Olympia plans to clear homeless camp under bridge

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The City of Olympia announced plans to close the unregulated homeless camp under the 4th Avenue Bridge.

"I'm not quite ready to leave here, honestly, I'm just trying to get it cleaned up enough so maybe they'll change their mind for a minute,” said Nichole Alexander.

Alexander has lived under the bridge for nine months. She recently found out the city plans to clear the camp.

The City of Olympia said the camp brings health and safety risks.

Tests show there's fecal coliform bacteria in the water nearby.

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There's also concern about damage to the bridge's infrastructure from people digging out the footing.

Campers said the claims aren't true.

"They're making false accusations to kick us out," said Alexander. “This isn't our damage and they want to turn around and damage us even more."

She said about 30 people live at the camp.

"You can see the camp's kind of messy and stuff, but that's because the city hasn't been doing what they told us they would do. They used to come out here once a week and pick up all our garbage and stuff,” said Patrick Forespring.

The city brought in port-a-potties and put rocks around a fragile storm pond to prevent camping. Following a recent tent fire, firefighters collected close to a dozen propane tanks.

"We've heard from the community a lot. It's very visible from the road and it's very close to neighborhood,” said Kellie Purse Braseth, City of Olympia strategic communications director. “We were concerned about contamination in the water, we were concerned about the bridge infrastructure.”

Olympia residents told KIRO 7 something should be done.

"It is not a good place for people to be,” said Carol McKinley. "The city, the county, the combination of all these bodies, need to come up with a place for people to be."

Although about half the people who live under the bridge already packed up, Alexander said she plans to stay. She believes she has the right to live under the bridge.

"We don't want to be swept under the rug, we don't want to be looked upon as a lowlife, good-for-nothing, just waste of space. That's not what we are,” said Alexander.

City crews plans to clear the camp Sept. 11.

Cox Media Group