Measuring Hope in Thurston County

Above: A crisp Saturday afternoon brought walkers to Capitol Lake in downtown Olympia. 

A community survey is being conducted to assess the level of hope in Thurston County. The Hope Thurston survey process began in June 2018. 

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https:/janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

At the beginning of a new year, many people reflect on the past, present and future. 

Opportunities are explored and new goals are set. It’s often a time full of anticipation and renewal.

But sometimes, the death of a loved one or challenges with one’s health, finances, employment, or housing makes some of these life course changes for us.

Regardless of the situation, we often hope things will get better, right? Not always.

Although research shows that hope is instinctive, some people feel hopeless. Manifesting itself as apathy, some see no vision for the future. Mental illness is a barrier to hope. Hopelessness can lead to depression, addiction, and suicide.

What does it mean to hope? How hopeful are you?

Working closely with children who have suffered abuse, trauma and neglect, Thurston County Prosecutor Jon Tunheim has seen the impact of adverse childhood experiences.

Discovering the concept of hope theory while attending a domestic violence conference several years ago, he has become a student of its principles and has since delivered over 100 “hope talks” throughout the South Sound community.

Last week, he spoke at the Hawks Prairie Rotary monthly meeting in Lacey.

“Hope is the belief that the future can be better than the present and the ability to make it so,” said Tunheim.

“Hope contemplates that we have the ability to influence our future: one, to set goals and create a vision of goals and success; two: to have the ability to create strategies and pathways to achieve goals, anticipate barriers, and see alternatives; and three, to have the willpower to achieve goals. That’s what moves you forward – goals and strategies,” he said.

Research indicates that hope is the single best predictor of a person’s ability to thrive and flourish.

“Hope is a way of thinking, not feeling. It’s cognitive, not emotional. It’s figuring out the strategy to get there. It’s contagious, taught, learned, and measurable,” said Tunheim.

Above: A little girl catches sight of a great blue heron taking flight at Capitol Lake in downtown Olympia. Applying the science of hope can help facilitate positive community change.

Measuring Hope in Thurston County - Hope Thurston

Separate from his role as prosecutor, Tunheim is the public safety and justice chair with Thurston Thrives, a public-private community council with action groups that examine the root causes undermining public health.

Through a county wide survey of residents, Tunheim is assessing hope in Thurston County. Applying the science of hope can help facilitate positive community change, he says.

Communities are starting to measure hope at an individual, organizational, and community levels.  

Hope Thurston is modeled after the work of Dr. Chan Hellman at the University of Oklahoma –Tulsa who created a community map of hope called, “How Hopeful is Tulsa?” 

Hellman will measure and analyze the survey data to establish Thurston County’s “Hope Score.”

Hellman is also involved in analyzing hope survey data gathered by Kitsap Strong, a community-based organization similar to Thurston Thrives based in Kitsap County.

The Thurston County survey is at www.thurstonthrives.org/hope-thurston. Written in plain language, it takes about 10 minutes to complete and does not require your name.

What It Means to Build a Hopeful Culture

The Hope Thurston survey process began in June in partnership with Saint Martin’s University, The Evergreen State College, South Puget Sound Community College, Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Thurston Chamber Foundation.

The project’s work is funded through a grant from the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound. 

A variety of methods are being used to conduct the survey. Nonprofit organizations are engaging with their clients to survey their level of hope.

To reach out to the population they are serving, the Family Support Center has already incorporated an index of “hope language” questions about their client’s goals and pathways, Tunheim said. This will help determine their clients’ “hope score.”

Tunheim says the idea is to identify why someone is feeling hopeless and target resources in the community where there is less hope.

The report produced by the survey will help direct Thurston Thrive partners for three to five years.

“We want to make Thurston County more hopeful and figure out how to reduce those barriers to feeling more hopeful,” said Tunheim.

What would it mean for Thurston County to have a higher “hope score?”

