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The City Council of Olympia is proud of their accomplishments.  They have done an excellent job promoting and raising taxes at every opportunity.  They frequently tout their environmental agenda and virtue signal their concern about global warming on a regular basis. This makes them feel good about themselves.  Recently, they have been able to combine increasing taxes with their environmental agenda by creating approved, taxpayer subsidized addict/homeless camps downtown. It isn’t clear to outside observers how this helps the environment, but it certainly squanders tax dollars.

On the City of Olympia’s official website, this is the photo header for the City Council, which many residents feel is appropriate because when they try to approach the Olympia City Council to address real problems in the city, this is what residents see.

When combined with Olympia’s widely touted sanctuary city status, and the public promotion of “low incarceration rates” this effort turned the City of Olympia into a destination paradise for drug addicts, sex offenders, fugitives, and illegal aliens from all over the nation.  This has become an achievement worthy of state-wide (and even national) recognition. To further subsidize the effort the city council pushed a homeless tax earlier this year (which this author opposed and wrote the “con” statement in the voter’s pamphlet). These additional tax dollars were used to boost the addict/homeless programs expanding to great effect now.

From a flyer distributed by local addict/homeless advocates around the country – note the second from bottom point – “Low incarceration rate in Downtown Olympia.” This is a real feature and selling point to recruit more addicts to join the fun in Olympia.
It is difficult to adequately communicate just how hard the City of Olympia has worked to bring features like this to the urban core (Photo of “Cooperville” named after councilmember Jim Cooper).

This success has become a jewel in the crown for Washington State’s capital city.  In a few weeks, the state’s part time legislature will be back in session – focused primarily on pushing full-time tax increases, however, the legislators may need to leave the city for meals because, oddly enough, many of the local businesses are closingIt turns out, as shocking as it might seem to the Olympia City Council, most normal people don’t want to fight their way through drug dealers, addicts, used needles, sidewalk feces, and aggressive panhandlers on their way to a quick bite at the café. While these experiences add a little excitement to the daily routine, not everyone enjoys the scene.

Addict/homeless camps like this help add a more traditional urban flavor to the City of Olympia. City taxpayers subsidize this. (Photo from “Bateman Motel” named after Councilmember Jessica Bateman)

Local businesses, of course, can’t rely on the Olympia Police department to maintain law and order (remember “low incarceration”).  Additionally, since the police can’t guarantee the safety of the private security company these local businesses had hired – this means local businesses are now entirely on their own.  Their isolation has only increased as a local Evergreen College based “progressive” mob called Olympia Solidarity felt that businesses attempting to prevent addicts from dumping used needles behind your business, defecating in front of their stores, and sleeping in front of their store entrances was unacceptable.  The “OlySol” mob has threatened and intimidated enough people to ensure they (along with their allies – the local drug dealers) run the streets now.

Who wouldn’t want this next to their business? Any Olympia business owners who complain about feature benefits like this are just whiners (Photo from “Cooperville” camp)

The business owners attempted to get an emergency court order to stop the rapid expansion of these addict/homeless camps, but the court ultimately rejected their effort.  The descent from a beautiful state capital city into a proud 3rd world tent city slum town is progressing rapidly.  The Olympia City Council, Evergreen College students, and the plethora of non-profits who extract tax dollars and grants to “help the homeless” are cheering this descent. 

This is an “unsanctioned” addict/homeless camp, but the city lets them squat regardless. Many of these camps have been nicknamed “Jonestown” after Mayor Pro/Tem Nathanial Jones

Oddly enough, there once was a strong environmental movement in Olympia who spent much of their time agonizing over how to stop rural residents of Thurston County from building porches or barns for fear of “ruining the environment.”  Yet, when massive garbage piles filled with used syringes, discarded materials stolen from their homes by local homeless addicts, and human waste is being dumped directly onto their streets and parks and into their water– they say not a word.  The sound of Gang Green’s silence is deafening by itself. 

