Portland’s newest houseless village popped up this morning on city-owned land in a far-flung, woodsy corner of Northeast Portland’s Wilkes Neighborhood.
At 10 am, a group of a dozen volunteers, led by veteran homeless activists Lisa Lake and Steve Kimes, began setting up wooden platforms and communal spaces at in groves of cottonwoods along the Columbia River Slough near Northeast Airport Way and Mason.
The new community—dubbed the “Village of Hope”—is similar to self-managed homeless villages like Right 2 Dream Too and Hazelnut Grove, which sprang up against the wishes of city officials. But this is the first protest encampment to emerge under Mayor Ted Wheeler, and appears to be the first located so far from downtown (it sits near NE Marine Drive between 170th and 181st).
Village of Hope also may be the first major protest homeless encampment located on land owned by Portland Parks and Recreation. Its ten tents now sit on a property called the Big Four Corners Natural Area, which contains the slough’s meandering waters, deer, coyotes, river otter, and 175 bird species.
“Let’s prove how stabilization, for not a lot of money, can work wonders,” Lake said at a January 16 planning meeting for the camp.
The creation of the new homeless village comes as city and county officials dump millions of dollars into creating new homeless shelters around town, and into creating deeply affordable housing. In a statement, organizers noted that city and county officials “are making progress, but many people continue to fall between the cracks. Their shelter development processes have engendered intense neighborhood conflicts and come with huge price tags.”
It’s unclear how the city will respond to the clandestine encampment. Mayor Wheeler’s deputy chief of staff, Michael Cox, told the Mercury he needed to look into the situation before commenting.
Village of Hope consists of ten tents on raised wooden platforms, plus three communal areas (a kitchen area, a “community center” and a “Chill Zone”), a dumpster, and a portapotty. Organizers have said three on-site managers will sleep there tonight. The numbers will grow to ten within the week, and could ultimately reach 30.
For the village’s houseless managers—Robert Aquino, Kerry Wheeler, and John Boggs (known as “Thumper”), —the key to the Village of Hope is relative stability and security.
“This camp is like everything to me right now,” Kerry Wheeler said. “I just need a place to be, and I can’t be alone — it’s scary out here.”
The Big Four Corners Natural Area is surrounded by warehouses and industry, but honeycombed with paths, wetlands and meandering forks of the slough. Aquino, Thumper, and Wheeler may know its paths and secrets as well as anyone.
“I actually camped right over there,” Aquino said, pointing to a spot in the woods, “about 200 yards from here.”
Part of the problem Village of Hope intends to remedy is the constant displacement of houseless camps. Aquino said he’s been forced to move 20 times in the last two months. Wheeler said she’s had to relocate eight times within the same period.
“I’ve been swept by all of them,” Wheeler said, “the rangers, the cops and Rapid Response.”
“Lance would follow a chipmunk trail to find you,” Aquino said, referring to Lance Hamel, owner of Rapid Response Bioclean, a city subcontractor that often cleans up debris in the area. Under Mayor Wheeler, campsite sweeps and “clean-ups” have ramped up to record levels.
An organized village like Village of Hope doesn’t have much precedent in an area so far removed from services, but homeless advocates insist their latest project won’t be injecting a homeless population into a new area. Kimes says houseless Portlanders are already staying near Big Four Corners. He believes the Village of Hope will actually protect the local ecology by providing structure and regular cleaning.
Village of Hope will operate under a code of conduct similar to that of Right 2 Dream Too or Dignity Village: no drug or alcohol use on site, no violence or fighting, no stealing. Sunday’s build featured blue cupcakes, burritos, and the feel of an Amish barn raising — but more covert.
It was similar, in fact, to another encampment Lake attempted to create in 2016. In May of that year, Lake and other advocates swooped onto a piece of city-owned land near Lents Town Center to set up a camp that was to serve as a sanctuary for homeless domestic violence survivors. The group stuck it out on the site for a number of days, but left when Mayor Charlie Hales’ office vowed to find them another city-owned plot for the camp. That never happened.
Lake says she’s learned her lesson. If the city attempts to push Village of Hope residents out, they’ll dig deeper.
“We will be chill if the city is chill,” Lake said. If official forces show up to clear the new encampment, she says, organizers will bring supporters out in force.
The Village of Hope’s “Opening” event is 11 a.m. Monday at 17001 NE Airport Way.
I know that area and there’s already been long-term camping there. Huge bags of garbage are sometimes piled up on the sidewalk after the city evicts the campers, which they’ve done NUMEROUS TIMES over the past year or two.
Dignity Village has become an apocalyptic scene, with permanent residents who have not transitioned out of being homeless. Hazelnut Grove is now a group of ramshackle structures with piles of trash/debris scattered throughout the property.