“A higher hope county is a safer county. One is more productive at work and less vulnerable to stress. Hope is the best predictor of college, higher grade point averages, healthy, lower rates of depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome. 

“In the justice system, it means a lower risk of recidivism. It’s about making the community better,” Tunheim responded.

The survey will close soon and a final report is expected by the end of 2019.

The survey is downloadable and printable as a PDF. For more information about the survey, contact Jesse Knudson, Community Engagement Specialist, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Thurston County, at (360) 786-5540, ext. 4272.

For more information about Thurston Thrives, go to www.thurstonthrives.org

For crisis intervention, resources or referrals, contact The Crisis Clinic at (360) 586-2800 or 1(800) 627-2211, 24 hours a day. A list of community resources is available at www.crisis-clinic.org.

The National Suicide Hotline is 1 (800) 273-TALK. Veterans, press 1

Above:  Walkers at Capitol Lake in downtown Olympia on Saturday afternoon.

Olympia Declares Homelessness a Public Health Emergency

Above: Found cup and hat at The Jungle, Olympia’s largest homeless encampment. Photo taken December, 2017 during a community clean-up effort.

July 24 Council Study Session on Homeless Encampments

July 24 Council Public Hearing for Proposed Ordinance Regarding Emergency Housing Facilities for Faith Based, Non-Profit and Government Organizations

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

There are several efforts underway in Olympia to address the homelessness crisis.

At its Tuesday council meeting, the Olympia city council passed an ordinance declaring homelessness to be a public health emergency. Doing so allows the city to move forward on its efforts to tackle the issue in multiple ways.

After significant discussion which began with Councilmember Jim Cooper asking about ongoing camp sweeps, the council decided to hold a study session on the city’s current practices for dealing with unmanaged homeless encampments.

The study session will be held July 24, 5:30 p.m., at Olympia City Hall, 601 4th Avenue.

City manager Steve Hall said that the city is under certain regulatory requirements to clear camps as they impact public health and safety. The council will discuss the sweeps and options for future management of homeless camps.

Above: The Jungle, before a December 2017 community clean up effort. In 2018, there have been 27 active code enforcement cases related to homeless encampments in the City of Olympia, some of which may be occupied by 100 or more persons.

What prompted the discussion was the city’s plan to evict residents of a homeless encampment on Nickerson and Wheeler Street, set to occur July 19. Several community members, including residents of the camp, spoke at public comment about the pending eviction.

Councilmember Jessica Bateman said the ordinance declaring homelessness a public health emergency is a huge step forward and openly facilitates discussion of the “elephant in the room.” Passing the ordinance and allowing the eviction of campers at the Nickerson site were contradictory actions.

As a result of council discussion, there will be no eviction action at the Nickerson encampment until further discussion.

July 24 Public Hearing Regarding Emergency Housing Facilities

In May, the city council passed a resolution that directed city staff to pursue legal encampment options.

The city hired a homeless response coordinator, Colin DeForrest, who is actively developing a homeless strategic plan which will include short, mid and long term actions.

Toward that commitment, the Olympia City Council will hold a public hearing at its meeting on July 24 for an ordinance that would allow faith based, non-profit and government organizations to site emergency housing facilities on their property. 

The hearing will be held at Olympia City Hall. The council meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

There are numerous stipulations in the proposed ordinance for applicants including the need to obtain permits and provide notice to neighbors, the requirement of an on-duty manager, an operation and security plan, and a code of conduct for living at the facility. A full list of requirements is listed on the city’s website.

The recently passed Home Fund sales tax levy will help provide permanent supportive housing for the most vulnerable, however, it will take years before those funds will result in a completed project.

Olympia Union Gospel Mission Update

In an article posted on Monday, Little Hollywood reported that there is a recent loss of at least 90 beds between the combined temporary closures of the Salvation Army and the sleeping arrangements at the Olympia Union Gospel Mission.

