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New encampments reported after Bellingham clears largest camp

New encampments reported after Bellingham clears largest camp

A photo from inside the King Mountain encampment on May 7. Image courtesy City of Bellingham Photo: Contributed


BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – New homeless encampments are being reported in Bellingham following the clearing of the city’s largest one.

According to the Bellingham Police Department’s (BPD) activity log, there have been seven reports involving encampments since the city cleared the King Mountain neighborhood encampment earlier this month.

All of the reports have come from different areas within the general vicinity of the former encampment.

BPD Lt. Claudia Murphy says they can’t confirm whether the occupants of these latest encampments had migrated from the original site.

In some cases, the people living within the new encampments were given notices to vacate since they were on private property.

BPD is encouraging property owners to regularly check on their properties to prevent any unauthorized encampments from growing. Murphy says officers can issue trespassing notices to occupants at smaller encampments, but larger ones require a more complicated process through several departments within the city.

My Bellingham Now previously reported that teams from the Lighthouse Mission Ministries and the Opportunity Council have extended outreach efforts to individuals from the former encampment in King Mountain.

Mayor Kim Lund’s office has a dedicated website page that details its response to encampments.

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