City lets shelter residents stay on lot

Spokane Mayor Jim West has signed an executive order allowing residents of an evicted homeless shelter to camp at the city-owned former Playfair site for 30 days, until the nonprofit charity can install sprinklers in its new building.

On Wednesday, the Truth Ministries shelter moved out of its old quarters at 238 W. Sprague because its owner, who had been allowing the charity to operate rent-free, was negotiating the sale of the building. That same day the shelter’s directors, Marty and Julie McKinney, moved the shelter into an unused building at 1910 E. Sprague where they have negotiated a lease with owner Tom Nick.

Though the shelter had found a new home, it was unable to legally open its doors to nearly 50 residents until a sprinkler system was installed. Spokane Fire officials would not grant Truth Ministries an exemption because of the fire danger.

Facing the possibility of turning 50 homeless people out onto the street, the McKinneys turned to Mayor West instead.

Citing “an emergency situation,” West answered the McKinneys’ plea for help on Thursday by allowing the shelter’s residents to camp at the former racetrack property in east Spokane through Sept. 30.

In July 2004, a homeless encampment was among the demands of activists who illegally camped on the grassy parkway at Riverside Avenue and Monroe Street to protest the city’s anti-camping ordinance. Homeless people and their advocates camped there for 10 days before they were ousted by police.

West signed the ordinance on July 12, 2004, and it went into effect 30 days later. Since then, police have removed campers from public property on several occasions. On May 18 of this year, police cited seven people, including Dave Bilsland, an organizer of the 2004 protest, with trespassing on city property on East Stone Street. The group was again protesting the anti-camping ordinance.

West said there is a big distinction between Truth Ministries and Bilsland’s group, “who simply want to live their life outside and camp on other people’s property.”

“They have no interest in moving off the streets,” the mayor said. “They have no interest in improving their lives.”

On the other hand, West said, “The people in Truth Ministries are actually trying to make a change in their lives and not trying to live in a permanent encampment.”

McKinney agreed with the mayor’s distinction.

“The campers that wanted this last year are not the campers that are staying with us,” he said. “They did it in an illegal and defiant manner.”

McKinney said the Playfair site will have security to protect its residents and maintain order.

West said Truth Ministries will control who comes in and who leaves, and anyone else would be trespassing.

That may be harder than it sounds.

“It’s going to be difficult because if someone new came to their shelter they would have to accommodate them,” said Marlene Feist, the city’s public information officer. Truth Ministries, she said, “will have to maintain order.”

The city has provided a Dumpster, six portable toilets and water for Truth Ministries at Playfair, which was demolished after the city purchased the property last year. The mayor said the permit to camp is for 30 days only.

“If they’re not ready to move in by then, they have to find an alternative,” he said.

Judging by the amount of donations the McKinneys have received since their story first appeared in The Spokesman-Review, the shelter will be ready to open its doors.

At least two Spokane companies and labor unions have agreed to help Truth Ministries install a sprinkler system. Other citizens have donated or pledged to donate more than $8,000 to the shelter, Marty McKinney said.

“We’ve got massive donations coming in,” McKinney said. “We have never seen an outpouring like this before. We are lucky to live where we do.”