Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homelessness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Unhoused residents press Olympia council on policing and housing; council pledges to listen
Summary
Multiple public commenters, including unhoused residents and advocates, told the council they face harassment, police enforcement and loss of shelter; councilmembers said they will continue to seek housing options and to review public-safety responses.
Public testimony at Olympia’s April 28 council meeting focused heavily on housing insecurity, alleged police harassment of people living in vehicles or on the street, and calls for a change in enforcement practices.
Cece Coates, who said she is disabled and lives in a van, told the council that subsidy programs are no longer issuing new supports and characterized enforcement as punitive: "You've basically legislated me out of existence," she said. Several speakers recounted encounters they described as harassment by officers and urged the council to stop criminalizing homelessness.
David Webb criticized the city’s police oversight structure and said internal investigations lack meaningful outside review. "A 100% of all investigations into OPD policy violation and misconduct are completed by an org by a department within the OPD," Webb said, arguing that the current model leaves accountability wanting. Other commenters, including Georgia Ost and Jean Eberhart, urged the city to treat unhoused people with compassion and to explore alternatives to enforcement.
Councilmembers responded that they hear the concerns and reiterated a commitment to pursue additional housing options and to keep listening. Mayor Dante Payne acknowledged the limits of city authority and emphasized a balance between compassion and accountability: "I can promise is that we'll keep listening," he said. Multiple councilmembers described existing and planned efforts — from shelter and tiny-home options to the crisis response unit — and said staff will continue to work on solutions and review relevant ordinances and policies.
The mayor offered to facilitate follow-up with police leadership and staff for individual cases raised during public comment, and city staff arranged on-site follow-up in at least one case involving language access.
No formal policy action was taken at the meeting; councilmembers said they will consider next steps, including further staff inquiries and study sessions, as they continue work on housing and public-safety responses.
