There is no one who would dispute that being unhoused is an issue facing many in Lewis County. The question is, how do we bring everyone to the table (including the unhoused and those who work with the unhoused) to work toward a viable solution?
Homelessness is a complex issue that requires complex solutions. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, nor is there a magic wand that will make it all go away. The myth that all people who are experiencing homelessness are lazy and just need to get a job runs counter to reality and does nothing to help those who are experiencing homelessness or the people who are trying to help them.
People we see on the sidewalks or in the parks make up a fraction of the homeless population in Lewis County. Others who are homeless include single mothers with small children, veterans with PTSD, teenagers who have been kicked out of their homes, those displaced by fire, those who have been released from incarceration or a treatment program to the streets, those who have lost everything due to injury or medical bills, those leaving abusive relationships, and those without family or friends to help them through lean times. When we talk about those without homes, these are the people we are talking about, Lewis County residents who have fallen on hard times and cannot find a way out by themselves.
These are our neighbors, real people who deserve to be treated as people. People made in the image of God. They are no better or worse than anyone else, no less worthy of compassion and understanding, no more sinful than the rest of us.
Some unhoused people struggle with substance use, and so do some who are housed. Some unhoused people struggle with mental health issues, and so do some who are housed. We don’t look down on people who are fortunate enough to have walls to hide behind. Because of a shortage of appropriate housing, unhoused people have to struggle in public.
The solution to homelessness begins with housing. We need transitional housing of many kinds, permanent supportive housing, and low-income housing before we can even begin to address the rest of the issues. Case management and transition programs will help those who are newly housed deal with the other struggles that cannot be dealt with when someone lives on the streets or in a vehicle.
With all the attention recently given to those who are unhoused, it's understandable to wonder who is profiting in our current situation. It's clear in the end that no one profits, neither the unhoused nor the service providers nor the community at large.
It is time to stop blaming the victims, and those who care for them, for the situation we are in. It is time to stop expecting simple solutions to complex and ongoing issues. It is time to let those with experience and evidence-based solutions lead the conversation so that we can make real progress for all residents of Lewis County.
• Elizabeth Cameron, Centralia city councilor
• Joyce Carr, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Chehalis
• Rev. Ralph Carr, Harrison Square Presbyterian Church
• The Rev. Kay Flores, St. Timothy Episcopal Church
•Kevin Gillan, Immanuel Lutheran Church
• Pastor Patty Howard, Gather Church
• Dr. Lilly Lo, NW Pediatrics, Gather Church, elder
• Pastor Zachary Nerison, Community Presbyterian Church of Onalaska
• Rev. Mark McHugh, Harrison Square Presbyterian Church
• Pastor Cole Meckle, Gather Church
• Sharon Miracle
• Rev. Peter Mohr, Immanuel Lutheran Church
• Dr. Jennifer Polley, NW Pediatrics, retired; Harrison Square Presbyterian Church, elder
• Austin Rehbein, The Common Room
• Pastor Tony Reynolds, Toledo Presbyterian Church
• Gaelon Spradley, Valley View Health Center, CEO
• Barbara Stark, Harrison Square Presbyterian Church, elder
• Jessica Strickland, St. Timothy Episcopal Church in Chehalis, senior warden
• John Swenson, Harrison Square Presbyterian Church, elder
• Pastor Zachary Taylor, Chehalis United Methodist Church
• Rochelle Wagner, Harrison Square Presbyterian Church, elder
• Judy Wilson, Westminster Presbyterian Church
• Don Wilson, Westminster Presbyterian Church