Who here remembers when OPB interviewed some of the residents of Hazelnut Grove and 4 out of the 5 interviewed said they were choosing to be homeless, therefore I doubt if they’ve transitioned into housing or gained employment.
The Mercury will not follow up on this new camp after a year or so (if it’s there for that long), just like they’ve never followed up on Dignity Village or Hazelnut Grove. They’ll push the narrative that all homeless people are in their situation simply because rent is too high and if you don’t accept it or complain, you’re just an evil, cold-hearted homeowner who’s being a NIMBY. The Mercury’s agenda is as plain as day to those who pay attention.
Yes, they’ll describe an idyllic scene (“far-flung, woodsy corner,” “communal spaces in groves of cottonwoods along the Columbia River Slough,” “meandering waters, deer, coyotes, river otter, and 175 bird species.”) and leave many facts about the reality of the homeless crisis. Never mind the negative environmental impact on this paradise found.
And I love how the idea of using Wapato Jail as a homeless shelter was always countered by homeless advocates as “being too far from essential services,” yet this “far-flung woodsy corner” is just fine.
Hazelnut Grove has at least four folks in permanent housing now and with Jobs in the city. I ‘d say that happened because they had the platform of Hazelnut Grove. The Kenton Women’s Village also has transitioned folks into permanent Housing. Are these perfect solutions to the Houseless Crisis? No, but these Houseless villages beat the alternatives. People will continue to camp to try to survive instead of treating these folks like animals Houseless Villages help them find a way back into housing. Dumpsters Port a Potties help keep the areas cleaned up The alternative well look around, and you see the option and that ain’t working.
Fantastic. Another natural area that once belonged to all of us will become less so.
@Jewell Kelly: You’re saying that 4 people out of the 30 residents (which is the cap, I believe) have transitioned into permanent housing after almost TWO YEARS of the camp being in existence? WOW. What a raving success! (Also, can you provide a link that supports your claim?)
That means we have 26 people who are permanent residents at Hazelnut Grove, and with that permanence comes the camp falling into a state of disrepair. Need proof? Just drive by and look at the evidence.
Remember: When OPB interviewed some of the residents, they stated that they were choosing to be homeless. They were able-bodied individuals who literally said that they wanted others to pay for their lifestyles. When the interviewer asked one of the individuals how he felt about people having issues with using taxpayer money to fund said lifestyles, he replied, “They just need to grow a heart.”
Uh-huh…
“Village of Hope”, have ya seen the aftermath left behind as a result of these villages? Human feces, garbage, needles and other paraphernalia, nort to mention total destruction of the land. It will then be known as the village employed tax payers were charged paying to have cleaned up.
OMG! I’m so shocked that the same bigot who hates the homeless in every other article The Mercury publishes is here this morning, hating the homeless some more.
Good thing his disgusting screeds persuade no one.
Your insults and shitty rants don’t persuade anyone either, Euphonius. Meanwhile, there are many of us who would both like to see more assistance for the homeless while also keeping our city clean, livable and safe. People like you do the discourse absolutely no favors.
I’m with FlavioSuave.
Euphonious’s only “argument” is to call everyone a bigot.
If you can show me an example of when I said I hated the homeless, or that ALL homeless are criminals, I’d certainly apologize and clarify my position. But you can’t do that because I’ve never expressed such opinions.
Euphonious, you’re the left-wing equivalent of some Brietbart reading, Fox News watching right-winger. Sad, but true!
So, what should be done instead of setting up campsites? What are practical solutions?
Personally, I don’t have a problem with the idea of sanctioned camps. What I do have a problem with is the lack of oversight once these camps are established. I also have a problem with the way these advocates ram these camps down our throats.
I also have issues with dilapidated RV’s lining our city streets, leaving garbage, human waste and piles of stripped bike frames in their wake. Unsanctioned camps scattered all over the city, also leaving piles of garbage and bike frames, while also destroying the environment.
Other issues: Assaults, thefts, used needles left on the ground, intimidation, and human waste left out in the open or in “easy-to-carry” plastic containers.
These are all the problems I have issues with, but when you attempt to have a conversation about it, the extreme left-wing homeless advocates change the subject and/or call you names.
Hell, according to a recent Mercury article, there are no used needles on our city streets. How do they know and why do they report it as fact? Well, because the editor walks around at lunch and doesn’t see any needles, that’s how.
It sure is amazing how many different neighborhoods Douglas lives in. He’s out there counting syringes from downtown all the way to Troutdale. Some might be skeptical, but they’re all “left-wing” so they don’t count.
