Vancouver voters overwhelmingly say homeless camps are getting worse and support the city council passing stronger limits on public camping to protect public safety and quality of life

VANCOUVER – Clark County Matters, a non-profit grassroots advocacy group, has released a new poll of likely Vancouver voters that indicates growing concern over homeless camps and strong support for stricter limits and a citywide ban on public camping.

“Vancouver doesn’t have to end up like Portland. But without stronger action from elected city leaders to ban homeless camps in our city, our safety and quality of life are at risk,” said Amy Harris, the leader of the local group. “More shelters and services are vital, but we are urging local officials to do more.”

Survey highlights: 

• 64% believe homeless camps in Vancouver have gotten worse in recent years.

• 58% want the mayor and city council to pass stronger limits on public camping.

• 64% would support a ballot measure to strictly limit or ban camping altogether.

The full survey is available to review here.

Clark County Matters was launched in July 2024 to advocate for stronger leadership from local officials and better policies to protect the public safety and quality of life of Vancouver and the entire county. The group has specifically focused on urging stronger action against the growing problem of public camping.