Aberdeen staff present homelessness survey showing mixed perceptions after camp removal; city reports some service declines

Aberdeen city staff on Wednesday presented the results of an April survey of residents and businesses about homelessness and described operational changes after the removal of a large camp beneath the Chehalis River bridge.

The presentation, given by Ruth Clemens, a city staff member overseeing the survey, showed 494 residential responses and 40 business responses this year, down from 686 residential and 171 business submissions in 2023. Clemens said respondents most often cited "affordable housing" and "cost of living" as reasons people move to Aberdeen and that a plurality of respondents reported seeing an increase in visible homelessness near their properties.

Clemens said the city had an estimated 300 campers at the state-and-river-area encampment before the removal and that the camp consumed “approximately $16,000 to $20,000 a month” in combined EMS, police and public works responses. She told the council that since the camp removal, first-quarter homeless-related emergency responses dropped from 215 (in the comparable earlier period) to 67 in the most recent quarter, and that overdoses and shoplifting reports have decreased. At the same time, Clemens said, trespass complaints have risen because some people are sleeping in alcoves or vehicles. She also reported recurring complaints about trash and hazardous waste near homes and businesses and said “needles or other hazardous waste” was a top concern in both business and residential responses.

Resident Mitchell Sowen described an individual enforcement case with code enforcement and said he felt the city had compelled him to leave his tiny-home plan; his comments highlighted the tensions residents face during enforcement and the broader local housing shortage. Business owners and downtown merchants told the council they still see mental-health-related vandalism and property damage late at night even as visible tent camping has declined.

Councilmembers and staff discussed enforcement and services: code enforcement reports finding one to two people camping in alleyways per week and seeing three to six new faces in overnight sleeping locations on some mornings. Clemens and staff said the city has increased garbage receptacles downtown and that public works and partners report some improvements in cleanliness. Clemens also noted limitations: some shelter and service providers have vacancies but not everyone uses them, and housing supply remains constrained.

The council did not take formal action on the survey during the meeting. Clemens said staff will follow up with additional outreach and provide more detailed breakdowns by ward, and council members asked for public engagement and more data to guide potential policy or operational changes.