Over the past several months, I’ve been thinking a great deal about the ongoing conversations surrounding housing and homelessness in Thurston County.
Whether it’s the future of Quince Street Village, discussions about the Franz Anderson permanent supportive housing project, concerns about operations at Maple Court, or public safety issues at the Jungle encampment, these topics are often discussed separately.
But in reality, they are all part of the same system, and understanding that system is essential to understanding where we are today.
A few years ago, encampments along state highway rights-of-way became a highly visible issue across Washington state. In response, the state acted quickly, providing significant funding through what became known as the Encampment Resolution Program (ERP). Local governments (including Thurston County) moved just as quickly. We built shelter, housing and outreach capacity at an unprecedented pace. Programs such as Unity Commons, Sandy’s Flats, Maple Court and Quince Street Village became vital components of a regional effort to move people off the streets and into safer, more stable environments.
That rapid response made a real difference. Visible encampments were reduced, and real pathways toward stability were created for many of our most vulnerable neighbors. Thurston County should be proud of this work. We have built a system that is compassionate, thoughtful and, in many ways, admirable. It reflects the values of a community that believes in dignity, fairness and the importance of helping those in need.
But there is an important reality we must acknowledge: the system was built on temporary funding.
As ERP funding and other state and federal resources begin to decline, what we are seeing today is not unexpected. It is the predictable result of building a system quickly in response to a crisis without a long-term funding structure to sustain it. The responsibility for maintaining this system has now shifted to the local level through the Local Home Fund, with funding decisions largely guided by the Thurston Regional Housing Council (RHC).
With that shift comes a new phase of the work. We are no longer in a period of rapid expansion fueled by outside dollars. Instead, we are entering a phase defined by accountability, sustainability and careful stewardship of limited local resources. County leadership and the region’s mayors have provided clear guidance: protect and stabilize what we have already built, plan for worst-case funding scenarios, and be cautious about taking on new long-term obligations without a clear path to sustain them.
Within this context, the recent conversations about funding Quince Street Village are not about launching something new. Rather, they serve as a signal, a sign that the system is beginning to feel strain. We are increasingly being asked to backfill operating costs for programs that were originally supported by temporary funding. If we are not careful, these short-term solutions can evolve into permanent expectations placed on local taxpayers without a sustainable financial model to support them.
This challenge extends beyond a single program. The proposed Franz Anderson permanent supportive housing project highlights the tension between ambition and sustainability, while ongoing discussions about Maple Court emphasize the importance of accountability and measurable outcomes. At the same time, the situation at the Jungle encampment underscores the complexity of balancing compassion with public safety and community stability.
Taken together, these conversations point to a central truth: Thurston County has built a caring and admirable system, but it is not yet scaled or funded to meet the full scope of the need.
There is another important dimension to consider. While our county has stepped forward with compassion and leadership, we must also recognize that we operate within a broader regional and statewide context. If Thurston County continues to expand services at a pace that exceeds that of our peer counties, we risk unintentionally taking on a disproportionate share of the responsibility. Communities with the most robust services often become destinations for individuals seeking assistance, placing additional strain on local systems and resources.
Compassion alone cannot sustain a system.
To ensure long-term success, our efforts must be balanced and aligned with those of neighboring jurisdictions. Matching the level of investment and service provision of our peer counties helps distribute responsibility more equitably and prevents any single community from becoming overburdened. Homelessness is a regional challenge, and sustainability depends on a shared commitment to addressing it.
This is not an argument for stepping away from the work we have done. On the contrary, it is a call to protect and strengthen it. The progress made in Thurston County is significant and worth preserving. But preserving it requires discipline and thoughtful decision-making.
If we are to maintain and build upon this foundation, we must:
• Prioritize programs that demonstrate clear and measurable outcomes.
• Ensure accountability and effectiveness among service providers.
• Align new investments with realistic, long-term funding strategies.
• Coordinate regionally to ensure responsibility is shared equitably.
• Be honest with the public about what we can and cannot sustain.
The gradual erosion of federal and state support for social programs means that local communities are increasingly being asked to shoulder greater responsibility. This reality demands careful stewardship of resources and a commitment to building a system that can endure over time.
Thurston County has demonstrated what compassionate leadership can achieve. Now, the challenge before us is to ensure that this compassion is matched with sustainability and regional balance.
It tells us the system is starting to bend, and we need to be careful before it breaks.
In my next column, I will explore what this issue looks like on the ground and how lived experience can help guide a balanced and sustainable path forward.
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Wayne Fournier is a Thurston County commissioner and former mayor who has spent more than three decades working in public safety. His column appears in The Chronicle twice each month.
