BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham's Laurel Park used to be a place where kids and parents would play, students from nearby Western Washington University would have picnics and senior citizens would go for a stroll.
But for more than a week, it has been taken over by a homeless camp, and it doesn't appear it is going anywhere anytime soon.
"People are peeing all over our property," neighbor Mary Frank said. "They were screaming and yelling all night. Nobody could sleep."
For Frank and others living around Laurel Park, life has been miserable for the past week. Frank spent about a year homeless, herself, about 20 years ago.
She feels for their cause, but she believes the city is mishandling the situation.
"I can be sympathetic with them, but not in a situation where you are putting other people in danger," Frank said.
The camp began in November when people living in the homeless encampment and their advocates pitched tents around Bellingham City Hall.
The camp was finally forced out after fires, assaults and a hatchet attack that left one person in the hospital. As soon as police cleared that encampment, another appeared at the city's athletic complex, where the problems continued.
A large fire was set and an 11-year-old girl was groped by a man from the encampment as she left her gymnastics class just across the street.
When that camp was pushed out, the group immediately moved to Laurel Park, in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
The city swept the camp once again last Friday. They offered a bed at the local Base Camp shelter, along with mental health and addiction treatment. Two people took the city up on their offers.
The others made the short walk to the campus of Western Washington University, where they were turned away by police. They immediately reestablished the camp at Laurel Park.
Amy Landino worries what may come next.
"There is a mentally ill person who has been there all week. He keeps yelling and screaming and brandishing a knife. I called the police department. They said there is nothing they can do unless he stabs someone."
"There is fear and it is justified fear just based on what's happened," Frank said. "My hope is action will be taken before it gets to that point."
Homelessness is a growing problem all across America, but especially in Washington.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show the nation saw its homeless population increase by 2% between 2019 and 2020.
Washington's rate was more than triple that at 6.2%. That includes a 20% increase in family homelessness.
Among the nation's rural communities, the ones in Washington have the country's largest number of people experiencing chronic homelessness.
And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the full effects of the pandemic play out, even more people are expected to end up on the street.
"The cost of living is a big factor," said Hans Erchinger-Davis, who runs Bellingham's Lighthouse Mission. "The eviction moratorium that's been holding back the tide significantly, we're concerned when that ends, we'll see a lot more folks coming in our doors."
That's something the folks at Laurel Park don't even want to think about.
"I understand the complications of homelessness," said Mary Frank. "But I also understand this is hurting a lot of people in this neighborhood and they have rights, too."
KING 5 contacted the office of Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood for comment. The city sent a prepared statement.
"The city remains actively committed to ending the encampment at Laurel Park and we ask for patience as we work through the challenges," the statement read.