Green spaces and trails in Olympia are becoming more colorful under Olympia’s new addict/homeless camp subsidies and growth scheme.

Local Progressives are high-fiving this improvement to the City of Olympia.  Regular people have begun to avoid the city and its new pungent addict/homeless camp additions, which is probably why businesses are also leaving or shutting down. 

Used needles are a common sight decorating Olympia’s streets, parks, and sidewalks. Fortunately, the local needle exchange program gives out millions of needles locally per year so there is a ready supply to renew the ones that get removed by Olympia’s “Clean Team.”

To prove the old adage that misery loves company, the City of Olympia is pushing to expand the addict/homeless camp program into nearby cities of Tumwater and Lacey (see recent Olympian editorial here).  After all, it is going so well for Olympia – who wouldn’t want more of this?  While both those cities share political sympathy with the Olympia City Council, it is not yet clear they want to jump on the crazy train with Olympia as the train conductor. 


OUR CONSTITUTION BEGINS WITH THE PHRASE “WE THE PEOPLE.”  IT WAS THE FOUNDER’S INTENT THAT GOVERNMENT BE CREATED BY THE PEOPLE, TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.  IT WASN’T THEIR INTENTION FOR THE PEOPLE TO SERVE THE GOVERNMENT.  IT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED THAT GOVERNMENT WHICH FAILED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE “ALTERED OR ABOLISHED.”  UNTIL WE RETURN TO THE FOUNDER’S INTENT, WE REMAIN WE THE GOVERNED

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34 COMMENTS

  1. Government has become the best business to be in, and is recession proof. They never seem to run out of money because they just raise taxes if they need more.
    “Rehab” programs bleed government enforced healthcare insurance until there is no money left then they boot people out to become homeless. Not for Profit organizations get grants from the government to address problems which becomes a lot of people’s jobs and livelihoods so they don’t want to see an end to the problems or they’re out of work. There seems to be more and more companies forming to spend tax dollars. They aren’t in business to solve problems, just to treat problems. That’s why it never gets better.

  2. Olympia isn’t encouraging encampments “like this” as you say, and they aren’t not doing anything about it either. The whole point of the mitigation site is to reduce what you show happening in these images. To provide toilets, garbage pickup, and security, to reduce the number of randomly pitched tents spreading and make it a safer area of town to be around. THAT is what Olympia is showcasing. Also, I don’t think it’s fair representation to call them addict/homeless camps. Not every person that’s homeless is an addict. That’s not to say some aren’t addicts, but there are plenty of people not on drugs who have disabilities and other circumstances that have led to homelessness. There are also plenty of harmless homeless people, who shouldn’t be feared because of an ignorant stereotype. Without the effort to create a city-run encampment, homeless tent cities would continue to spread. Olympia isn’t encouraging living in waste and trash, they’re trying to provide BETTER conditions for homeless people and the businesses surrounding where they live. Research shows that environment has a lot to do with addiction as well. Better conditions reduce tendency for addiction and encourage recovery. This article seems to be more about fearmongering, misrepresentation, and complaining than anything else. I don’t see any solutions to the problem, just a blanket judgmental statement that homelessness is bad and we shouldn’t allow it. What do you propose? Fine the homeless? Put them in jail? Force them to leave and sleep in the woods, where it’s even less safe for them and out of the way of services? Even those with jobs struggle to pay outrageous rent prices. Maybe what the city is doing isn’t perfect, but it isn’t heartless and is hopefully bringing the city to a better direction. It doesn’t kill to have compassion or work towards a solution that works for everyone.

    • Recruiting addicts from around the country to come squat and get high in Olympia is not compassionate. The more money the City gives out in grants, the worse the problem gets. Every time. Sure, the city provides dumpsters, but then the trash just gets dumped on the ground anyway – mere yards away. Then the city makes being a full-time drug addict easier by giving everything away for free with no expectations or requirement for behavior changes. Here’s free needles – keep shooting up. Great, just dump the needles on the ground – don’t worry, we’ll pay people to pick up after you. Why in the world would attracting a large number of addicts from around the nation to Olympia be a good plan? Since when does subsidizing something make it go away? This is poor policy, poorly thought out, incompetently implemented, and anyone with eyes to see can understand the obvious disaster unfolding here. There is nothing compassionate about this. It is heartless to encourage addiction. It is heartless to reward the addict lifestyle. It is uncaring to subsidize it and expect no behavioral changes.