Mayor Cheryl Selby reported that the Olympia Union Gospel Mission told her that they now hope to finish repairs on their facility in two weeks, instead of the expected four to six weeks.

In the meantime, they are allowing the most vulnerable to stay on the property at night under supervision. Hot meals will continue to be served daily.

For more information about city homeless services, contact Colin DeForrest, City of Olympia Homeless Response Coordinator, (360) 709-2688, cdeforre@ci.olympia.wa.us or go to olympiawa.gov/homelessness

Little Hollywood often writes about homelessness issues, and unsheltered, street dependent, houseless individuals. For more information, go to Little Hollywood and use the search button to type in key words.

Olympia Homeless Lose 90 Beds

Above: Conditions in homeless encampments present serious sanitation issues which are dangerous to human health.

Olympia Union Gospel Overnight Shelter Closes for Repairs

Salvation Army Overnight Shelter Closed For Remodel – Will Reopen as a 24/7 Facility

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood 

https://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The county supply of available emergency shelter beds for the homeless is inadequate to meet demand, and it just got worse. 

Sunday evening was the last night for those who usually sleep indoors at the Olympia Union Gospel Mission.

On Monday, the Olympia Union Gospel Mission at 413 Franklin Street closed down its sleeping accommodations. They will remain closed for four to six weeks for major repairs and maintenance. 

During the day, the Mission will continue to be open and serve hot meals.

Since November, 2017, it has provided space for at least 50 individuals in its dining room area, sleeping on mats with sleeping bags provided by the Mission.

The number of beds available to unsheltered individuals is now down by at least 90, which includes the recent loss of 40 beds due to the closure of Salvation Army’s shelter at 805 Fifth Avenue.

Both closures are temporary, but for those living out of doors, every unsheltered night puts their health and safety at greater risk.

When the Thurston County Point in Time Homeless Count was conducted in January, there were only 386 transitional housing and emergency beds plus 54 hazardous cold weather beds available on a given night.

The closure of 90 beds represents a 37 percent loss of shelter capacity.

There are six other area emergency shelters, including the Interfaith Emergency Overnight Shelter at First Christian Church in downtown Olympia. It has 42 beds and is full every evening. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and clients must leave in the early morning.

Their shelter wait list is based on vulnerability, defined as those who are over 50 years of age, living with a physical or mental disability, and people with chronic health conditions. When a permanent bed becomes available in the shelter, people at the top of the waitlist are prioritized. Each night, a limited number of “one night stay” beds are available and are given out through a lottery.

Salvation Army

In an extreme makeover, the Salvation Army in Thurston County is revamping its facility at 805 Fifth Avenue. It will be closed until September. When it reopens, it will be a 24/7 low barrier facility.

Before it closed, the shelter had 24 beds for men and 16 beds for women. It is expected that they will keep the same number of available beds. It also served as a cold weather shelter from November to April.

When complete, the remodel is expected to relieve the pressure from the downtown Providence Community Care Center, which has become a de facto hub for street dependent individuals with nowhere else to go.

Providence Community Care Center

The Providence Community Care Center at 225 State Street in downtown Olympia sees an average of 100 to 150 clients a day. In the winter, the number is near 200.

Managing the facility as a day center has taken them away from its mission, said Angela Maki, public information officer for the Center, on Monday.

“It was never intended to serve as a day center. It was intended to be a clinic for those seeking social services, and while they are seeking services, we have a washer and dryer, showers, toilets, and limited storage facilities.

“These services are there because it takes time to develop a relationship, trust, to guide individuals into services, manage their wounds, get them into housing, and for those able, workforce development,” she said.

It is open daily except Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After 5:00 p.m., individuals stream out to find places to go for the evening. 

For some, it’s the woods. For others, it’s downtown doorways and tent encampments on city streets.

Little Hollywood often writes about homelessness issues, and unsheltered, street dependent, houseless individuals. For more information, go to Little Hollywood and use the search button to type in key words.

