Restrictions on who can use Clark County’s Public Service Center are off the table until later this year.
Councilor David Madore recommended at a Tuesday meeting that the council wait to consider the policy — which would prohibit the public from entering the Public Service Center at 1300 Franklin St. in downtown Vancouver unless they’re planning to conduct county business — until after the Friends of the Carpenter day shelter for the homeless opens later this year.
Following a motion to officially delay the discussion by Councilor Jeanne Stewart, the decision passed unanimously.
The policy is an attempt to curb loitering or sleeping in the Public Service Center and make county employees feel safer, according to a staff report. County staff have reported finding used hypodermic needles in couches and restrooms.
The city of Vancouver has a similar exclusion policy for City Hall.
The Public Service Center and its courtyard are frequented by Vancouver’s homeless. Homeless advocates have criticized the plan, saying it will remove one option for homeless people to use restrooms and freshen up.
There are public restrooms in downtown Vancouver at Esther Short Park and at the Vancouver Community Library at 901 C St.
Share’s downtown homeless shelter offers meals and overnight lodging, but it is not open during the day.
The Friends of the Carpenter day shelter at 1600 W. 20th St. is set to open in November or December, acting County Manager Mark McCauley said. Share will operate the 1,200-square-foot shelter, which, according to a report from the city of Vancouver, will provide mental health counseling, general education classes, personal storage, mailboxes, showers and toilets. The city, county and the Vancouver Housing Authority are funding it.
“We can pull this (proposal) until they can coincide to make sure that the needs are being met there,” Madore said.
Clark County’s homeless problem has been in the spotlight in recent weeks with rising rent prices, a lack of available affordable housing and a growing tent city at the west end of downtown Vancouver.
