8/5/2022
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KREM
The Center Square
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KREM
KREM 2 recently sat down with Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles councilwoman from District 4 to see if the California city's model is making a difference.
SPOKANE, Wash. — The city of Spokane is moving forward with its plan to curb homelessness. City council members are currently considering stricter camping laws in certain areas of the city, such as parks and the downtown area.
On several occasions, the city of Spokane has heard the model in Los Angeles, Calif. could be a good one to follow.
KREM 2 recently sat down with Nithya Raman, a Los Angeles councilwoman from District 4 to see if the California city's model is making a difference.
Nithya Raman
I wasn't really involved in politics before, you know. I was just a mom of young kids and a volunteer in my neighborhood. But really what I wanted to see was policy from the city that effectively brought an end to homelessness for the people I saw in my own neighborhood who were living in tents, in places that I hadn't really seen tents before.
Whitney Ward
So one of the things that they've been doing here in Spokane is starting to figure out where they want to restrict people's ability to camp. LA has been trying to do some of that as well. Do you find that that is working? Or is it pushing the homeless population into just other areas?
Nithya Raman
I have seen very, very mixed results. Sometimes you see a 'No camping' sign with tents right underneath it. Sometimes you see a 'No camping' sign with tents that are exactly 500 feet away from it. So to me, none of these laws around where people can and cannot camp are really going to be that effective. It's really going to be what I call the sidewalk shuffle. You know, it's just shuffling people from one sidewalk to another, but not really ending the condition that is leading them to be on the streets in the first place.
Whitney Ward
What does enforcement look like now that the rules there have gotten stricter?
Nithya Raman
What they're doing is they're not making arrests when they're doing enforcement, they're issuing citations. And for some people, the citation has the impact of encouraging them to move. And for others, the citation doesn't really make a difference.
Whitney Ward
Is it safe to say that, even though the rules and the ordinances have gotten stricter, it hasn't necessarily translated to a big improvement in the homeless camping on the street?
Nithya Raman
In my opinion, I would say they haven't. And I think we've had experience now with about 100 sites where they have restricted camping and not seen significant changes in many of those sites.
Whitney Ward
Are there instances where they do sweep through the camps to say that, 'Hey, you cannot be here,' or has that largely gone away?
Nithya Raman
If no housing is provided, sometimes within a matter of hours, sometimes after a couple of days, the tents come right back. Because individuals don't have anywhere else to go.
Whitney Ward
What do you think is working in LA and what do you think is not working when it comes to holistically tackling the homeless crisis?
Nithya Raman
If you give someone a room with a door, they say yes to that. Anytime we can get more housing, whether it looks like Project rooms, key hotel rooms, it can look like tiny homes, whenever we have access to more beds, more housing, we're able to get people off the streets.
Whitney Ward
What are some of the missteps that a place like Spokane could learn from?
Nithya Raman
Los Angeles is unique in many ways because it's so big. And our homelessness crisis is so large, but there are a number of smaller and medium-sized cities that have been able to take real steps toward addressing homelessness. What we didn't do is something that cities that are new to the crisis of homelessness can do, which is to invest in housing and shelter early, make sure that you're building the kinds of beds and units that can really help people move off the streets. If you are able to get more people indoors, you will see a difference on your city streets and I think your city can see that same difference.
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The Center Square
Camp Hope is located on Washington State Department of Transportation off Interstate 90 in Spokane and has grown in the last seven months to a homeless population of more than 600. City and county officials are now scrambling to figure out how to get the people in the camp into shelters and other protected living spaces.
Photo courtesy of Sheldon Jackson
(The Center Square) – A coalition of 122 businesses in Spokane are hosting a symposium in September to help government leaders and community members better understand the “multifaceted” issue of homelessness.
“This is our second symposium. We want to continue to dialogue with others on this complex issue, and as such, have brought in three national speakers who each have their own views on how to best to address the roles of mental health, addiction, job loss, incarceration and policies on those experiencing homelessness,” said Katy Bruya, co-chair of Hello for Good’s steering committee.
“Looking at the root causes of homelessness – which could be a person’s job loss, housing costs, mental illness, addiction or a combination of all those – helps us better design effective policies and partner with others to create solutions."
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1, for the symposium at the Davenport Grand Hotel. People interested in attending can register at helloforgood.org.
The program featuring three experts in service provision to the homeless begins at 8 p.m. People interesting in learning more ensuring a safe and healthy city for all citizens are invited.
With homelessness in Spokane at historic levels, Bruya said partnerships need to be built to address what has become a public safety and health challenge.
The 2022 homeless count required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development showed that Spokane County had more than 1,750 people living in shelters, vehicles on the streets or in encampments. That number is up significantly from counts before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the annual process.
Bruya said Hello for Good is not trying to dehumanize people in tough situations, but to help them overcome the barriers that led to homelessness.
Solutions to the crisis will take collaboration and shared understanding so that government leaders and community members can work together to make data-driven decisions to address issues, she said.
Taking the podium on Sept. 1 will be:
Dr. Robert Marbut of Marbut Consulting and former head of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Marbut consults with community and organizations on issues of homelessness across the United States. He has worked with government officials at all levels, including three presidential administrations, to guide change in the way they address homelessness
Jon Ponder’s plan to establish Hope for Prisoners originated in a small cell in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since its inception in 2010, the nonprofit has served nearly 3,5000 clients and boasts a 6% recidivism rate. Hope creates a community and opportunities for people wanting a second chance at life after incarceration.
Paul Webster is former senior policy adviser on homelessness at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He is the founder and director the Hope Street Coalition that advocates for the vulnerable living and dying on the streets. The organization encourages a change from the one-size-fits all approach of dealing with homelessness.
Hello for Good is a group that formed last year. Bruya said “Hello” was chosen for the group’s name because it is both a friendly salutation and the acronym for Helping Empower Lifelong Opportunities (for Good), the official title.