Olympia to Declare Homelessness a Public Health Emergency

Above: An encampment on the corner of State and Washington Streets, across from Intercity Transit, on a recent Saturday morning in downtown Olympia. On any given night in Olympia, approximately 130 people can be found sleeping in doorways and on the street within an 81 block area of downtown.

The main causes of homelessness are related to economic and family stability

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The homelessness situation in Olympia has reached crisis proportions.

At its July 17 meeting, the Olympia City Council is expected to present on first and final reading an ordinance declaring homelessness as a public health emergency. 

Doing so will allow the city to move forward on financing and other efforts to tackle the issue.

The ordinance outlines how the experience of being unsheltered is traumatic and endangers public health. Individuals living out of doors are exposed to harmful weather conditions, communicable diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, respiratory illnesses, malnutrition, and violence.

Medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma are exacerbated because there is no safe place to properly store medications or syringes.

When a person’s health is continually compromised by unstable conditions, health care services are rarely effective. Inpatient hospitalization or residential drug treatment and mental health care rarely have lasting impacts when the person is returned to a homeless environment.

The cities of Seattle and Tacoma, Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles have already passed similar resolutions in order to provide expedited emergency services and shelters for unsheltered individuals, families and unaccompanied youth.

Above:  From a parking lot near Intercity Transit on Saturday morning, volunteers with Joyful Hands Ministries make pancakes and other breakfast items to serve street dependent individuals and others in need in downtown Olympia.

Street feed coordinator Dee Hampton said that close to 300 people were fed. “For this time of the month, that is about average. We have seen over the last year or so such an increase in our homeless population,” she said.

“My heart is always overwhelmed by how many of our families love to give donations to help us continue feeding them even though they give a dollar or 50 cents. They give what they have because they are so thankful we are there for them each week. That is a story that I want to share…the thankfulness and love we receive back from our homeless community,” said Hampton.

Olympia, Thurston County Statistics

Anna Schlect, City of Olympia housing program manager, discussed the most recent Thurston County Point in Time homeless census data with Little Hollywood. 

Each January, Thurston County conducts a “point-in-time” count to capture the number and characteristics of people living without a home. The census began in 2006.

The 2018 Thurston County Point in Time census conducted in January identified 835 homeless persons. 

The definition of homelessness includes people living in emergency shelters, transitional housing and substandard housing.

Of that number, 320 were unsheltered individuals, living out of doors, in cars, under bridges and highway overpasses and other places not meant for human habitation. This number marks a 56 percent increase from 2017.

According to a Point in Time homelessness related survey, the top four reasons for homelessness are job loss and unemployment, eviction and loss of housing, family rejection, and domestic violence.

Fifty-nine percent of those surveyed said they lived in Thurston County before becoming homeless.

Rent Increases

Not all people experiencing homelessness sleep outside. 

“Oftentimes, people blame homeless individuals as though it’s their personal failing that causes their homelessness,” said Schlect. 

“Looking at the data, homelessness rises and falls with the economy. It shows that homelessness rose to a high point in 2010, which was also the high point of the recession in Washington State, and that it started dropping with the recovery. But in the last couple of years, it started spiking up sharply again, in sync with rent increases.

“In a parallel study called the Assessment of Fair Housing, we did a survey of nearly 1,200 people. Of those who are renters, half said they experienced a rent increase of an average of $100 a month in the past year. So that’s a very significant pressure on low income households,” Schlect said.

Little Hollywood recently met an employed Olympia woman who is paying $925 a month for a poorly insulated, two bedroom apartment on Olympia’s westside. A stable and responsible tenant, she and her pets have enjoyed living there for five years.

Unexpectedly, her landlord recently raised the rent $575, for a total monthly rent of $1,500, starting August 1. She is unable to make that financial leap.

Reflective of the data, her story is not unique.

Next Steps

On July 18, the council’s Finance Committee will present an oral report on estimated costs and funding for the ordinance. That meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. and be held at Olympia City Hall, 601 4th Avenue East.

