Emergency Encampment Sweep Underscores Urgent Need for Housing Solutions
A collaborative approach balances safety, health and compassion for vulnerable community members.
PORT TOWNSEND, WA — An emergency sweep of an unsanctioned encampment near Mill Road took place Tuesday, July 14, 2026, as county officials balanced immediate public safety concerns with compassion for a large group of individuals who had called the wooded area home just two weeks prior.
By Tuesday’s deadline, only eight residents remained out of 15-20 from two weeks ago, according to Alicia Reynolds from the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) team from Gateway to Freedom and Believe in Recovery. Two accepted invitations to camp on a friend’s property, while service providers, including Bayside Housing and OlyCAP, worked to arrange housing placement for others.
The encampment had evolved into makeshift neighborhoods complete with pathways, fencing and even a small garden. Steven Starrett, an unhoused resident who built his own log structure over several weeks, described his experience.
Starrett had been at the Mill Road site for about six months after relocating from an encampment near the DSHS building, which was swept in November 2025. Before that, he was at the Kai Tai park encampment. Starrett told the Beacon that it was his tent that Jordan Sorensen was arrested in after it was discovered that Sorensen’s baby had died. “I’ve been through a lot lately. So I just want to be left alone for a while,” Starrett said, referring to having to change locations again.
As another camper was packing up their belongings, they told service providers, “It’s an adventure. You have to look at it as an adventure, or else it never gets better.”
Public safety concerns
The June 24 fire that triggered the decision burned a 75-by-100-foot area and required about 35 firefighters and more than four hours to extinguish fully. East Jefferson Fire Rescue Chief Bret Black urged county commissioners to take immediate action, citing difficult emergency access and unsafe conditions for both residents and first responders.
A coordinated, compassionate response
Public Health Director Apple Martine emphasized the county’s commitment to centering dignity in the transition. “The County is balancing public health and safety with respect to personal property, basic needs, the elements and connections to care/resources,” she wrote in a July 13 statement to the Beacon.
Multiple organizations participated in the coordinated effort: DBH, REAL and LEAD teams, Believe in Recovery, Olympic Community Action Programs (Olycap), East Jefferson Fire Rescue, Jefferson County Public Health, Reach Out and Bayside Housing all assisted residents leading up to the deadline, when Sheriff’s deputies arrived to clear the site. Many service providers brought food, beverages and care items for the remaining encampment residents.
Public Health’s Harm Reduction Team was present, offering mobile outreach services, care navigation and supplies. Resources were available onsite to collect, store, track and transport belongings for those in transition.
Health concerns
Dr. Allison Berry, Health Officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, expressed concern about the health impacts of displacement.
“We see a spike in hospitalizations, overdoses and deaths after encampment sweeps,” Dr. Berry said, noting that moving locations disrupts access to care. “There was an overdose after the last encampment sweep” in November 2025, she added.
New programs and hope
OlyCAP is developing an integrated program to follow people from homelessness to housing, including six months of post-placement stabilization support. The program is a partnership with Jefferson Healthcare and will be coordinated across counties.
“It’s an integrated approach,” said Viola Ware, OlyCAP’s Director of Housing and Community Development, noting that the program will have no age cap and is first-come, first-served rather than going through the normal intake process. The contract from the Washington State Department of Commerce is expected by August 1, 2026.
Collaboration and next steps
A meeting on July 10 brought together County Commissioners, City Manager Mauro, County Administrator Peters and most local housing and service providers. Holly Morgan described the discussion as “thoughtful,” and Ware noted that a follow-up meeting is scheduled for July 23 to maintain momentum.
“There are a lot of competing values and responsibilities at play. Everyone involved is genuinely trying to address a very complex issue while working within the legal, financial and operational realities that city and county governments must navigate,” Morgan said.
For information on how to help, visit the Help Now Fund.
Correction: An earlier version of this article associated the LEAD team with Discovery Behavioral Health, when it is a part of Believe in Recovery and Gateway to Freedom.
