Remedies to homelessness – The Olympus

Remedies to homelessness

Tiny homes operated by Olympia Union Gospel Mission provide transitional housing for individuals experiencing homelessness in Olympia. (Aricin Clausen)

Housing first

One remedy to this problem is the “housing first” model. “[In housing first, you work with the people who have the hardest time getting housing and you try to house them first,” said LaRocque. The belief is that a permanent shelter will make drug use, unemployment and other problems easier to address. “Even though that takes more work per person, it has a very big community impact.”
Structures inside the Jungle encampment in Olympia, one of the city’s largest and longest-standing homeless communities, highlighting how difficult a full solution to homelessness would be. (Aricin Clausen)

Can homelessness be solved?

“It's tough to imagine that we just immediately get to a place where homelessness is not an issue,” said LaRocque. There are many ways to remedy the problems around homelessness, but a full solution is nearly impossible. Realistically, harm reduction is the best way for most people to address homelessness.
OlyMAP organization members doing work in the Jungle encampment. (Aricin Clausen)

Harm reduction in Olympia

There are many organizations that mitigate harm in Olympia, such as Interfaith Works and the Thurston County Food Bank. “We're meeting people where they're at and trying to figure out what we can do to help them to reduce the harm in their life and to access housing,” said LaRocque. Housing isn’t the only step, however, which is where Olympia steps up. “They're not just getting walls, but they're getting support, and they're getting a community.”
Participants and floats move through downtown Olympia during the annual Procession of the Species parade, a community celebration. (Aricin Clausen)

Community in Olympia

“It is important that we see people who are homeless as part of our community,” said LaRocque. “Most people struggle at some point in their life and usually neighbors, friends and acquaintances … come together and they help each other.” When certain people are not given this help and are seen as problematic, they can be dehumanized, which harms the community in Olympia.

Stories Using This Infobox

No stories are currently using this Infobox.

Activate Search

Student news of Olympia High School