The ordinance would stay in effect until June 2021, at which time the city council would determine if conditions warrant keeping the public health emergency measures in place.

Little Hollywood often writes about homelessness issues, past Point in Time census events, and unsheltered, street dependent, houseless individuals. For more information, go to Little Hollywood and use the search button to type in key words.

‘Oly Mountain Boy’ Attorney Announces Race for County Commission

Above: Tye Menser is a candidate for Thurston County Commission District 3. Little Hollywood interviewed Menser and covered law and justice issues, growth and the environment, county public health issues, and the need for a new county courthouse complex.

“The county has to be right there knee-deep with the cities in solving the county’s problems,” said Menser.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Tye Menser announced his candidacy for Thurston County Commission District 3 on Saturday.

Menser, 47, is a bluegrass, banjo-playing member of the acclaimed Oly Mountain Boys and a Harvard and University of California-Berkeley educated public defense and criminal law attorney.

Menser made his announcement at the Thurston County Democrats’ annual Champagne Brunch at the River’s Edge Restaurant in Tumwater.

The seat is currently held by Commissioner Bud Blake, a self-described independent. Blake unseated Karen Valenzuela, a Democrat, in 2014.

Menser says he is running to improve the county’s financial management and partner with cities to work on solutions to regional problems such as affordable housing, poverty, addiction and mental health services. 

He also wants this partnership to create sustainable land use policies.

Interview with Little Hollywood

Menser sat down with Little Hollywood earlier this week to discuss his journey to Thurston County and approach to the issues.

We covered a lot of ground: the budget, growth, housing, environmental issues, the proposed new county courthouse, the proposed expansion of the county jail, and law and restorative justice issues.

Born in Southern California and raised by public school teachers, Menser is married to a public school teacher and father of two children. 

While a law student, he studied in Mexico, Argentina and Chile, learned Spanish, and served three years in large law firms. He traveled around the world in between jobs and met his wife while traveling in Bulgaria.

Menser is a ten-year singing and songwriting member of the Oly Mountain Boys. In a Northwest Music Scene reader poll, the band’s album, “White Horse” was voted as one of the top ten Pacific Northwest albums of 2014.

Set in Grays Harbor, the album, written by Menser, tells a life story from beginning to end, centering on Washington’s frontier past. One song is called, “They Cut Down the Trees.”

Menser first discovered his appreciation for environmental issues while living in Alaska nearly 15 years ago. 

“I went to Alaska in 2001, after three years in big-law firm private practice. Those three years showed me that I would only survive as a lawyer if I was in a more public service type of practice. At the same time, I became interested in environmental issues….I combined the two goals and joined the Alaska Public Defender Agency, representing the interests of indigenous peoples living above the Arctic Circle and throughout interior Alaska. I stayed for nearly seven years.

“I traveled all over the Alaskan wilderness, and developed an abiding appreciation for wild places and a deep understanding the value of pristine natural landscapes,” he said.

Coming to Olympia in 2007, Menser served on Thurston County’s Water Conservancy Board from 2010 to 2013. He has extensive training in Washington State’s complex water law.

With that knowledge, Menser pledges to enhance Thurston County’s unique features and preserve water quality, county farmlands and open spaces.

“I appreciate how smart, sustainable land use planning provides security for people and our irreplaceable lands as we continue to grow. We must provide for both prosperity and preservation. We have to be mindful of how we grow, and our current commissioners are trying to roll back protections for our prairies, groundwater and shorelines. We’re in a sweet spot here and need to retain its character. We need county commissioners who are going to fiercely protect that character,” he said.

Digging deep into the details of the county’s Habitat Conservation Plan currently under review, Menser wants to remind voters that all three current commissioners ran their election campaigns saying the Plan was unnecessary.

