Lacey Encampments

The Department of Enterprise Services has been coordinating with the City of Lacey and other partners since 2019 to offer assistance to un-housed people camping on DES-managed land near Desmond Drive. The number of campsites has decreased as our partners worked diligently to offer housing and wrap-around resources to campers. The encampment is now a state Encampment Resolution Program site, a Governor initiative administered by the Department of Commerce. Through program, formerly known as the Right of Way Safety Initiative, housing was secured at the Maple Court enhanced shelter in Lacey. The Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) will offer case management and behavioral health services to residents, including healthcare, treatment, and help with getting IDs and documentation.

Ongoing actions:

  • The Lacey Mobile Outreach Team continues to engage people in camp sites.
  • Lacey Police Department is monitoring the area and preventing additional campers from moving in.
  • DES is cleaning up campsites as they become abandoned.
  • DES is replacing missing no trespassing signs on an ongoing basis as the need arises.
  • DES property management is engaging with neighboring property owners and other key stakeholders on a regular basis.

Past actions include:

2022

  • Supplied a large, designated dumpster.

2021

  • Memorandum of Understanding with City of Lacey March 25, 2021.
  • Baseline survey March 30 to determine how many camp sites there are, and how many are occupied.
  • Cleaned up abandoned sites May 3-11, while respecting the personal property of persons in the occupied sites.
  • Posted "No Trespassing" signs in the area.

2020

  • Cleared trees and brush in the area.
  • Conducted an "in place" cleanup of areas outside of occupied sites.
  • Provided trash bags and dumpsters.