PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As Vancouver inches toward the opening of a new homeless shelter, city officials could prohibit camping in the surrounding area.
On Monday, Vancouver City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that would ban camping near the incoming Bridge Shelter. Although it is already illegal to camp on public property between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., City Homeless Response Manager Jamie Spinelli noted the proposal could help with enforcement amid the opening of the new facility.
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Vancouver leaders declared the first homelessness emergency in the city’s history in November 2023, revealing that Clark County as a whole had seen a 54% spike in individuals experiencing “chronic homelessness” since the previous year. Later in 2024, officials argued the opening of the Bridge Shelter could be a critical step in addressing their unhoused population.
The facility will be located on 5313 NE 94th Ave. Officials previously revealed they had began reaching out to residents and business owners within 1,200 feet of the site, some of whom expressed safety concerns with the plan…