WHEN WESLEY FLOWERS showed up to testify on homelessness at city council last Wednesday morning, July 2, he’d been hoping to read a three-minute speech prepared especially for the occasion. In the months since the homeless protest in front of city hall disbanded, protesters have been testifying at city council every week to keep the issues of the city’s sit-lie and anti-camping ordinances in the spotlight.
“You know, I had a nice speech written up about the 10-Year Plan and what a three-year plan would look like,” he says. “But I had my house stolen a week ago, and the police can’t follow their own rules.”
A few days earlier, on June 26, Flowers left his camp in Macleay Park at NW 29th and Thurman at noon. He returned at 10:15 pm to find his belongings had vanished and been replaced by an orange police flyer that read: “Notice: Illegal Campground.”
Such notices are supposed to be up for 24 hours before the city enforces its controversial anti-camping ordinance, which prohibits camping out on the city’s streets. But the notices are not supposed to be used in parks, which are under the park rangers’ jurisdiction (and rangers typically enforce the parks’ closing hours instead of the city’s camping ordinance).
Regardless, instead of filling in the section of the notice that read, “This campsite will be removed on…,” someone had scrawled, “Stay out of this area or be arrested” in crude black ballpoint ink.
Flowers called the Portland Police Bureau number on the notice, seeking information about where he could retrieve his property—but the cops had no idea where to find it. Eventually, Flowers got through to the Parks Bureau, where someone told him that their park rangers were responsible for removing his stuff, that they had determined it was all “unsalvageable,” and that it had been destroyed.
“I was furious,” says Flowers. “I mean, this was the crux of the protest [“Unhappy Campers,” News, May 8]—that they’ve got these laws on the books that they can’t even enforce legally. They’re just using these various ordinances to harass poor people and they’re not even issuing any tickets.”
Central Precinct Commander Mike Reese says he has “no idea” how the park rangers were getting hold of the cops’ illegal camping notices, although Parks Security Manager Mark Warrington told the Mercury on Tuesday, “It’s a standard police form. We print up our own.”
Mayor Tom Potter took notice of Flowers’ testimony last week, and asked him to leave a copy of his no-camping notice with the council clerk so that the incident could be investigated. This week Matt Grumm, who is the parks liaison for City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, acknowledged the Parks Bureau’s error.
“His property was taken and destroyed by park rangers,” says Grumm. “There is a risk management process in place if a person wishes to pursue a claim.”
Flowers’ list of property, which included a sleeping bag, tarp, clothes, and a book on the private security firm Blackwater, is valued at $716.91 by Flowers’ estimate. Flowers is now in talks with a lawyer about filing a legal claim against the city related to the incident.
Meanwhile, Grumm says campers’ possessions should be removed from the parks with “reasonable notice” under park closure laws, which specify that nobody is to remain in the city’s park after closing time, rather than under the city’s anti-camping ordinance. Grumm adds that he has not been able to find out how or why the park rangers were enforcing the law using a police bureau notice, but has asked Warrington to work out a new way of giving notice to those camped in parks from now on, before their property is seized and destroyed.
“It is definitely regrettable that people feel they have to go past closure hours in our parks,” Grumm continues, when asked if the Parks Bureau regrets what happened to Flowers. “And it is also regrettable that people’s stuff appears to have been removed without what would seem to be appropriate notice.”
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1040754.html
Hmmm, maybe Mr. Flowers shouldn’t be camping (and trashing) in Macleay Park (part of Forest Park).
That is a very sensitive area when it comes to the environment. I have spoken to some of the Rangers at various times in the parks and they are good people who make sure the parks are protected from illegal uses.
Once again Matt, you write another very biased and one sided story. Oh by the way, the cities anti camping ordinance actually applies to ALL public lands, including parks. Way to get your facts right! hahaha
Also, the City of Portland needs to STOP putting the “rights” of “homeless” scum bags in front of the real rights of tax paying, hard working people who just want to go to the parks without health and safety hazards that the camps and scum create.
instead of overusing the word “scum”, why not try http://www.Thesaurus.com
it may make your posts seem more intelligent and less annoying.
the “us” vs. “them” mentality will not help promote peace and problem-solving amongst the homeless and the home-keepers. with current economic conditions, it is understandable that people will be doing whatever necessary to “stay afloat”. And if the tax payers would use their money to help keep people “afloat” instead of trying to have police and others “sink” them, then maybe they would be back on their feet. We are in this together, always, whether you, I or whomever likes it or not. So the sooner we connect with those around us and find solutions, and compassion for all, the sooner we will see humane responses to inhumane living conditions. thanks.
There was a time when the homeless and disadvantaged in society received help from churches and civic organizations to assist them, but this no longer seems to be the trend with the development of mega-churches that operate as social clubs. It would be nice to see downtown churches returning to their Christian obligation of assisting the hungry and homeless instead of posting “no loitering” signs on the front of their buildings that completely violate the teaching of Jesus.
Oh sorry “Rev Phil.” Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings…not!
It is to bad the cops only tasered you, and didn’t just shoot you.
how come “Give me all…” is posting here? Is this character deluded
enough to think anyone reading this forum will “learn” anything from
such prattle? Must a rightwingnutter Rethuglican that listens to too
much Lying Lars, Bill O’Really and Gasbag Limpdick to frame his mindset (such
as it is). My! My! Tsk! Tsk!
