PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In less than two months, camping will be banned outside of a shelter slated to open in Vancouver.
Vancouver City Council unanimously voted to restrict camping within 1500 feet of the Bridge Shelter on Tuesday. The ordinance will take effect on Nov. 1, the same month that the facility on 5313 NE 94th Ave. is expected to start operations, according to council documents.
The City of Vancouver initially proposed a 150-bed shelter in 2024. A recent staff report from officials shows it will now hold 120 beds for residents transitioning from homelessness and into finding more long-term housing.
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Jamie Spinelli, Vancouver’s homelessness response manager, told councilors that local code already bans camping within 1000 feet of smaller facilities — such as the city’s Safe Stay Communities. But the Bridge Shelter is not defined as a Safe Stay Community and therefore requires an additional “buffer,” according to a staff report…