Vancouver resident Peter Bracchi says it’s time to demand accountability, enforcement, and an end to policies that sacrifice neighborhoods under the guise of compassion

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

For over eight years, a growing encampment near the Share House in Vancouver has taken over city streets and sidewalks. Individuals have erected tents directly in public rights-of-way, while the City of Vancouver has responded not by restoring public order, but by enabling this takeover—placing outhouses and dumpsters in the street and allowing these conditions to persist without obtaining required Street Use Permits.

Link to Photos 8 years of Street Takeover: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mTaZHtwTCbzkrm8q7

The consequences have been severe. This unauthorized encampment has become a magnet for crime, open drug use, and constant calls for police, fire, and medical services. It endangers drivers, with no signage or warnings, and blocks sidewalks—making it impossible for those with disabilities to navigate the area safely. Homeowners and businesses suffer the daily impacts. This is not compassion; this is neglect.

Where policies are permissive, the problems grow — and our mayor has created exactly that kind of environment. Instead of enforcing existing laws, the city has gone so far as to set up a parallel legal system for prosecuting offenses by unhoused individuals — giving preferential treatment that encourages lawbreaking, environmental degradation, and public disorder.

This isn’t just bad policy — it’s a dereliction of duty. Our mayor refuses to acknowledge her role in fostering this crisis, but the results are plain to see: chaos, destruction, and lost livability for law-abiding residents.

It’s time to demand accountability, enforcement, and an end to policies that sacrifice neighborhoods under the guise of compassion.

Peter Bracchi
Vancouver

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