    • These people do not have to be filthy !!!!n spreading debris !!!on these trails for people paying the taxes to ride their bikes n go for walks… filthy in the encampments? ???? people are handing out thousands of needles something is going.😟
      on.
      There is no housing for the disabled, OR SERVICES??
      It is obvious this is Not a successful program. It is horrific, n the merchants being threatened? ??? How is that not an act of criminal offence arrested? ..why should I have to leave a name n address????

      • Washington State is a liberal tax state for everything and don’t ever see any results. This is total BS. people vote and don’t have any idea what they are really voting on or follow up.

  3. While working as a Detention Officer for the City of Olympia we would get “Weekend” inmates in for minor infractions on Friday night for the weekend (No bail until arraignment Monday when the Judge would release them with credit for time served) They would get a shower, deloused, clothes washed and fumigated to kill the lice & bugs a warm place to sleep and watch television, and 3 meals a day.
    I had one of them tell me that Washington was known to most of the transients in the country as a “Destination” Mostly Seattle, Tacoma, and Increasingly the city of Olympia for the welcome they receive from the bleeding hearts and the “Greeners”in and around Olympia. This was in the 1980’s before I retired. Since then things have really gone to the dogs to the point most people I know refuse to go downtown after dark and increasingly at all to Olympia. Thanks to the bleeding hearts, and the people running the city into the ground

  4. I grew up in the Olympia area but my job kept me away since 1976. My dream was always to return to make my last home in the Olympia / Thurston County area. No longer.

    It’s time to stop “tolerating” the intolerable and begin holding each other accountable. For too long we have allowed the screeching and preaching for all of us to accept, without question, the perversions that have led us to this sort of uncivilized behavior that seem to be gripping almost every city in the country. Perhaps it’s time we stop listening to the “experts” and begin doing what we know is right. We can begin by telling judges we will no longer accept their rulings that shut down religious charities because they violate some non-existant church and state separation fallacy, we can restore hospitals to care for the mentally ill and restore the XIV Amendment “under the law” and insist our law makers pass laws enabling authorities to actually help those of reduced capacities without taking their rights. Not only empower law enforcement to remove those people, but to follow all laws protecting businesses and people from the filth and any danger associated with the “camps”. We have to tell our elected officials we will no longer tolerate the the intolerable.

  5. I have lived in Oly about 4 years. I live on the west side of town where there is less homelessness than downtown and the east side. Even though there is less of these issues over here, I am constant looking for needles when me and my 4 year old are walking “off road,” which he loves to do. We will NEVER go to certain parks or downtown with him. In fact just 2 nights ago, my wife and I started talking about moving because of the homeless issue that has no end in sight. Even worse, the leaders of our county/city/state are not able to speak up and say “we really need to do something about this, because what we have been doing is not working” without losing their jobs. With our big brother, Seattle, being the example we are following in Olympia, there is no conceivable way that I am going to be living here in 5 years. Olympia has more untapped potential than many capital cities in our region, and it will not be fully realized unless the homelessness issue is made better. There needs to be a focus on the causes of homelessness, and a solution to the existing homeless population. The current efforts have only created rats nests throughout the city. The homeless should not be living in these conditions. The homed (if that is an actual term) should not be affected to the degree that they are. This negative spiral needs an intervention of logic.

