OCCUPY OLYMPIA HOMELESS HAVEN

Excerpts from:
Occupy Olympia location is a haven for homeless,
but regulations could change
By Matt Batcheldor

OLYMPIA – To the outside world, Occupy Olympia is a two-week-old political protest designed to make a point – spotlighting the growing income disparity of 1 percent of the wealthiest compared with everyone else.

But inside the village of about 100 tents, the camp has taken on another role, serving as a harbor for the poor and homeless, a place to get food and shelter and connect with social services.

Camp resident Audrey Daye told the Olympia City Council this week that the camp is “probably at this point two-thirds houseless community members and one-third combination of young activists and older progressives.” She has been staying there with her husband, Alex, and two children.

Mary Spokane, another camp resident, told the Olympia City Council on Tuesday that the state agreeing to open restrooms 24 hours a day “is what attracted many homeless to our camp.” She estimated 50 homeless people have come in. “There’s an equality that’s happening,” she said. “There’s immense love that’s happening"...

Linda Oosterman, a licensed mental health professional who has visited the camp, said she would like the camp to support legislators to make decisions to help the poorest. Thus far, the group has no specific demands.

Occupy Olympia began in Sylvester Park on Oct. 15, but a majority of participants agreed a day later to move to Heritage Park, because the grass is hardier there and there are restrooms. It’s in solidarity with the original Occupy Wall Street movement in New York, which began in September and since has sparked similar protests in hundreds of cities worldwide.

The sea of tents is visible from state Capitol buildings on the hill.

“This is a great location,” said Danny Kelly, a camp organizer who has been a liaison with the state Department of Enterprise Services, which manages Heritage Park. “It’s a very, very powerful image"...

Food is prepared off-site and brought in...no cooking is allowed. The rules of the camp are posted: no illicit drugs, alcohol, dogs off leash or violence and aggressive behavior...

Unlike other Occupy movements, such as one Oakland, Calif., local authorities have not moved to evict the protest for camping overnight. Trooper Guy Gill, a spokesman for Washington State Patrol, said police haven’t responded to any incidents at the camp...

The campers drew support from the Olympia City Council.

“I agree completely with what you’re doing,” Councilwoman Rhenda Strub said. “I hope that you’re treated gently and if the day should come that you’re not, I would be on your side.”

Councilman Karen Rogers said, “I’m a populist, so of course I’m for this, a redistribution of wealth.”

Kelly said the group isn’t going anywhere, and he doesn’t know when the encampment will end. “We’re changing the conversation,” he said. “We’re pulling the conversation back where it belongs.”

Link to complete article:
http://www.theolympian.com/2011/10/28/1856222/occupy-olympia-location-is-a-haven.html