Hasn't a committee of interested citizen's and local homeless groups been working on this for years? Does Fritz think the SAFE committee was useless or does she just disagree with its conclusions?

Is there a place to access SAFE findings on the net? It seems this should be a simple problem to fix with some publically sponsored humanitarian coaxing and bribery..."come along, dearie, let's go get you a meal and a hot shower...I know a place with a comfortable bed...come along then, really, the sidewalk's not for sleeping on...if you stay off the streets for the next seven days we'll give you
50$..." My God, there are so many caring souls in Portland who would LOVE to volunteer to help the homeless. Give the volunteers off-duty patrol cars like the volunteers in Gresham get to keep law and order. Of course people shouldn't be allowed to sleep on the street. That's not the purpose of streets, for heaven's sake. Folks just can't be FORCED off the streets. Hell, I bet if the city just installed infrared heatlamps on lovejoy under the ramp and delivered meals on wheels there none of the PBA people or the suburbanites would ever see the homeless and the honmeless would be really happy not to have to see them either.

Ironically, most research suggests that simply giving homeless people houses is the cheapest way for governments to solve the problem.

Homeless people suffering from dual diagnosis addiction and mental health issues cost the state billions each year in emergency care that could be saved by adequately funding housing for them before their problems drastically worsen on the streets.

Of course, it's difficult for most Americans to get their heads around the idea that housing should be a right in any civilized society, and even harder for most politicians to be blunt about the idea.

Juking the stats! Juking the stats! Etcetera.

I'd love the see the conditions of the houses where this is supposedly done Matt.
Where do I get my free house then?

Houses are still being bought up by developers, offering cash (I'm assuming) to tenants who may or may not be familiar with their rights. Houses get boarded up, a mixed-use condo is planned but is never built. Look at the corner of Skidmore and Interstate.

How does one or many put a thumb of contrition on the wealthy without coming off like a complete asshole? Figure that out, you might get a free house.

Rock it Amanda. Besides, there's still issues with private security guards representin the protected anyway.

"I'd love the see the conditions of the houses where this is supposedly done Matt. Where do I get my free house then?"

Homeless people are being given access to supported housing in Portland day after day. Check out the 10 year plan to end homelessness on the city's website. If you're interested in touring some of the facilities you can contact Nick Fish's office.

Supported city housing is a bit different that 'giving people houses' is what i mean.
They are staffed, supervised, maintained facilities with strict rules.
There's a big difference.

Some of it is. But what about the "wet housing?" The "housing first" model? Not much difference, there...

When people are provided housing for free or reduced rent, this costs money. 1811 Eastlake Ave in Seattle provides:
State-licensed mental health and chemical dependency treatment
On-site health care services
Daily meals and weekly outings to food banks
Case management and payee services
Medication monitoring
Weekly community building activities
This cost ALOT of money, yet so does someone ending up in an emergency room and preventative care proves to be the better option.
Providing people with services they desperatly need is the MOST important aspect of this argument. The states addiction and mental health treatment services are almost non existent, when people truly have no means to help themselves they need to be helped. When people CAN help themselves they DO and get off the streets, I have seen this, although it is not easy it is possible.
The sit/lie ordinance is not "pushing the homeless out of sight" If it were, we would not see them. In the coming months when the weather warms and young "Travelers" come to Portland because they heard it was cool and CROWD the sidewalk, as they do EVERY year, local retailers and customers complain, weather or not this is a valid response or a "First world Problem" it does effect the perception of the city and where people want to be and spend their money, money that in turn stimulates our economy, providing taxes to fund so called "free" housing.
This is all interconnected. When will we realize this is all like an episode of Wife Swap, where two groups from oppsing sides come to realize that if they adopt certain aspects of each others views they can all coexist more effectively.
Not to mention that this summer, we will see a HUGE increase in the homeless population, not "Free Spirits" who come to town to hang out, but family's who need help. We better get this sorted out because we have no more time to squabble over our own selfish opinions, where business and homless services are their own corporations that depend on a certain class of people.