within four weeks, I want this done," Knezovich said.
The sheriff says there are plans to build an extra 100 beds at the Trent shelter and Catholic Charities is expected to open the former Quality Inn by Dec. 1 with room for 100 homeless men and women.
"If we do need that extra 100 beds, it may take us another two weeks," Knezovich said. "We'll see. We're playing that out."
Jewels Helping Hands has called the sheriff's timeline unrealistic, claiming there are not enough low-barrier shelter beds available. They've also criticized the sheriff, pointing out that he's never been to the camp.
"But, I am going to go to the camp," Knezovich said. "What are you going to show me that I don't already know?"
Knezovich says he's had very productive meetings with the city, county and service providers, but conversations with the state have stalled.
On Monday, WSDOT said the sheriff's emergency operations center is not needed, saying the state is already implementing all of the county's proposed actions. WSDOT says they have been working to close the camp since spring.
WSDOT released the following statement:
"WSDOT, Commerce and WSP – the three state agencies partnering on the state Right of Way Safety Initiative for homeless encampments – are aware of Spokane County’s announcement that it will open an Emergency Operations Center to address Camp Hope. We remain focused on our work to transition residents and close this site and we cannot join in their efforts. As county leaders are well aware, our state agencies – along with local partners – have been proactively working to close Camp Hope since this spring and have been sharing regular updates on the progress. Simply put, an EOC is duplicative and not needed because we’re already implementing all of the county’s proposed actions. State and local partners already have bi-weekly operations meetings about next steps to close the encampment. We have repeatedly asked local government to proactively partner with us on this important work, but have instead been met with legal proceedings, arbitrary deadlines and misinformation.In addition, given the legal action the county chose to bring against WSDOT regarding Camp Hope, we are not able to partner with the very entities bringing those legal proceedings – the county and the sheriff – until court proceedings are dismissed."
"You could have had this camp empty if you were truly working on this since April," Knezovich said.
The sheriff says the state is refusing to come to the table. WSDOT claims it's the other way around.
"Come together and solve an issue within weeks rather than a year and why can't we drop the luggage, act like adults, work together for this community?," Knezovich said. "That's my question to the state. Why do you keep throwing red herrings? Is it the fact that you just want this to continue? If that's the case, shame on you all, we'll do it on our own."
Spokane city and county officials will meet at City Hall Tuesday to provide an update on the camp, along with addressing growing concerns from neighbors. Mayor Nadine Woodward, Mary Kuney and Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich are among the anticipated speakers.
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