“The Habitat Conservation Plan is a way to help our landowners and property owners not run afoul of the law…Now the commissioners realize it’s needed, but they are questioning the science behind the need to protect endangered species and questioning the acreage for mitigation, so we’re pretty far back in the process. They have taken an obstructionist approach and I don’t think that is responsible leadership for the county. They are not asking the right questions.

“They are also looking at a reduction of protections in low impact development standards and the critical areas ordinance and considering the reduction of buffers,” he said.

Highlighting the interconnectedness of the county’s challenges, Menser says the county budget is in trouble and “it is time for the county to take a stronger role in joining the cities to work on regional issues.”

The county’s criminal justice system, including the courts, prosecution and defense, policing and the jail, currently consumes 76 percent of the county’s general fund.

“The commission has squandered two-thirds of our budget reserve with no plan to replenish it –that’s not responsible financial planning. We’re one emergency away from financial insolvency. A long term financial plan is key,” he said.

“Thurston County faces increasingly complicated problems with fewer and fewer financial resources to solve them. The anticipated population growth that we can see all around us is only going to further strain our ability to provide services and protect natural resources. The voters need someone who can safely lead the county through these challenges and I believe I’m the person for the job.”

With the commissioners also acting as the Board of Health, Menser says he will provide greater county leadership on issues on issues such as affordable housing and homelessness.

“The recent Point-in-Time count indicates that the number of unsheltered homeless on the street has spiked. Partnerships with the cities on these issues with a collaborative approach may be slow, but produces more solid, long-term solutions. Nearly a third of people in the county are under rent pressure, struggling to just meet their basic housing costs. The county has to be right there knee-deep with the cities in solving the county’s problems,” said Menser.

Menser’s practice includes court-appointed work with Thurston County Public Defense.

Despite the drop in crime, the population in the county jail is increasing, particularly those with special needs.

“We have 45 percent of the people in our jail with diagnosed mental health issues and 75-80 percent with addiction and substance abuse, so, to me, that statistic jumps off the page. If we’re concerned about why our jail is full and we’re housing people believing there’s going to be some rehabilitation, we are accomplishing a lot less incarcerating someone when they really are in need of mental health and addiction treatment.

“So, if we’re looking at the gap between revenue cap and the rising cost of government, we have to look at these issues. I’m well positioned to do that with my background. The plan to expand the jail is not the best use of our money….We could be looking at investing in other parts of the system that will have a better effect,” said Menser.

“The interconnectedness of these issues is one of my themes….You have to think of all our main issues - economic development, the environment, the budget, and law and justice. You have to see the whole system in terms of how to spend your money. I will work to implement reforms, find efficiencies and cost savings, reduce criminal recidivism, and make our communities safer and healthier,” said Menser.

Regarding the needs of the current county courthouse complex which was built in 1978, Menser agrees it needs to be replaced and says all the reasons presented are valid.

“The case that the courthouse is in disrepair is pretty clear. To me, the space concerns are the tipping factor. Three times the amount of space is needed to deal with the anticipated population growth. The space issue is acute. We have to figure out as a community how to make this project work. The judges have given a number of presentations. They are mindful of the fact that this very large expenditure needs to have corollary benefits to the community. That’s why the thought of having it downtown could be another way to revitalize our community.

“The downtown concept is good but the financial possibilities that have been presented are going to eat up capital expenditures. Whether it can it be done on a smaller scale is the challenge. Even the current commissioners are acknowledging the need. The location is the next big decision that needs to be made,” said Menser.

After covering a lot of ground on serious issues, it was time for Little Hollywood to ask Menser if he would be offended by me closing out the interview with a carefully chosen banjo joke. Menser laughed and braced himself.

Little Hollywood: So why is banjo playing like a courtroom trial?

Menser put his head in his hands, and thought for what seemed like half a minute. He was stumped. What? Had he not heard this one? He gave up.

Answer: Everyone is relieved when the case is finally closed.

But Menser was quick with a challenge:

Menser: Why do some people hate banjo players instantly?

Answer: It saves time.

Menser is hoping voters will like this one.