Businesses frustrated with illegal camping near Maple Street Bridge

SPOKANE, Wash. — No camping signs are posted throughout downtown Spokane, but businesses near the Maple Street Bridge say they’re not working.

Motion Auto Supply reports seeing people camping under nearby train tracks every day. Someone tells them to move, but they return hours later.

Steve Nielson from Motion Auto Supply wants accountability for the open drug use, trash and property damage happening outside his business.

“They’re a nuisance. They steal pallets. They make all kinds of wood structures out of them. A lot of times people can’t even use the sidewalk. They’ve got it’s so cluttered up. It’s it’s all of it. And there’s no accountability,” Nielson said.

Nielson says police aren’t doing enough to keep his neighborhood safe.

“Nobody’s going to jail for this. It’s for repeat offenders. Some of the same people come all the time. So it’s constant, constant battle,” Nielson said.

The Spokane Police Department says it’s doing everything it can under city code. SPD has increased patrols near the Maple Street Bridge in recent weeks.

But police can only give warnings and direct people to services. They cannot issue citations or send people to community court unless they refuse to move.

When campers move and return an hour later, police must give new warnings.

Captain Kurt Reese from the Spokane Police Department explained the problem.

“There’s no limit on warnings right now. So every time we contact them and it’s a new contact we’d have to give them a new warning,” Reese said.

SPD says people with illegal camping problems should call Crime Check to reach an officer quickly.

The City of Spokane says it will announce changes next week to strengthen how it handles illegal camping.