Hope Village: Was Longview's Biggest Promise Built Behind Closed Doors?

From Model Program to Closed Doors

When Spencer Boudreau became mayor of Longview in January 2024, he inherited more than a ceremonial title. Backed by a newly formed council majority, his administration moved quickly to reshape city government. Within months, new council leadership was installed, the city manager was removed, priorities shifted, and Hope Village emerged as the centerpiece of Longview's response to homelessness. City leaders repeatedly promoted the tiny-home community as proof that Longview had found an innovative and effective solution to one of its most persistent challenges.

Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army

That success story did not last.

Just over a year later, Hope Village had unraveled. The Salvation Army announced it would no longer operate the facility. The City Council ordered a financial review of the program. Final contract payments were withheld pending additional documentation. Efforts to find a replacement operator failed after only one proposal was submitted, and that proposal did not meet the city's evaluation criteria. Hope Village ultimately closed, bringing one of the Boudreau administration's most celebrated projects to an abrupt end.

The speed of that collapse naturally raises an important question: what happened behind the scenes?

A New Majority Takes Control

Those questions become even more significant when viewed alongside one of the most controversial chapters in Longview's recent political history. Before Spencer Boudreau had even been sworn in as mayor, a new political majority had formed on the City Council. According to the amended complaint in Wallin v. Boudreau, Spencer Boudreau, Erik Halvorson, Kalei LaFave, and Keith Young allegedly discussed and coordinated significant city business outside publicly noticed meetings during the opening months of 2024.

Spencer Boudreau

The lawsuit alleges that the group privately agreed on major decisions before those matters were ever presented during public meetings. Those alleged discussions included electing Spencer Boudreau as mayor, selecting Kalei LaFave as mayor pro tem, removing City Manager Kris Swanson, making appointments to boards and commissions, and coordinating other significant policy decisions.

The legal issue was never whether councilmembers voted together. Rather, the plaintiffs alleged that a governing majority reached decisions before the public had an opportunity to observe the deliberative process required under Washington's Open Public Meetings Act.

Boudreau got beat up by a calf at the Cowlitz County Fair

The defendants denied violating the law, and the City of Longview ultimately settled the lawsuit without admitting liability. Even so, the litigation lasted more than two years and cost Longview taxpayers well into six figures in legal expenses before the city agreed to pay $80,000 toward the plaintiffs' attorney fees. Regardless of the settlement, the allegations cast a long shadow over many of the major decisions made during that period.

The Political Network

The political coalition that brought the new majority to power also drew attention. Candidates who later formed the council majority received support from prominent members of Concerned Citizens of Cowlitz County (4-C), including then-Cowlitz County Commissioner Arne Mortensen. State Representative Joel McEntire also publicly supported Spencer Boudreau and maintained political relationships with members of the new majority.

There is no public evidence that either Mortensen or McEntire participated in the conduct alleged in the OPMA lawsuit. Even so, critics viewed the coalition as a coordinated effort to reshape Longview city government following the 2023 election.

Hope Village Becomes the Administration's Showcase

Hope Village quickly became the administration's signature project. City officials routinely pointed to the tiny-home community as evidence that their approach to homelessness was working. Public statements credited the project with reducing encampments, improving public safety, and helping residents transition toward permanent housing.

Few initiatives were more closely identified with Spencer Boudreau's administration.

That is precisely why Hope Village's rapid decline deserves careful scrutiny.

The Financial Review

City records show that a financial review of expenditures under The Salvation Army's contract was ordered after the nonprofit announced it would no longer operate the village. Officials later withheld final contract payments while requesting additional financial documentation.

Despite those actions, no publicly released audit has concluded that fraud, theft, or criminal misuse of Hope Village funds occurred. Likewise, there is no public evidence that Spencer Boudreau personally misappropriated funds or was criminally investigated in connection with the project.

Those facts are important because asking difficult questions is not the same as making accusations.

Why the OPMA Lawsuit Matters

Some have argued that the OPMA lawsuit and Hope Village are unrelated. Technically, they involve different legal issues. One concerns government transparency, while the other concerns the management of a taxpayer-funded homelessness program.

The two stories intersect because they involve many of the same elected officials and occurred during the same period in Longview's history. Public records requests connected to broader ethics complaints specifically sought communications involving Hope Village, homelessness policy, legislative funding, and discussions among city officials.

None of that proves misconduct involving Hope Village. What it does demonstrate is that the project became part of a much larger conversation about transparency inside City Hall. When elected officials are accused of conducting public business outside public meetings, every major initiative undertaken during that period naturally receives greater public scrutiny.

The Questions That Still Need Answers

Several important questions remain unanswered.

What expenditures prompted the city to order a financial review? Was that review ever completed, and if so, why has no final report been publicly released? How much money was ultimately withheld from The Salvation Army? Were any expenditures ultimately determined to be improper? Why did The Salvation Army decide to end its contract? Why did only one organization submit a proposal to operate Hope Village? Why did that proposal fail? If Hope Village was truly the success city leaders repeatedly described, what changed so dramatically in such a short period of time?

Perhaps the most important question of all is whether discussions surrounding Hope Village occurred entirely in compliance with Washington's Open Public Meetings Act or whether key decisions were made before the public ever had an opportunity to witness them.

Is Spencer Boudreau Preparing for a Comeback?

Another question deserves consideration.

Although Spencer Boudreau is no longer mayor, he has hardly disappeared from the political landscape. He remains a regular presence at community events, ribbon cuttings, civic functions, and public gatherings. Whether attending official ceremonies, posing for photographs with local officials, or even making headlines after getting knocked around by a calf, Boudreau has consistently maintained a public profile.

His continued appearances alongside Longview Mayor Erik Halvorson and Kelso City Councilman Keenan Harvey have also attracted attention. The three are frequently seen together at community events and often appear to support many of the same initiatives. Their continued public association reinforces the perception that the political relationships formed during Boudreau's administration remain intact.

There has been no public announcement that Spencer Boudreau intends to seek elected office again. Still, experienced politicians understand the importance of remaining visible long before filing for office. Maintaining community involvement, appearing at public events, and staying connected with current officeholders are common ways political figures preserve their influence. Whether that is Spencer Boudreau's intention remains unknown, but his continued public presence has fueled speculation that his time in elected politics may not be over.

Should Spencer Boudreau decide to run again, voters will have every right to evaluate his complete record. That record includes accomplishments his supporters continue to celebrate, but it also includes the OPMA lawsuit, the unresolved questions surrounding Hope Village, the financial review, and the lingering concerns about transparency that defined much of his administration.

The Bottom Line

Hope Village was built with taxpayer dollars, championed by elected officials, and ultimately dismantled under those same officials. Perhaps every decision surrounding the project has a reasonable explanation. If so, releasing the records, explaining the timeline, and answering the public's questions would strengthen public confidence rather than diminish it.

Until that happens, Hope Village remains more than the story of a homeless program that closed. It has become a symbol of why transparency matters. Public trust depends on elected officials making decisions in the open, not simply announcing them after the fact. That fundamental principle lies at the heart of both Hope Village and the OPMA lawsuit, making this story about much more than one homeless village. It is ultimately a story about how Longview's government conducts the public's business.