Commentary: Where is our compassion?

The next article, placed immediately to the right of The Annex story, is about Klickitat County and Goldendale officials wanting to call for a meeting about the problems of houselessness, in which Commissioner Dan Christopher is noted as “expressing the belief that the alleged increase in houselessness is due to affordable housing resources being dispersed to people experiencing houselessness.”

This notion can’t be further from the truth.

People do not choose to be houseless. People do not choose to live on the street or in a tent. Anyone who thinks that is the case should spend the night on the street and see what it’s like. It is a difficult, lonely and potentially dangerous situation. People experiencing houselessness are subject to mental and physical difficulties and being exposed to discrimination and violence.

In the same week these two articles hit the stand, WAGAP had to dispel unfounded rumors and untrue myths with The Goldendale Sentinel that our agency is supposedly busing houseless people into the “greener pastures” of Goldendale. We are not.

WAGAP is not busing houseless people anywhere. WAGAP does not have buses. WAGAP does not have bus drivers. WAGAP does not even have a shelter in Goldendale. Do you know what that means? It means we’re actually helping some houseless people leave Goldendale by providing resources at our Bingen shelter.

But regardless of where houseless people are receiving services and shelter, our community members need to know how funding is used to help people change their lives. When our staff can assist someone to get off the street, into a shelter, and connect with essential services, it is a win for everyone; the quicker, the better.

I have reached out to our Klickitat County and Goldendale officials about their request to hold a meeting on the topic. I look forward to having a discussion with them so that we can strengthen our partnership, which supports all of the county’s people, including our low-income and houseless neighbors.

I welcome the opportunity to address the inaccurate statements made about Document Recording Fees, which are State-mandated and only available to use for two specific purposes: Affordable housing and moving houseless people into housing.

I will be happy to discuss transportation issues and proudly share that WAGAP provides eligible clients with a GOrge Pass to help them have mobility and access to communities throughout the Gorge on both sides of the river. This essential service from Mt. Adams Translink provides them the ability to travel on fixed routes on CAT, The Link, MATS, and Skamania County Public Transport. The GOrge Pass provides people a way to get to educational and employment opportunities, grocery shopping, medical appointments, social service appointments, and more.

I will be happy to remind officials that Mount Adams Transportation Service (MATS) is sponsored by a wide variety of partners, including Klickitat County, Washington State Department of Transportation, the United Way of the Columbia River Gorge, and MCEDD plays an active role in this service through its regional mobility manager.

While I am disappointed to be once again defending my agency and those less fortunate in the community, my team and I will not let this deter us from the work of helping people change their lives. Not just because it’s the right thing to do but because it’s the human thing to do.

I urge community members to examine their views and get to the root of how such hostility can be leveled at other humans. Especially when the recipients of that hostility lack what most of us take for granted — the comfort and safety of a roof over our heads.

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Leslie Naramore is the executive director of Washington Gorge Action Programs.