Proposed sleep center won’t be in the Clarkston Heights

CLARKSTON -- More than 220 people turned out Tuesday for a town hall meeting about a proposed sleep center for the unhoused in Asotin County.

The nonprofit organization spearheading the idea answered one of the major questions right off the bat. The sleep huts won’t be built in the Clarkston Heights.

The Asotin County Alliance for the Unhoused formed in May to come up with a solution that would get homeless people out of Foster Park and into a managed site, said Tom Ledgerwood, president of the organization.

The group has access to designated capital money to build 20 huts and purchase property, but no specific site has been pinpointed.

The goal is to find 1.2 acres near city limits with access to public transit and within walking distance of grocery stores and services, said Skate Pierce, a Clarkston city councilor and business owner. Somewhere west of 13th Street could be an option, if property is available.

A long line of people with questions about the proposal formed after the presentation. Many wanted to know how rules at the low-barrier center would be enforced. Several expressed anger about the situation in Foster Park where the homeless are allowed to camp at night.

No drugs, alcohol or smoking would be allowed at the sleep center, but multiple people said once the door to a hut is locked, drugs would likely be used.

Clarkston Police Chief Joel Hastings said the proposed Asotin County sleep center is modeled after a similar project in Walla Walla that’s been in operation for 10 years. Law enforcement calls decreased in areas where this type of shelter is available, he said.

Once the center is built, Clarkston can ban camping at Foster Park, and the ordinance would be strictly enforced, the chief said.

Another hot topic was concern about where homeless people would go during the day, and whether the center would be near residential areas. The Walla Walla site is 1.5 miles from downtown and “in the middle of nowhere,” a resident said. No one wants it in their backyard here.

Unfortunately, vacant property in the Port of Clarkston that is not residential can’t be used because of statutory laws that require commercial development, Ledgerwood said. Building it next to the new jail in the Heights is not feasible because it’s too far from services.

The comments got heated a couple of times, especially when Foster Park was brought up. A woman said the city isn’t enforcing the laws, and that the people who are staying there are drug addicts whose recreational habits got them in this situation.

“You can’t even make them follow the rules now,” said Michelle Lovejoy, of Clarkston.

Pastor David Carringer of First Christian Church lives by the park and is a member of the alliance. He described how people without hope and in despair could benefit from having a safe place to sleep and a bowl of soup. The center is a start that could lead to hope for a better future, he said.

Carringer said the volunteer staff at the center would be trained and the security would be top-notch. Each hut would have a lock box for belongings and privacy.

Unhoused people 18 and older would qualify to stay in the low-barrier huts.

Lindsey Cannard, an alliance member and Recovery Navigator Program manager, said the goal is to find somewhere for people to sleep, and this proposal is the first step. The center would be fenced, and the rules would be enforced, she said.

Don McQuary, a retired businessman and alliance vice president, said they’re not trying to give the unhoused a palace. It’s just a place to sleep and find resources to get them back on their feet, he said.

Asotin County Commissioner Chuck Whitman, who is an alliance member, said the county has about $1 million in capital money that’s designated for helping the homeless. The money has been accruing through recording fees.

“We’re not going to use tax money,” Pierce added.

A county resident who moved here from Longview, Wash., said sustainable funding has to be in place for this type of project to work. A similar idea in his former city failed and resulted in a high number of calls to local police.

The homeless population puts a strain on emergency rooms, law enforcement, fire departments and paramedics, he said, drawing applause from the audience.

Several people said they’re worried that building such a place will draw more homeless folks to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley.

Another resident said many organizations have a vested interest in perpetual homelessness. It keeps them employed, and the budgets swell over time, he said.

Alliance members said they are volunteers and have nothing to gain from the sleep center.

Others thanked the group for their efforts and praised Chief Hastings for his hard work on the proposal.

One woman said she recently moved near Foster Park and has “zero fear” about the unhoused. They’re human beings, just like everyone else in the room.

“At least they’re doing something,” she said of the alliance. “What are any of you doing?”

Pierce said he “really loves Clarkston and is heavily invested here. I want to do what’s right. … We’re not trying to shoehorn this in here.”

The group that organized the event thanked the large turnout at the Asotin County Fire Station for attending and for offering feedback. Members said they want the community involved and appreciate any suggestions for a location. Updates will be provided throughout the process.

More information about the sleep center can be found online at asotincountyalliance.org.

Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com.