GOLDENDALE — The Klickitat Board of County Commissioners agreed to meet with Goldendale officials to discuss houselessness in the city. The meeting agreement was made with Patrick Munyan, who represented Goldendale’s city council and mayor during the Oct. 10 Board of County Commissioners’ meeting.
Goldendale officials requested that the meeting include Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) and Washington Department of Social Health and Services (DSHS).
“I know this is a difficult topic and there are definitely challenges in doing this — but to try to find a route of why they keep coming here,” Munyan said. “We seem to be getting more and more.”
Munyan stated that the city has experienced a “problem of severe vandalism in parks” on a weekly or even daily basis. He further stated that the vandalism has been costing the city additional money, including court costs and attorney fees, due to a cycle of arrests and releases.
Chairman Dan Christopher expressed the belief that the alleged increase in houselessness is due to affordable housing resources being dispersed to people experiencing houselessness.
“I think that through investigation, what you’re going to find is the increase in recording fees has created dollars for affordable housing that are now getting distributed to various entities to pay for hotels and tents,” Christopher said. “I think you are going to find this to be a WAGAP scenario.”
Christopher also restated a concern he heard regarding the county providing transportation for houseless people from The Dalles to Goldendale via Mt. Adams Transportation Services.
Commissioner Lori Zoller thanked Munyan for reaching out.
“This is on my mind daily,” Zoller said. “I live rural and when I travel, I see it spreading to the rural too ... This is one of those subjects that is going to take a village for all of us to work on together: Mental health, sheriff, city, rural. We need to find an answer and we need to do it now.”
Christopher said he would be willing to vote in such a way as to not facilitate an increase in houseless populations.
Vice-Chairmen Jacob Anderson said he would also be happy to sit and discuss the houseless situation. He recommended gathering up talking points, including sending questions to WAGAP, prior to the meeting.
Christopher suggested county resources such as public health, mental health, senior service and Mt. Adams Transportation Services be present during the meeting as well.
Additional arrangements will be made between staff to settle a meeting location and time.
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