  6. This is ABSOLUTELY not inaccurate and I am glad to see someone actually addressing this issue, publicly.
    As a local, I am tired of being forced live with the choices others have made. (Yes, I understand that some of the mentally ill do not have a choice. This does not relinquish our responsibility to maintain a safe, healthy and esthetically pleasing downtown environment.) And before you go off on the need for empathy and help that these people need, please understand that these subjects CAN be exclusive of one another. While I also agree that they need our help, I still do not believe that we should authorize our entire downtown area to become overrun with the filth, crime, and general discomfort that the homeless camps have created.
    Please consider that one can help the homeless and drug situation while still being cognizant of the health and wellbeing of our ENTIRE community. Those that are NOT homeless still count and their opinions and needs should be considered.
    By the way, how much research is necessary here? It’s easily discernible by taking a quick 10 minute jaunt downtown. If that doesn’t do it for you, try taking that downtown walk with your children, or your friends’ children. That perspective should have a much more impactful effect.

      • My post was initially a reply to someone else’s post. When I opted not to directly reply to them, I should have changed the verbiage. As it sits, I believe it might be a little unclear that I agree and support your article 100%.
        Thanks for writing this and forcing people to see/discuss this problem.

  7. I use to live in Olympia. 1985-1989 and again 1991-1994. I have been wanting to take a trip back. Seeing this, absolutely not. I don’t care if drug addiction, homeless because of not wanting to work ect They can pitch a tent live like pigs, no consideration for others ect. If there is a tent and trash inside or out. Don’t let them stay. If needles and other drug paraphernalia around kick them out. There are people who do care, have kids, want to work towards a better lifestyle give them a place to stay until they can move on. Addicts of alcohol, drugs, sex offenders ect need to have drastic measures. I just don’t understand why Olympia is putting up with this. I know people are going to say help these people. Most don’t want help!!!! Sounds like they can have food, cover over their heads and anything else. Why should the move on. I understand this is an epidemic, however, why do the people doing the right thing have to live with this crap, restaurants closed, stores closing. Just makes me very sad for those people. Their town is disgustingly sad.

  8. Why aren’t people in an uproar over this crap!? Smart ass newspaper articles isn’t going to change anything. Stop paying your taxes and take to the streets. Drastic action for drastic change…

    • People are in an uproar, but their lawsuits have fizzled and are expensive in the fact of a City Council determined to make the problem worse (several of whom are employed by entities who directly or indirectly receive grant dollars. The City Council meetings have had plenty of people speak to the council about the problems, when they are brave enough to risk getting their tires slashed or some other type of backlash.

      • You ever notice how alot of homeless conrigrate in areas big money wants to develop. Just a thought but I think developers get the city’s on the payroll to make the value of property to drop and businesses to fail then swoop in develop then make the city move the shit wagons out of town.

  9. This is the most ridiculous thing I have read in quite some time. Please do your research before acting like you know what’s going on.

    • Be more specific. What is inaccurate bout this article? Photos are real. The links are provided. You can check out the additional background articles linked at the end. What is missing or inaccurate?

    • Research? What more do you need when this liberal state taxes you to death for every damn thing, and where has all this “soda tax” mo eye in tune of $60 million gone? Washington is a broken state..

      • Washington doesn’t have to be a broken state, but it does have a lot of crooked politicians and bureaucrats trying to make things worse for everyone else..

  10. This just is so awful. I don’t go downtown anymore at all. And probably never will again. And you know what’s even more wrong with this picture? My family is in need. An american family. Veteran family. And to top it all off, a child who has costly medical needs not covered by insurance as well. Yet because we are law abiding, working and contributing members of society we do not qualify for help from our county or our city. That right there is a big part of what is wrong. A good chunk of these people have no interest or intentions of working and bettering their lives or rising up from these situations. Why should they? When they have all of their needs met for free? Yet meanwhile….families like mine who are drug free, and hard working, struggle and just need temporary help up. Families like ours, who had an unforseeable disaster happen upon them, get taken advantage of by the “system” and then for the most part, get ignored. And it’s up to us to fight every day and keep fighting. And keep asking for help up. We have been in need of help for 2.5 years now. And we will keep pushing on. But its things like this. Priorities vastly misdirected, that will continue the decline of this beautiful city and state. A lot of people’s hearts and priorities of those in office need to change.

