Homeless tents more visible this winter as COVID-19 reduces available shelter beds
Some people have taken notice of a growing homeless encampment at Eighth Street and Yakima Avenue in Tacoma.
What started with a few tents in February, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the camp has grown to about 23 tents and more people.
Tarama Knarr said she was one of the first people living there. It’s grown over the past few months as people gathered in preparation for the winter.
“It’s been cold,” said Knarr, who is 60 and has a disability.
Encampments in Tacoma aren’t new. The city and various service providers have been battling a homelessness crisis for years, officially declaring an emergency in 2017.
But this year, as the weather worsens for the winter, people around Tacoma might notice more people living outside than usual, said Erica Azcueta, program manager for the city’s Neighborhood and Community Services Department.
“Our shelters have been working in close partnership with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department to employ safety measures, which include social distancing, which has reduced the amount of shelter availability we have,” Azcueta said.
“And typically when the weather gets colder they are able to expand shelter — we usually get nearly 200 extra shelter beds when it gets colder, but they cant do that right now because of the pandemic. So that’s why they’re becoming a little more visible right now.”
A city spokesperson said the city is complying with CDC guidelines in encampment response during COVID-19, which recommend avoiding the dispersion of encampments to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“If individual housing options are not available, allow people who are living unsheltered or in encampments to remain where they are,” state CDC guidelines. “Clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread.”
The city has opened a warming center at the Eastside Community Center at 1721 E 56th St., which will be available for overnight use when the weather is forecasted to be 35 degrees or lower.
“It’s an extremely complex situation,” Azcueta said. “We have a housing crisis right now, we have a pandemic right now, we have an opioid crisis right now, we have mental health issues going on, so when you look at all these things that are layering on top of each other that we’re trying to address, it makes it very challenging.”
The city is also working with its community partners and service providers to see where they can add additional shelter spaces, Azcueta said.
“We feel very optimistic that we will be able to provide and set up very quickly some additional space for people as the weather gets colder,” she said.
Growing camp at 8th and Yakima
The city has received 311 complaints in recent months concerning trash and activity along the 8th and Yakima intersection, staff said.
The Tacoma Public Schools administration building, which is near the encampment, has also contacted the city about the camp, the district confirmed.
A number of residents and volunteers spoke to The News Tribune but only wanted to be identified by their first name.
Becky lives in nearby apartments abutting the camp along Yakima. The number of tents has only grown since May, she said, and they’ve seen huge impacts to the property, including trash and people defecating there.
“The situation has gotten worse. They have built some sort of shack up amongst the tents, seems like they are planning to stay forever,” she said via email.
The property management where she lives encouraged residents about a month ago to call 311 or police if they see any illegal activity or feel threatened, according to a notice.
The city’s Homeless Outreach Team has regularly gone out to the site to get people connected to services, city spokesperson Megan Snow said in an email.
“There are 23 tents onsite, but it is difficult to account exactly to how many people because many stay in their tents and do not engage once HOT arrives,” Snow said this week.
HOT has also brought garbage bags for individuals to pick up their own trash and has increased removal of minor debris and garbage, Snow added.
“So far, we have connected people to behavioral health services and got others on the waitlist for the Stability Site and TEMS (Temporary Emergency Micro Shelter),” Snow said. “Some have even been brought to TRM (Tacoma Rescue Mission), Stability Site or TEMS but cannot stay because they are not willing to comply with the agreements to comply with good behavior.”
The city is working to open a new micro shelter at Sixth and Orchard in Tacoma. The tiny homes were set up at the site last week.
Local service providers have also been out to help people at the site. Comprehensive Life Resources conducts outreach along Yakima Avenue, and community groups like the Tacoma Mutual Aid Collective is conducting a drive to collect warm clothes and supplies to distribute to people living on the streets of Tacoma.
Individual Tacoma residents are also showing their support, including Bill. He was handing out tents and tarps to residents there on Tuesday afternoon and said he’s been doing as much for years. The need has only grown, he’s noticed.
“I believe it’s the right thing to do,” he told The News Tribune.
Carvin Williams was also handing out food and other items to the people living at the site on Tuesday. A Hilltop resident and a volunteer at St. Leo Church for years, Williams said many of the people living there are handicapped.
“Everybody struggles,” he said.
Heith, who has been frequenting the area for two years, said the people living there need more help — tents, Honey Buckets and trash cans, he said.
Matt Estrada lives along Eighth Street near the camp. He said the garbage cans fill up quickly and there can be noise during the night, but he understands they have nowhere else to go.
“It’s sometimes chaotic,” he said. “But mostly I just want them to get a couple things to make things better for them. … Our lives really aren’t that affected by it.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 5:25 AM.
