The camp sprang up alongside I-90 near the Freya exit in Spokane in 2021, now by the end of June, Spokane officials say it will be empty.
Camp to be ‘gone’ by June 30
According to various reports and information from The City of Spokane, the camp’s final 27 residents and five RVs will be gone for good by the end of June.
In the fall of 2021, dozens of homeless persons began to gather on the multi-acre grass area in East Spokane, drawing a firestorm of criticism from area residents.
At one point, the population of the camp had grown to about 600, according to the WA State Department of Transportation. City officials argued back and forth with the state about getting help clearing the area, and three months ago a judge ruled the city had the right to force the people to vacate the property.
City officials said in a statement they and the state had filed an official plan to vacate the camp by the last day of June.
The camp had recently seen a pair of RV fires that came close to injuring at least three of the inhabitants.
The judge had ruled the camp was a public health hazard and ordered the state and city to create a plan to vacate the area.
The statement from the City read in part:
“Representatives from the State and the City of Spokane have met regularly over the past few months. Discussions have been thoughtful and candid around the shared goal of closing Camp Hope. Both parties have agreed upon a final date – on or before Friday, June 30 – in which all individuals residing at the site will vacate.”
Many of the persons living there were encouraged to take advantage of a few homeless housing venues in the city.
LOOK: The 25 least expensive states to live in