Vancouver’s upcoming 120‑bed Bridge Shelter is poised to provide beds, meals, showers, treatment and case management for people experiencing homelessness. While the city has outlined these services, residents are calling for greater transparency on how public safety will be maintained when shelter rules are broken.

Two parallel systems at work

Inside the shelter, Do Good Multnomah will enforce a code of conduct for residents. Outside the shelter, the city relies on a broader homelessness‑response network that includes HART outreach, Vancouver Police Department (VPD) enforcement, prosecutors and the Community Court. This system is designed to offer outreach, services and diversion before lower‑level violations move into the traditional criminal‑justice process.

Questions about the shelter’s code of conduct

Letter writer Peter Bracchi argues that the public should be able to review the shelter’s code of conduct before the doors open. A code means little without clear consequences for violations. He asks for a public record of incidents—warnings, repeated violations, removals, police calls and other serious events—so the city can assess the system’s effectiveness rather than relying on anecdotal reports months later.

When shelter rules intersect with the law

Not every breach of shelter rules is a criminal offense, but threats, assaults, theft, vandalism, illegal drug activity, trespassing and similar conduct can trigger involvement from HART, VPD, prosecutors and the Community Court. Bracchi notes that Vancouver has faced this challenge before. When the old Navigation Center opened in 2018, city staff and police debated what officers could legally enforce, leading to confusion among the public.

Improved infrastructure and oversight

Eight years later, Vancouver’s response network has expanded. HART, Community Court, Safe Stay and Safe Park programs now exist, and the Bridge Shelter will operate with professional staff, a written code of conduct and a 1,500‑foot camping protection zone. Bracchi believes these additions should make the chain of responsibility clearer than during the Navigation Center era.

Specific information the city should provide

Before opening, Bracchi urges the city to answer several concrete questions in plain language:

• Where can the public read the Bridge Shelter code of conduct?
• How are violations documented and reported to the city?
• What specific conduct results in a warning, suspension or removal?
• What conduct requires an immediate VPD response?
• If someone is removed, who assumes responsibility for that person outside the shelter?
• How will the 1,500‑foot camping restriction be enforced, and which violations will go to Community Court versus regular court?

These inquiries are not based on an assumption that the shelter will fail; rather, they reflect the community’s desire for accountability and transparency given the city’s significant investment in making the shelter work.

Call for clarity and accountability

The Bridge Shelter promises safety and stability for its residents. The surrounding community deserves to know how that safety will be protected beyond the shelter’s doors. By publishing the code of conduct, outlining enforcement procedures and clarifying the chain of responsibility, Vancouver can demonstrate that it has built a robust system to address serious conduct while respecting the dignity of those it serves.

Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.