Euphonius: Nice try. I drive around for work, all over the city. Yes, I can be in SW one minute, and then Gresham later in the day.
My friends and I used to launch our canoe near this new “Village of Hope” camp but stopped doing so about two years ago. Why? Well, because of all the camps, garbage, used needles and tweakers.
I know there’s two camps at a little east N. Interstate and Columbia Blvd. They’ve been there for months and are all settled in with the gall to actually put up “No Trespassing” signs.
There’s a camp under the overpass at NE 82nd and Halsey… ODOT evicts them, cleans up used needles, the HUGE pile of garbage and scattered human waste, yet the campers inevitably return.
There’s multiple RV’s at the corner of NE 122nd and NE San Rafael, behind the WinCo. Whenever they are evicted, they’re nice enough to also leave a huge pile of garbage, buckets of human waste and sometimes even a stripped car.
Although ODOT put big rocks underneath the freeway at SE Foster and the 205, campers still set up shop there, as well as the field a little to the east.
North of Beggars Tick Natural Area were parked multiple RV’s and campers in the woods. They’ve always left very large piles of trash and debris in that area, to the enjoyment of nearby businesses and homes. This area is also a dumping ground for abandoned RV’s.
Shall I go on?
Well, in these comments I continue to read all of the problems associated with homelessness – and particularly how they impact those who are not homeless – but again I ask, what are solutions? Just ranting on a website about how much you hate all of the mess is useless.
Well, I know one thing that isn’t a solution is ignoring and/or sugarcoating the reality if the situation. (Looking at you, Mercury)
Honestly? Asking the general public to propose solutions is a cheap trick. No matter what may be suggested, the engaged activists act like the worst elementary school teachers everrrrr: “Nooooooo, Janey — that’s too far from services.” “Nooooooo, Tommy — AND YOU’RE A BIGOT.” “Noooooo, Lucy — watch my shenanigans at City Council Meetings and LEARN SOMETHING FOR A CHANGE!” Why don’t the houseless people and their local activist houseful/houseless volunteers figure something out and propose it? Didn’t I just recently approve a bajillion kajillion dollars to help the situation? That’s all I can do, frankly, because I hate when I raise my hand and hear the teacher say “Noooooooo, guess again, LOSER!”
PS — I am waiting for the Mercury to report on the truth behind the accusations of racism in the Portland Tenants Union (PTU). Specifically, did that group lock out a Native American volunteer so that they could sing “This Land is Our Land” over his objections? Did they? And did they all have a good laugh? And are they still doing that thing where they touch Black people’s hair? And are they asking people where they’re from, expecting to hear something like Dakaar or Singapore when the answer is Dayton, Ohio?
“I am waiting for the Mercury to report on the truth behind the accusations of racism in the Portland Tenants Union (PTU). “
You’ll be waiting forever, as the ‘Merc has been d-riding Chloe Eudaly and Margot Black from day one, despite the obvious red flags and enormous predictable consequences of giving them power and a voice. Funny how all this is very well known in activist circles, and cowardly Chloe Eudaly who can’t face any criticism or her own constituents hasn’t even weighed in on it.
The worst part is that somehow PTU is still involved at the official level in our housing discussions, when their rampant racism should have no place at the table.
“but again I ask, what are solutions?”
dimag05, the fairly obvious solution that Portland’s “liberal” NIMBYs and renter activist class doesn’t want to hear is simply to upzone and allow a lot more housing to be developed by private developers. More supply balances out against the demand, lowering housing prices for those on the margin (and decreasing the rate of displacement, which is a major cause of homelessness).
You then also have the benefit of a much bigger tax base, from which you can pay for housing subsidies and/or buy/develop more public housing. Take some of this money for increased services, and treatment, and then crack down hard on the transient druggies who refuse housing or treatment.
It won’t happen overnight, but nothing will solve this problem overnight. The long-term upshot is that things get cheaper for everyone, we have more money to assist those who need/want it, and we can get rid of the criminal element of the homeless population (they are not a monolith) that causes most of the problems everyone associates with all the homeless.
I support camps and settlements for people to live in. Houseless people are just as important as people who work hard to afford their rent or mortgage. When people are seen as unwanted that effects their desire to participate in a society that hates them. Thus it may translate into a big middle finger and not caring if they trash your neighborhood. When one person lives in a mansion and another can’t find a place to set up a tent. This is a big red flag that something is WROnG!!! We are all in this together. An injury to one is an injury to all. No one chooses to be born in this cold world. Don’t hate the player, hate the game!
@mite115: “Aquino (one of the campers) says he’s houseless by choice.”
The game: People who work for a living must subsidize those who choose not to.
Is this the game of which you speak?