Unhoused residents pack up in Clarkston

Unhoused residents in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley found bathrooms locked on Foster Park after they moved there from a camp that was closed Monday evening in Clarkston.

Cory James, a local business owner and homeless advocate, said he was still trying to get in contact with a group of roughly eight to 10 people who had gone to Foster Park before learning the bathrooms were locked.

“A bunch of them turned around and hiked back,” he said. “I’m still trying to get ahold of them.”

Justina Foster, another homeless advocate, had gone to Foster Park with homeless residents Monday night. Foster said Clarkston Police Chief Joel Hastings told her the Asotin County Health Department planned to set up portable toilets at the park but had yet to do so.

In a text message, Asotin County Public Health Director Brady Woodbury confirmed the health district was working with the city to place two portable toilets at Foster Park, to be pumped weekly, with plans to keep them there until the city opens the bathrooms around April. 

Homeless residents said they were told personal belongings they hadn’t collected would be held for up to 90 days though the question of exactly what qualified as a personal item remained unclear.

Clarkston police had given camp residents until 5 p.m. Monday to leave the homeless camp behind Walmart. By 6:30 p.m. Monday, the population of the camp had dwindled and most who remained, said they were planning to leave. One resident said he was planning to stay the night at the camp. No one had been forced to leave by the police at that point.

Foster said she was frustrated by the city not allowing homeless residents to camp at city hall, especially when there are no bathrooms or other resources nearby.

“Everybody in the community agrees that having the homeless camping in a park with a playground is not the best solution,” she said, adding she didn’t know any children who hung out at city hall. “The city specifically prohibited them from being at city hall.”

Two residents have been moved to assisted living homes, James said, and one, Scott Darrington, is staying at a motel while waiting for ongoing medical treatment for frostbite.

Some went to the Nisqually John boat landing area, James said.

Representatives from Quality Behavioral Health said they saw roughly eight people at the Nisqually John site during a visit Tuesday. Foster said she believes there could be as many as 25.

James said he felt the city had lied by providing maps showing public property, including port property, that was later marked “no trespassing.” On Saturday, homeless residents attempted to move 12 tents to port property. They were told they had to leave.

At the Clarkston city council meeting Monday, City Administrator Steve Austin said the maps had only been meant to show the council where all the public property in the valley is located. But those maps also were provided to the public along with meeting agendas.

Foster and local street preacher Nick Hasselstrom attempted to question the city council Monday, James said, and were told they would be removed if they spoke out again.

Throughout the day Tuesday, a cleaning crew worked on clearing out what remained of the camp.

Foster said camp residents tried to clean up, fearing they would be demonized for leaving a mess but didn’t have enough time to do so.

“The people of that camp busted their butt as much as they could with the available resources they had,” she said. “They had no trucks, so they had it piled up.”

As of Monday night, several tents, miscellaneous belongings and trash remained, despite numerous truckloads being hauled away. Foster said time constraints forced them to prioritize things like personal belongings and propane for heat.

In addition to looking for a place to live, Foster said many homeless residents continue to look for employment.

Foster said despite some community members’ speculation, many homeless people are trying to work.

One man she’s been helping, Foster said, got a job after being told he would be able to camp on Army Corps of Engineers land. He was recently told he would have 20 days to leave, she said, making his new workplace too difficult to reach.

The Lewiston Tribune’s August Frank contributed to this report. 

This report is made in partnership with Northwest Public Broadcasting, the Lewiston Tribune and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.