Olympia to clear out homeless camp under Fourth Ave. bridge

OLYMPIA, Wash. - People at a homeless camp under Fourth Avenue bridge are now on notice to clear out after city officials found ongoing health and safety concerns.

The tents are crammed together at the west end of the bridge that stretches across Budd Inlet. In the nine months it has been there, the city has had to deal with fires, water contamination and fears that the bridge itself was being damaged.

“We've done everything that the city has said but the things they told us that they would do, they haven't," said Patrick Forespring, one of about 15 people still camping at the site.

Olympia has been working with the campers for months to address problems like human waste entering the waterway. A few months ago the city staged porta potties nearby.

“I put up a porta potty. I built my own porta potty long before the porta potties were brought here,” said Nichole Alexander, another camper.

Recently a tent went up in flames while Forespring slept inside. He got out but even more concerning is when firefighters found a dozen propane tanks stored nearby.

“Why not do things to make it safe around here like put fire extinguishers around,” Forespring said.

City officials are also worried about potential damage to the bridge’s infrastructure because the footings that hold it up were being dug out. However, campers said they handled that.

“There was one particular incident where someone was digging a little too much on the other side over there and we kicked him out," Alexander said.

Olympia set Sept. 11 as the deadline to leave. City officials said campers have been given information about shelters, and they believe three weeks is enough notice for campers to gather their belongings.

Socials service providers are also working with campers to connect them with the help they need.