The city will consider “exercising its authority to suspend, and perhaps eventually terminate” its recognition of the Overlook Neighborhood Association if the group’s board next week votes to approve a discriminatory proposal that would prevent houseless residents from participating in meetings.
That’s the word the Office of Neighborhood Involvement sent to the OKNA yesterday, in a letter the neighborhood association has posted to its website.
“This is not a decision that ONI would lightly make,” reads the letter from Brian Hoop, manager of ONI’s Community and Neighborhood Involvement Center. “However, a prohibition upon houseless individuals qualifying for membership in the Overlook Neighborhood Association would be in conflict with the inclusivity and diversity that ONI otherwise serves to promote for all neighborhood associations.”
The rule being considered by the OKNA would require that prospective members have a “legal domicile and address within the boundaries of OKNA” in order to join. Owning property or operating a business within the neighborhood’s bounds would also be acceptable qualifications.
But the rules would prevent homeless people from joining—including, notably, residents of the organized Hazelnut Grove encampment that the OKNA has squabbled with since 2015.
Under current city bylaws, the OKNA says, “it is possible that anyone who happens to be in the neighborhood on the day of a meeting could be eligible to vote. This includes houseless individuals camping illegally in Overlook or squatters occupying a vacant building.”
The proposed rule, which would grant membership privileges to a houseless village with a city permit, looks partly like an attempt by the OKNA to force Hazelnut Grove into a formal agreement with the City of Portland. The neighborhood association and houseless village have been in mediated talks with the aim of establishing a “good-neighbor agreement,” so far unsuccessfully.
“In the spirit of this diversity, ONI does not believe that residency should be based on a ‘legal home address,’ nor should it be limited to those who may be able to afford to buy or rent a home,” ONI’s letter reads.
This isn’t the first questionable proposal to come from the OKNA since Hazelnut Grove sprang up in 2015. In December of that year, the association also considered demanding the identity of everyone living in the camp, which would have become a matter of public record.
The city’s threat to rescind the OKNA’s “benefits of formal recognition,” have caused board members to change their strategy around the rule, Chair Chris Trejbal says. Rather than taking the item up at this month’s regular meeting (6:30 on Tuesday, at Trillium Charter School), the OKNA board will discuss the proposal in a short meeting beforehand.
“In light of Commissioner [Chloe] Eudaly’s and ONI’s threat, the board will discuss the amendment during a special meeting on Tuesday before the regular meeting,” Trejbal says. Eudaly oversees ONI.
Live in Overlook and have an opinion on the proposal? You can send feedback to info@overlookneighborhood.org.
Here’s the full letter:
I imagine people are having second thoughts about electing Eudaly now, if they haven’t already.
I like how the Mercury keeps saying “houseless” all the while stating “…a collection of tiny home” underneath the photo caption.
Oh, how I remember the Think Out Loud episode last year where the host interviewed 5 people of Hazelnut Grove, FOUR of which stated that they were choosing to live on the streets.
As a Liberal, I was offended at this, because there were FOUR people out there who are homeless through no fault of their own, and yet these folks at Hazlenut Grove were taking up their spots. There’s a cap there, as far as “residents” and those who are choosing homelessness as a lifestyle should be kicked out, and those who are ACTUALLY homeless should be allowed to move in.
And by the way, who’s going to check resident status at these meetings? There was but one sentence mentioning squatters… will they be allowed to attend? Who is going to stop them? What owners of nuisance RV’S? I mean, is there going to be someone at the door checking the status of all these people? Nope. So, the answer is yes: Squatters and owners of nuisance RV’s will be allowed to attend. Glad that’s settled.
I drive by Hazlenut Grove about 5 times a week, and over the time it’s been there, it’s become more cluttered and in disarray. This is just an awesome arrangement.
This is insane. Would Eudaly be ok with people who aren’t Portland residents showing up and voting against her during her next election? Why not, if a legal Portland address isn’t a requirement for a voting stake in an even more local system?
Serious question: if this becomes the new rule, what will prevent somebody, homeless or not, from going to any neighborhood association in the city and voting? The only way this actually is implemented is to exclude residency or address from any assessment of whether or not someone is eligible to vote. That will ultimately end the concept of neighborhood associations. Maybe that’s the goal.
When did The Mercury start attracting so many rightwing nutjob commenters?
Yo, Euphonius, wanting basic local residency requirements for holding a position of local power is not “rightwing nutjob” territory, it’s basic, sane democracy territory. The entire concept of neighborhood associations is premised on giving a voice to those with a stake in the neighborhood, which by definition does not apply to transients.
If I pitch a tent on your lawn, now all of a sudden I also get a say in what color you paint your bedroom, or what food you buy to stock your fridge? I don’t think so.
For guys who project their own tioughness, you rightwingers sure get triggered easily.
No, it’s definitely rightwing nutjob territory. You’re right there in the bigot zone yourself.
I’m not sure what’s “tough” about making a basic argument in favor of minimal mechanisms of the democratic process. And I think you have confused “right wing nutjob” with “people who disagree with me.” Not a good look on you, Euphonius, and makes it hard to take anything you say seriously going forward.
Euphonius = ad hominem argument. FlavioSuave = logical argument.
We’ve had the same issues in our neighborhood. And, because we know the individuals so well, we know who is actually residing in the area, and who has just carpetbagged in for the purpose of “advocating” at meetings.
We don’t require residency for membership in our Neighborhood association, but membership is defined as residents, business owners or representatives of businesses and organizations within the boundaries of our neighborhood. For cases like Hazelnut Grove, this would mean that HG as an organization could designate a single representative for their organization.
For houseless residents, we go by their identification card address. If the last address they used was inside the neighborhood, they’re good. If they got an ID that uses an organization address for mail pick up or a general intersection/street location (which they are able to do) they’re good. Finally, if they don’t have an ID that fulfills this, they can sign a self-declaration document and list the intersection they live on/near on that document.
So, it’s not just as easy as showing up but we’ve made accommodations. If there’s someone that’s so unfamiliar with the neighborhood that they don’t even know the street names they can get weeded out pretty quickly.
I am posting this so others can see the hypocrisy of the Overlook Neighborhood Association’s board chair:
This is from ONKA’s summer newsletter by Chris Trejbal, OKNA Board Chair
“Overlook, like most of North Portland, has a complex history when it comes to discrimination and race. We have not always been exemplars of inclusivity nor accepting of diversity. We cannot ignore that past, and we must be better today and in the future. We will stand together against the hate. The Overlook Neighborhood Association welcomes refugees, immigrants, people of any color or ethnicity, people of any religious belief, and people of any sexual orientation or gender identity. In short, we are a welcoming place for all. We will not tolerate hateful rhetoric that scapegoats these communities or that threatens our neighbors. We will not remain idle when any member of our community is targeted by bigotry. We are stronger together as a neighborhood and city.” http://www.overlookneighborhood.org/news…
Apparently, Chris Trejbal’s (and many on the ONKA board) compassion is extended only to home owners and people who hold a lease. The ONKA meetings are full of people claiming to have compassion, yet they offer no examples of their compassion – just their vitriol for the entire homeless population.
rene503 – if I show up and stand on your tent, I suppose that means I get a say in what you do with your tent. Oh, I don’t? Why not? Because it’s your tent that you own and I don’t own it? Why do you have such a lack of compassion for me? I’m just trying to have a say in the tent I’m standing on, while you insist on being an exclusionary bigot and telling me it’s “your” tent!