Comments

1
Is Charlie Hales trying to set a new record for doing the most damage to Portland before he slimes his way out of office? We'll be dealing with this complete clusterfuck of unmanaged, unfunded and unregulated shanty town shit for decades after he's retired to his yacht and sailed away from the problems he's created. Portland's a magnet for this shit now, so much worse than it's ever been before.

How bad is it going to get before the average limp-dicked feelgood-vibes-loving Portland voters rebel against this shitfest? How many dirty needles will they pick up? How many nights will they be kept awake by the never-ending parade of mental breakdowns, fights and open-air drug / alcohol abuse?

Gather your children around the roaring barrel fire and hang out with the latest crop of AWOL sex offenders and warrant-evaders! That'll work out great. And say goodbye to your overinflated Zestimate-- now you've got two dozen toothless street kids disassembling stolen bikes and shooting heroin on the other side of the fence.

Ladies and gentlemen: Charlie Hales! What a stand-up guy! He really cares about our city...
2
I'm sorry Chunty, but you're views are very misguided. I studied Portland's Dignity Village (you should look into that) as well as dozens of other similar camps around the region as for thesis and found that these sorts of organized camps not only save the city money, but help provide a steady and safe living situation, which in turn helps people dig themselves out of chronic homelessness. It actually costs a TON of money to run homeless shelters. And not only that, but shelters are temporary solutions to often chronic problems. No one wants to be living on the streets, where one is more likely to find themselves dangerous situations including violence, abuse and narcotics. By providing these camps (or letting them build it themselves as in the case with Dignity Village), you remove hard-working, honest people from terrible street conditions. They are now living in a supportive community and can live respectably enough to begin rebuilding their lives. That's an important distinction between a shelter and these communities. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone on the streets uses drugs, rapes people and is a bad person. Sometimes they don't have the social skills and or resources needed to make it in this exclusive and judgmental world and in the dog eat dog economy.

And these communities are not a free for all. There will be a self-governing system that is likely overseen by the community at large (HOA particularly), and you must be vetted and approved by the governing body before being admitted to the community. There are laws too. But like I said earlier, what's most important is that it gets these folks out of sleeping in public allies, business doors and under bridges and into a supportive, relatable community and a safe home. Also worth repeating, no one wants to be homeless. These living situations are often temporary, as residents get their lives together.

My advise to you is to start thinking holistically about this and stop looking for who to point the finger and whine about. Would you rather see tents and garbage on sidewalks or tiny houses and garden beds on vacant lots?
3
The liability lawsuits when something really goes sideways at one of these city sanctioned camps are going to be monumental, though Charlie will be long gone by then.
4
The city looks like festering shit and this will not end well. Many or most the people moving here now to take advantage of this situation will not leave once it is cleaned up by the next city council. We are just growing our permanent homeless population.

I can't believe that City Hall doesn't understand what this is doing to them politically. And the impression of the police. I haven't seen a demonstration of such poorly-handled cluelessness since Fritz gave away the store on R2D2 in the first place.

Far from some sort of "solution", this is a problem that is building towards a bad end.
5
Say Brian, in your grand thesis studying "Dignity" Village, what was the turnover rate of people residing there?
I mean, the place was designed as a place to get folks back on their feet for a few months before returning to the workforce and getting housing.
So how long are people actually living there, on average?
And if people are living there for perhaps years in some cases, then I would have to call the whole damned thing a bleeding heart failure.
6
Frankieb,
The turnover rate was an average of 10-14 months.
What I can't understand is why some think that letting them live unassisted on the streets with little to no access to resources to help them find steady housing and employment is a better idea than this. I think the story needs far more details on how these communities actually work. It's NOT a free-for-all. It is tightly regulated.
7
When did the Merc's comments page become the new home for angry rightwing dicks?
8
If we make being homeless easy, then more people will be homeless, when they see it as a viable lifestyle choice.
That is where DV comes in.
And now we are having trouble trying to keep up with every damned camp popping up all over town.
9
There are 4,000 homeless in mult. County and 57% are disabled an two years ago it was 40% disabled. (HUD) i am disabled and I am homeless becaus effects of child abuse mentally and physically I hurt. I'm living in poverty for what was done to me. I didn't chose to be hurt but it seems it's okay for society and our government to treat child abuse survivors this way and other disabled people so they failed me as a child and continue to fail me and others. I'm not a drunk or druggie or lazy or dirty. I don't matter none of my life matters not when people think I must be a lazy drunk or druggie who's family won't even help me right? Family... All I have is my sister and she is homeless with me. You say there is help but shelters dont have enoff beds for half of our homeless. I don't need to go to shelters I live in a 1977 20ft class C motorhome I fixed up, I just need a place to park with power and a bathroom. There are a lot of people living in vans,cars,motorhomes,RVs,tents who are like me we are living in poverty on disability. It's not fun being homeless and not having things you need. Try stoping and talking with people find out why they are where they are. I don't need services from shelters I need money to take care of my needs and God for bide I want somethings just like everyone els. Before I started hurting from the abuse I was put thru I was working 70 hours a week and iv been on my own since 17years old with no parents to ask for help after all they are the people who hurt me for 17 years. I been to 8 years of therapy and have a hand full of pills I have to take every day just so I can do things like walk without a Cain along with I get shots in my spine and hip also none of my pills are pain pills of any kind I don't like how they make me sleep all the time or hurt my tummy. It would do you good not to just judge people. I was even a foster parent to three little ones and housed a lot of people to help them get on there feet back when I had more money not a lot of money just more then what I have to live on now. So stop complaining about others and help them.
10
frankieb,
Do you really think people want to be homeless? Do you think they want to be marginalized and discriminated against by society? What ever happened to empathy and the sense of community?
We cannot have healthy individuals unless the ENTIRE community is healthy. We are communal creatures that have a need to belong in a community. Once we realize that and take care of each other than we'll thrive. Until then, we'll be divided and stagnant.
11
No, but I think people want housing given to them for free, or without having to work for it.
My sense of community also extends to those who are able should also be contributing to society.
There will always be homeless here, regardless of how much money and social programs you want to throw at the problem.
You cannot solve this problem by caring about it, and in fact, by your own actions, are leading to further escalate the problem, whether you wish to acknowledge this or not.
12
A camp isn't escalating the problem. Quite the opposite, it's helping people by numbers.
Safety is a big concern for folks who are homeless, and this gives them a sense of community. Not to mention, try getting off your feet when you are constantly concerned if your things will be there where you left them, when you get wakeup calls from Portland PD shaking you awake at 7am, ......

These camps help solve those three major problems in a big way, and also get people away from downtown, where businesses also give them problems.
People need help, not marginalization, and to say helping them is making their situation worse defies logic and reality.

Our City is throwing millions into MAX lines, unneeded development projects, and $2,000 chairs for City employees while pushing actual Portlanders out! Why it doesn't use those millions to create affordable housing and help solve the problem for everyone is beyond me.
13
The hard truth is that Portland really is a magnet for the homeless. Generous EBT for single junkies, no enforcement of camping laws, legal to "spange".

There is no solution until we stop being a magnet for the lifestyle homeless.

This summer is going to be very ugly as the travellers start arriving in the train yards. Chunty is right.
14
"lifestyle homeless" = another disgusting rightwing lie about homeless people
15
BULLSHIT euphonius.
I ain't right-wing at all. My left wing credentials will outweigh yours, I would bet.
It is about common sense, and looking at the problem clearly.

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