    • As far as I know (which might not be far) children with disabilities qualify for federal benefits. While I’m sure there are income limits, I find it hard to accept that no benefits are available. Possibly they are hiding from you and I’m not trying to be funny. Lots of programs are not publicized because those who benefit don’t want to share them.

      I also think Medi-Share and other coops like it are a rational response to the insanity of Zerocare (ACA).

  11. The Olympia city council has a deep and continuing problem called HIR (head in rectum)! Their democratic/socialist/communist decisions have made matters worse with every decision they make!
    They wanted to help the homeless, so instead of screening people for eligibility, they grouped everyone together, including criminals, mentally ill, homeless, disenchanted youths, people who don’t want to work, runaway kids, illegals, everything in between and lord knows what else! Again HIR syndrome strikes again! With all of these HIR decisions, one is made to tie the hands of the cities Law Enforcement officers (LOE), basically taking away their ability to enforce the law and making Olympia a sanctuary city, pretty much allowing everything to happen without repercussions, and placing the LOEs in the role of babysitting for mostly legal adults!
    So, what have the grown adult (questionable) elected officials (sad) done (with or without voter input)?
    1. Spent a quarter of a million dollars on one fancy public toilet when the money could have been spent on a multi use facility with bathrooms, showers, washing facilities, etc., by renovating an existing building in the area! Had I any input, I would have required the city officials to use that fancy outhouse at least once a week, each, during their term in office and every person voted in after their HIR decision to do the same! I can imagine what would result!
    2. Allowed the street people to take over the downtown area with the LEOs to babysit them (god forbid they arrest them), and let them crap, urinate, expose themselves, wipe crap on cars, harras/assault people, and set up camp on a city/private parking lot used by downtown workers, providing tents and who knows what else at taxpayers expense! This resulted in paying parking customers to walk blocks instead of across the street to work and having to deal with more harassment from street people along the way!
    3. Literally thrown the downtown business owners under the buss by allowing street people to occupy, eat, sleep and crap in the entryway of businesses! Hey, but no problem there, the owners can clean that crap up every morning, in case they may have a custom brave enough to risk coming downtown to their business!
    4. Allowed crimes involving persons, property and drugs to increase without adequate LEO reasponse and investigation in city areas outside of the downtown area because the LEO are to busy babysitting the downtown mess they created!
    5. Neglected much needed improvements in outlying neighborhoods so they can accommodate the looks and utility of a downtown that most people avoid due to the street people and conditions currently downtown!
    6. Building low tolerance homless villages to allow the street people to live and occupy more of downtown without the vote of the people who will be responsible to pay for it!
    7. Paying for all comers out of taxes paid by Olympia residents regardless where they are from or where they are living, not holding other cities and they country responsible for their share of the costs!
    There must be more, but this is just the beginning of the fall the Olympia City Council has started with there once great city!

  12. This type of intentional destruction is NOT primarily about any humanitarian effort. It is a variation on “weaponized migration” – an act of war. These unfortunate humans are being used to destroy Olympia, using the same tactics that destroyed Seattle. Other Washington cities are also under attack. The political class is essentially waging war against the citizens.

    I loved living in Olympia and attempted to “get involved” to prevent Olympia from becoming a Seattle type failure. My mistake was a naive belief that the government wanted to solve the problem. This is about power, money and ideology – governance is not even on the radar.

    Each concerned individual has to take action to identify and defund the activists and organizations responsible for destroying our capital city. An excellent humanitarian solution would be relocating the homeless to the Evergreen State College campus.

  13. I use to live in Olympia I left in 2004 I would have the samething in life if I didn’t leave. It’s mess up that people who can’t take care of the home town and put trash. Litter downtown I am shame where I use to live

  14. It sure makes it diffacult to define whats intended to be a humanitarian effort,help for those that need it or some propaganda tool by the many different organisations to be used for there agenda! No wonder americans have just flat out given up!!!!

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