James Robinson Leader Editor

With the Nov. 3 move-out deadline fast approaching, about 70 people — concerned citizens, civic leaders and individuals representing social services providers — turned out Oct. 27 at the Evans Vista encampment to meet with city leaders and voice objections to the city’s plan to remove the homeless living there. And while key city staffers and all sitting council members attended, there was one key absence — City Manager John Mauro, the deadline’s architect.

Mauro, according to city staff, was attending the annual International City/County Management Association conference in Tampa, Florida.

Over the course of an hour, outside in the chill, Mayor David Faber fielded questions and comments. Later in the evening, council moved to city hall, where they approved a code change to remove some of the barriers for encampment permits.

Kudos to council and city staff for taking the hits and meeting the public at ground zero of our homeless crisis.

But while people spoke their minds and the city code was modified, the fact remains, by the mayor’s own admission, this is a problem of the city’s own design, compounded by an arbitrary deadline and city council has been complicit, along for the ride.

“Two years ago we made an affirmative decision to seek to authorize permits of supportive encampments in this community and then we also made an intentional decision to allow the circumstances at or the encampment at Evans Vista to continue with the expectation that service providers were going to step in and that it was going to be a temporary location. That location was, period, not suitable for the encampment,” Faber said at an Oct. 20 city council meeting.

And he continued, “I think John is in a very difficult position here with having to enforce the policy this council has made over the years, yet we’ve asked him to ignore that policy with this location in mind...”

And now, many encampment residents have no place else to go. There is not an alternate location, nor a comprehensive solution. The deadline remains, looming and poised to crush some of our town’s most vulnerable. And for what reason?

To create “compassionate urgency,” Mauro said, and to address ongoing health and safety concerns, noting the deadline has helped drive action among service providers.

“But how can you make them leave, if they don’t have anywhere to go?” My wife asked this simple question over dinner, and it’s the same question common citizens and social service providers are asking as well.

“We’ve been working every day to connect people with what little housing exists,” said Viola Ware, OlyCap’s director of housing services. “There’s no magic list of available units, and most of the folks up there don’t have anywhere to go.”

Indeed.

So now what? Is it possible that a service provider, or providers, can jump through all the bureaucratic hoops, even streamlined hoops, in a matter of days to provide encampment residents a safe, alternate place with a minimum of amenities such as toilets and clean water? Unlikely. Without an alternate location, many Evans Vista encampment residents will likely venture deeper into the woods, out of range and off the radar of men like Mike McCutcheon who work tirelessly and fearlessly to reach the most desperate and vulnerable.

Leaders plan, build coalitions, engage stakeholders and move deliberately, purposefully and strategically to find solutions and create better outcomes for all. Arbitrary deadlines aren’t the answer. The Evans Vista crisis is profoundly complex and demands a comprehensive web of engaged leaders, fueled by compassion and kindness, willing to be present and willing to dig deep.