Bellingham notifies City Hall tent encampment residents of cleanup coming Friday
The City of Bellingham notified people staying in a temporary tent encampment at Bellingham City Hall that they would have to stop camping within 25 feet of the building and move their belongings outside that boundary by Friday morning.
The city’s Public Works Department provided notice to campers, volunteers and organizers at Camp 210 on Tuesday, Jan. 19, according to the city.
Camp 210 is a group of homeless campers living in tents on the lawns of City Hall (210 Lottie St.) and the Bellingham Public Library (210 Central Ave.). It was set up in November to protest the lack of shelter in the area.
City and county officials and organizers with Camp 210 have been working to address and increase shelter capacity.
The notice provided by the city states that the city will conduct a clean-up of the area within 25 feet of City Hall as of 9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 22. The notice states that if campers remain within the 25-foot boundary, they could be arrested for trespassing.
The city will remove garbage, litter, waste and personal property that is left within the 25-foot area. Personal property that poses a health or personal safety risk will be thrown away, according to the notice. Other personal property that is left will be collected by the city and stored at no cost for 60 days. That property can be reclaimed by calling 360-778-8850, the notice states. After 60 days, the property will be discarded.
The 25-foot boundary is being established as a fire protection area, according to the city. The Bellingham Public Library stopped its curb-side pickup service temporarily in December due to increasing tensions in the homeless encampment and also so a fire protection boundary could be set up. The library resumed its curb-side pickup service in late December.
The Bellingham Herald has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment on why the notice was provided now, where people in the encampment will go and how Friday’s cleanup will be handled.
The Herald has also reached out to the Bellingham Fire Marshal and Camp 210 organizers and volunteers for comment and more information regarding the clean-up notice.
Base Camp, overflow shelter capacity
Base Camp, a homeless shelter operated by Lighthouse Mission Ministries, has started distributing a flyer encouraging people to utilize the shelter.
The city and Whatcom County are leasing the space for Base Camp on Cornwall Avenue, which has room for up to 200 people. The shelter has been averaging approximately 130 people, said Hans Erchinger-Davis, executive director of Lighthouse Mission Ministries, in an interview with The Bellingham Herald.
The flyer is encouraging people to show up to Base Camp or call 360-733-5120 ext. 215 to schedule an appointment for screening, including a rapid COVID-19 test. If people have been restricted in the past from entering Base Camp or using its services, they also are encouraged to call or show up so that a plan can be made to help people re-enter and start using services again, according to the flyer.
The Base Camp has a code of conduct that has to be followed in order to stay, and is open to men and women. Pets are allowed, Erchinger-Davis said.
“We welcome all, and there’s always a pathway back,” Erchinger-Davis said.
Lighthouse Mission Ministries also said it will open an overflow shelter at its former Drop-In Center at 1013 W. Holly Street in Bellingham. The space can accommodate up to 39 men during the cold, winter months, according to previous reporting in The Bellingham Herald.
The overflow shelter will open on Sunday for one week in preparation for the inclement weather Whatcom County is expected to experience, Erchinger-Davis said. It is being staffed by volunteers through a partnership with Christ the King Church, Erchinger-Davis said.
This story was originally published January 20, 2021 at 6:40 PM.
