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KXLY

Despite decreasing numbers, local businesses still concerned with crime near Camp Hope

SPOKANE, Wash. — There are 124 people left at Camp Hope.

Within the past few months, people have been moving into housing or out of the camp altogether. There were over 600 people at Camp Hope this past summer.

RELATED: Camp Hope Update: Numbers declining, fence removal planned

Those who work and live around the camp argue they haven't noticed a difference in crime at Camp Hope.

"We haven't seen a drop in the foot traffic and the trash, and the destruction," Jacob Swartz, secretary of the East Spokane Business Association, said. 

Swartz says he still makes 911 calls at least a couple of times a month.

"We had one local business that said that he had an employee that was actually assaulted, and now he's looking at moving his business to Idaho," Swartz said.

Compared to last summer, the Spokane Police Department says from December through January, there was a drop in the number of calls for service and crime in the area.

"It would seem that the population diminishing has correlated with the calls for service in the area going down," Corporal Nick Briggs with SPD said.

Briggs said the reason for the drop in calls also could be because of the winter season.

"The winter months have less criminal activity," Briggs said. "That crime rates tend to drop, incidents tend to drop, during the winter."

While calls for service have gone down, Briggs says the number is still high.

According to Briggs, SPD got 725 calls for service (CFS) near Camp Hope from August through September, 555 calls from October through November and 468 calls from December through January.

SPD also says before the camp opened, they got 302 CFS calls. When the camp opened in 2022, they had 368 calls.

"It is still well in excess of what it was before that camp existed, for that area during this period of the year," Briggs said.

Julie Garcia with Jewels Helping Hands says she is pleased with the progress being made at the camp.

"Moving from 600, to 400, to now under 150, it's a big difference from how many people are needing services," Garcia said.

Swartz says he just wants a change.

"This is generally a low-income and small business neighborhood," Swartz said. "Everyone's pinching for pennies, and the cost that's associated for both the residents and the businesses, it's really a huge hardship."