It seems ironic to me that the City of Olympia can pat itself on the back for all of its good deeds (and it has done some) when it is neglecting what could be the best deed of all -- taking a lead in the efforts to find housing solutions for everyone.

Last year, the Council took an important and compassionate step in adopting an ordinance that allows faith communities to host tent cities. This progressive action allowed Camp Quixote to form, legally, and to benefit both its residents and the Olympia community. The City of Tumwater followed that lead; it is my great hope that Lacey and Thurston County someday will come to the same decision.

So, my suggestion to the Council is this:

Step 1: Before you pass this RV ordinance, do your homework. Take a day off from your job, or a City Council field trip and go downtown and meet the RV residents where they are. Talk to them. Learn of their circumstances. Have them explain to you the discrimination they face from landlords because they have bad credit, because they are felons, because they have fallen on hard times and simply don't have enough money for what is required to move into an apartment here, if they can even find one they can afford (Olympia's apartment vacancy rate is 3.2 percent/actual rent for a 2 bedroom/2 bath apartment is $916, according to last Sunday's Olympian). Figure out, with them, what a solution might be before they chase them out to Tumwater, Lacey or Thurston County, where they will just be chased out again and into the woods, where adults, let alone children, will not be safe.