Jefferson County Commissioner George Brotherton is proposing the county build a homeless encampment on Cape George Road near our community.
We are a largely rural community with no appropriate transportation, accessibility, infrastructure, or access to social services for homeless people.
Commissioner Brotherton wants to move some homeless people from the Jefferson County Fairgrounds where they are being evicted, out to Cape George.
In my opinion, he just wants to move this population into the country where they won’t be seen.
Read the Port Townsend police/sheriff blotter and you’ll quickly see that the homeless encampment at the fairgrounds has been horrible for the community.
Neighbors reportedly have been subjected to burglary, harassment, needles, noise and more from the homeless campers, some of whom have alcohol and drug addiction and mental health problems.
The fairgrounds is evicting these campers.
Brotherton wants to send them out here to Cape George.
Our community has many elderly, frail residents.
To subject them to these homeless people is dangerous and unconscionable.
My response to this idea is not just NIMBY.
Brotherton’s idea to move homeless people to a rural area with no services and a vulnerable elderly population is just a dumb idea.
Back to the drawing board please, commissioners.
Bobbie Hasselbring
Port Townsend