Just keeping it fair and balanced, since Matt doesn’t know the difference between a news story and an opinion piece.
wesley is a veteran, you judgmental, elitist windbags.
“If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. ”
~John F. Kennedy
just sayin
Mr Flowers looks like a bum to me.
Mr Flowers looks like a bum to me. People like Mr Flowers were bums when the economy was good and they’re bums now.
That said, as a taxpayer, I’m willing to pay for some minimal bum shelters somewhere to keep them from camping on the streets and in the parks. I don’t want to harm them. I have a modicum of compassion for them. But, they are still bums.
If I go around leaving a bunch of my shit in a park you can bet someone would have a problem with it. These bums have no right to abuse public spaces by camping.
Here’s something that seems to come up an awful lot:
“They’re just using these various ordinances to harass poor people and they’re not even issuing any tickets.” –Mr. Flowers
“The cops are just doing this because their bosses are telling them to come down here and harass the homeless and drive them out of downtown. You only matter if you’ve got money, nowadays.” –Catherine “JASMINE” Perkins
I’m sick of homeless people claiming persecution on grounds of poverty. If the police persecuted poor people, you’d see beaters pulled over on the side of I-84 for no reason; rental houses under 1000 sq. ft. would all have their doors broken in; and people walking to work in old shoes would get tickets for disorderly conduct. But uncannily, police leave these poor people alone! Must be a difference between them and the people who clutter our sidewalks and parks, piss under our bridges and leave feces and needles in City Hall.
Let’s be clear: being homeless is (by and large) a choice.
It doesn’t make you a non-citizen, but it sure does make you a Nuisance.
If poor meant “choosing not to have a job,” then I’d be “rich.” And I’m far far from it. But at least I’m trying.
“But uncannily, police leave these poor people alone!”
Unless they’re black.
Have you not learned that reporters ARE THE NEWS!
They decide what’s the news and publish it.
That being said, in Amerika, it is a crime to be poor and homeless.
Why?
Cause it’s Amerika!
“”Let’s be clear: being homeless is (by and large) a choice.””
[wretch] [puke]
Go back to the Tribune blog!
@AI M
I don’t know what you’re trying to say in your first comment (2:52pm), but why even bother with 2:54? Dismissive and thoughtless, this comment furthers no discussion and enhances no understanding.
I take it from your first comment that you resent the news media. Perhaps you’d like to respond substantively rather than name-call. What better way to set yourself apart from the mainstream news media?
I have walked the Lower Macleay trail several times and I can not believe this guy would set up camp along the trail. This creek has a native cut-throat trout run and the parks have spent alot of energy to improve the creek. I do not think this is the best place for this guy to piss and shit. If he wants to camp he should pay for a camping spot in local campgounds like I have to when I go camping. Instead of coming up with a 10 or 3 year plan to stay homless Mr. Flowers needs to come up with a plan to get a job.
I cannot believe how many NEO-FASCIST PIGS are blogging here…
wait, you must all be on the ‘payroll’, because people can’t be THIS thick.
Go to hell, nazis- A SPADE IS STILL A SPADE
traitors
I live near one of the lesser used parts of forest park and am aware of an almost constant presence of tents, tarps and lean-tos. Yesterday I called park rangers to investigate a new tent and a growing pile of trash. The rangers were professional respectful and responsive. I see this story from both sides and go back and forth on how I feel about people camping near my house and along trails that neighborhood families walk daily. The rangers are doing what the city is asking of them and from what I’ve seen, are doing it with empathy.
keep going, Flowers!!
The Rangers in Portland are all good people who care about the parks and work hard to protect them. The same cannot be said about their supervisor who is a mean spirited woman who is rude and unprofessional. Just try calling to report something and you will see.
I was once a Portland Park Ranger and speak from personal experience. I find that this article, and these comments both provide some valid points. Yes, campers in parks tend to leave garbage, human waste, needles, and other unpleasant materials there. This is unacceptable, and these materials often prove to be health hazards.
However, with hard economic times, many people have no where else to go. It is not realistic to expect these homeless people to just “disappear.” Where, precisely, would you like them to go? (and “anywhere but in my back yard” is an unacceptable answer. Take some responsibility for thinking this problem through.)
This article actually highights the need for our society to start looking more closely at the needs and the costs of treating the mentally ill. While not all homeless are mentally ill, a LOT of them are. They did not choose this condition, any more that anyone chooses to get cancer, or the flu, or to be hit by a bus (suicides excepted, of course). We should actually examine the costs of being compassionate. I suspect that for those who are kind-hearted human beings, taking care of the mentally ill will be more satisfying. For those who think only of dollars and cents, you will find that the dollar amount to treat a mentally ill person NOW will, BY FAR, be less expensive than taking care of the emergency rooms visits, police interactions, physical damage, etc. that their behaviour can cause.
Just think about it. But DO THINK!
The reason this happened to Mr. Flowers is because a majority of the middle class is beginning to treat the homeless like prisoners who are being tortured.
They are segregated from the rest of society.
They have their property stolen from them by government officials.
They are denied sleep.
They are denied access to public bathrooms.
Why does our society dehumanize the homeless?
What can we do ourselves to rehumanize the homeless?
To read more:
http://www.nowheretolayhishead.org/dehuman…