Comments

1
Phew, I'm glad that issue is now totally resolved because we moved it a few blocks! And closer to where a bunch of people live. Yep, this is all nicely resolved for good....
2
Say, Mubarak -- when was the last time you submitted a resume' out there to work any sort of job anyway?
How hard are you working to get off the street?
Or are you just professionally unemployed and homeless?
3
The City of Portland and Right 2 Dream Too have made a mockery of the "houseless", their name not mine, situation that exists in Portland. Those whose residence is logistically closest to the site chosen to house the new Right 2 Dream Too 'rest area, have reason to be concerned. Ms. Fritz has chosen to belittle our concerns and treat us condescendingly.

Our concerns are for the health and well-being of the rest areas' permanent residents and for the persons who come to rest temporarily, and for existing safety issues.

The site is dark day and night, the wind blows through constantly, water pours off of the ramp during rain storms, streetcars pass overhead every 11 minutes from 6a.m. to 1a.m., Amtrack trains arrive at Union Station hourly during the day and at night there is a constant stream of freight trains. The health threats, attributed to the pigeon droppings, are real and not figments of the imagination! Lastly, we already contend with drunks on benches, needles in bushes, trash, and the filthy pigeons!

To add insult to injury Commissioner Fritz has expressed concern that, resident's of our apartment community, would be mean and not helpful to our 'new neighbors!

I attended the press conference yesterday and found myself amidst a hostile group who photographed and filmed the faces of persons not with the Right To Dream Too entourage. At conclusion of the news conference the group assembled outdoors to smoke, talk on their cellphones, and block the sidewalk.

I rode home by streetcar, arriving in time to hear the 'breaking news' report of the robbery at the bank where Social Security Disability check is deposited. So much for living in a 55+, low income apartment in 'the Pearl'. So much for the 'reward' after working your ass off all the rest of your life!

Amanda Fritz came to our apartment building to put to rest our concerns regarding the site change for the current Right 2 Dream Too encampment for homeless persons, which is now the Right 2 Dream Too rest area for houseless. The change of wording from encampment to rest area is because the city does not have zoning for camping. She introduced herself as having been a psychiatric nurse for 24 years and then proceeded to destroy our dignity. Life's a bitch sometimes!
4
Finally the city is doing something that is both smart financially and helps all the citizens. The Right to Dream rest stop has provided safe haven to 60 people every night for almost two years....and hasn't cost the city one cent. It has made the neighborhood it is in much safer to everyone. We need more intelligent solutions instead of the knee jerk fears and hate mongering. HomOphobia is finally receding in Portland...next we need to get rid of homeLESS phobia.
5
Just because we are over 55 in Portland seeems we do not have a right to dream that where we live will be fairly safe. Taxes we paid during our workling life started the social services for the homeless problem -is met as useless by the demeaning attitude of Amanda Fritz and the Right 2 Dream Leader toward we who reside just across the poorly lit alley.
The area was pressure cleaned of pigeon poop without we who live here being informed to close our windows. Call that respect? Being older does mean some of us are medically fragile, and sending pigeon poop particles into the air to land in our apartments is a positive sign of the lack of respect City Hall has for us.
The area is closer to the river and the rat population that resides there; shows little respect for the homeless who are to move into a very windy and cold area totally full of noise.
Insinuations of electricity and water would be put into place - BUT that is the area of another City Hall area, not Fritz'.
Does this 'rest area' nomenclature give the right to anyone to stay day and night in all the rest areas in Oregon?
Seems like a can of worms has been opened making the first problem reallyl small in comparision - sa group of people camping on Burnside. The first view of those who travel by train to Portland will be the homeless sight!

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