Opinion: ‘Banning camping within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, and community centers — should have been enacted years ago’

Amy Harris of Clark County Matters urges Vancouver officials to implement stricter public camping limits, arguing that without accountability, many will continue refusing shelter and services.

Amy Harris, of Clark County Matters, believes that as long as public camping remains a choice, many individuals will continue to refuse shelter and services

Amy Harris
Clark County Matters

Earlier this year, Clark County Matters sent a letter to city officials outlining seven specific recommendations for placing stronger limits on public camping in Vancouver. One of those — banning camping within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, and community centers — should have been enacted years ago. Another simply brings city policy in line with Clark County’s existing restrictions. You can read our full letter here.

We strongly support more shelters and services — those are essential to ending unsheltered homelessness. But as long as public camping remains a choice, many individuals will continue to refuse shelter and services. For some battling mental illness, the decision may be beyond their capacity. For others caught in addiction, it’s a cycle of dependency and criminal activity that requires intervention.

A few days later, the City Attorney responded. It’s telling how far the city will go to rationalize public camping. Despite clear rulings from both the U.S. Supreme Court and Washington state courts upholding the legality of camping bans, Vancouver continues to hide behind legal theories to justify inaction. You can read the City Attorney’s response here.

Rather than taking real steps to limit public camping, the mayor and city council continue to defend it. Vancouver needs leadership willing to pair compassion with accountability. That means ending the dangerous, inhumane encampments harming both vulnerable people and entire neighborhoods. You can read our latest response here.

Let’s be honest: this legal back-and-forth does nothing to get people off the streets — or to protect the families and businesses suffering the consequences of public camping.

Vancouver doesn’t have to become the next Portland. But that depends on whether our leaders act.

Thank you for staying engaged. Your voice matters — and it’s making a difference.