Contact:

Meghan Porter, Public Information Supervisor, 360-490-0562 or email at Meghan.porter@co.thurston.wa.us

OLYMPIA – Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS), as the sponsoring agency for a temporary safe parking project at 720 Carpenter Road, Olympia, invites the public to submit comments and questions to be answered at a virtual public informational meeting on Thursday, November 4, 6:00pm to 7:00pm. 

Neighboring property and business owners are encouraged to submit questions and comments in advance of the public informational meeting to be answered by the panelists during the meeting. The sponsoring agency will consider all comments and questions submitted. 

What: Public Informational Meeting – Temporary Safe Parking Project 

When: Thursday, November 4, 2021, 6:00pm – 7:00pm

Where: Virtual https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_s5cLXusoR1Stcdis7Hpj6g 

Questions and Comments: Submit question and comments in advance to Meghan.porter@co.thurston.wa.us. 

Note: The meeting will be live-streamed and recorded on the county’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuANWax0cRG6l05UWvYkZ5g 

Background: 

Thurston County, the City of Olympia, and the Regional Housing Council are collaborating on short-term and long-term solutions to address the unhoused population in Thurston County. The collaboration is to take a multi-phased approach with short-term actions while planning for the long-term solution. 

In support of Providence St. Peter Hospital, the immediate short-term need to the RVs parked along Ensign Rd. is to move the most vulnerable individuals, temporarily, to a county owned property located at 720 Carpenter Rd., Olympia. This action will open Ensign Rd. for access to those seeking medical care at facilities along the road. It will also allow for a stable location for the most vulnerable individuals. Once the RVs are moved, the City of Olympia will enforce its parking ordinance. 

The proposed location will be managed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by Olympia Mutual Aid Partners (OlyMAP) and provide access to services to the individuals living there. This temporary use would offer a safe place for people living aboard RV’s and other vehicles to park while other, more permanent solutions, including designated longer-term safe parking, shelter, or permanent housing is developed. 

Local jurisdictions within the Regional Housing Council are working toward purchasing property at Franz-Anderson Rd. for a longer-term, temporary location for RVs to park. The services and management will move from Martin and Carpenter to Franz-Anderson to provide a seamless transition for those receiving services. Franz-Anderson Rd. could be used for permanent housing projects in the future to provide permanent supportive housing to more houseless individuals.  

For more information and updates, visit the Regional Housing Council website 

For information about the county’s Emergency Housing Ordinance click here

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​Questions and inquiries regarding News Release content should be directed to the Thurston County Public Information Supervisor:

Meghan Porter

360-490-0562