Woodland’s response to complaints about unsheltered people disrupting public spaces is drawing criticism from some community members.
On Monday, Oct. 7, the Woodland City Council held a workshop to discuss the potential implementation of ordinances addressing panhandling and camping within city limits.
This conversation followed a resident’s complaint during the Sept. 16 council meeting, in which he reported that a man had set up a tent on a public sidewalk near his home three weeks prior. The resident claimed the man had defecated, blocked the sidewalk and shouted profanities at passersby. In addition, Mayor Todd Dinehart and the agenda item background cited a rise in urination and defecation on public properties and rights-of-way.
The first proposed ordinance focused on regulating “aggressive behavior” while panhandling. If enacted as suggested, it would prohibit actions such as yelling, approaching vehicles or blocking traffic.
Woodland City Attorney Emily Guildner clarified that the law would not ban panhandling itself but would focus on curbing harmful behaviors associated with it. Council members noted that “aggressive begging” had been observed near the Exit 21 interchange.
“Someone standing there with a sign who’s not making any gestures or motions … would be able to do that because that is [under] freedom of expression,” Guildner said. “It’s the actions of getting [in] people’s faces or blocking traffic, creating a safety hazard, those kinds of things.”
Two versions of a no-camping ordinance were also discussed. The preferred version, modeled after Kalama’s current ordinance, would prohibit camping on city or public property, including parks and rights-of-way. Private property camping would not be penalized unless reported by the owner.
Violations of the anti-aggressive panhandling ordinance would be classified as misdemeanors, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, 90 days in jail, or both. The anti-camping ordinance includes a graduated penalty system, with first offenses typically receiving a warning.
Guildner highlighted potential legal risks, noting that, although the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Oregon v. Johnson last June, allowing cities to penalize people for camping in public spaces, the Washington Supreme Court might take issue with such ordinances.
Dinehart emphasized that mirroring Kalama’s ordinance could offer legal solidarity if challenged.
The proposed ordinances are not supported by everyone, however.
During public comments, DeeAnna Holland, a former city councilor and Woodland Action Center board president, called the workshop a “knee-jerk response” to a one-off incident. Holland argued that criminalizing homelessness would do more harm than good, noting that fining or imprisoning those who cannot afford housing is not a solution. She pointed out that Woodland has no shelter space and that the proposed ordinances would not address the root causes of homelessness.
“Fining somebody … and then putting them in jail for 90 days isn’t a solution. You’ve taken somebody … who is literally at the lowest in their life and we’re going to fine them … and then put them in jail and make them the taxpayers’ responsibility. [We] need to clothe, house and provide medical care for the next 90 days. That’s not really fiscally responsible,” Holland said during public comment.
A woman claiming to be the sister of the man mentioned in the Sept. 16 meeting agreed, explaining that her brother struggles with mental health and addiction. She argued that fines and jail time had done nothing to help him and called for more supportive services instead of punitive measures.
In an interview with The Reflector, Holland highlighted that Woodland’s homeless population has not increased in recent years, contrary to public perception. Last year, for Cowlitz County’s “Point in Time” snapshot, Holland and her team tracked 45 adults and two children that were unhoused in January 2023, though Cowlitz County counted 31 for Woodland.
Although the homeless population was not thoroughly counted due to social distancing, Holland said that the number of homeless in Woodland are half of what it was pre-COVID.
“If we’re gonna be truthful, let’s just call it what it is. We had a guy that freaked everyone out, and so this is our response to pander to the masses to say we now have a solution for you … The solution isn’t take somebody to the county jail that’s incredibly overcrowded and that should be for real criminals,” Holland said.
During the meeting, however, Dinehart did claim there have been an increase in transients misusing public restroom facilities recently. Guildner suggested the City Council could revise its sanitation code to address this particular problem, separately.
Holland also expressed concern over threatening comments made online about the homeless population. During the Oct. 7 meeting, the homeless man’s alleged sister claimed his vehicle had been vandalized. Holland emphasized that Woodland’s homeless community is not as dangerous as some residents make it seem online and urged the city to focus on more humane solutions.
“I’m always asking people, well, come on down to the Woodland Action Center and volunteer … take a tour and see what we do, and you won’t be so afraid,” she said.
Holland emphasized Woodland remains limited in funding for homelessness services. The Woodland Action Center primarily relies on local document recording fees, bringing in around $13,000 annually, with minimal state and federal grants. The closest homeless shelters are in Vancouver and Longview.
“Whereas Clark County has a pretty good response … they’ve made a concerted effort to really focus on programming that works and is helping. Cowlitz County has always [said] ‘we just don’t want it to be our problem anymore, so bus them somewhere else,’” Holland said.
Both ordinances are expected to be discussed in a future Woodland City Council meeting.
