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The clearing of homeless camps from Portland’s streets is often and crudely described as a game of Whac-A-Mole. But another frivolous analogy comes to mind after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled cities could enforce strict camping bans: Homelessness policy on the West Coast has been written with an Etch A Sketch, which the courts shake every few years, sending cities and states back to the drawing board. Oregon, which structured its camping laws around previous court rulings, now must decide whether to draw them again (“Breaking Camp,” WW, July 10). The law-and-order candidates running for Portland City Hall this November certainly want a do-over. Here’s what our readers had to say:
omnichord, via Reddit: “All else aside, this is a really useful article in that it clearly covers each layer of this. It’s super confusing keeping track of how each piece (city, state, national) interact.
“If I were a mayor of some medium-sized city in California with a homelessness issue that exceeded my resources, I would be looking at the Oregon state-level bill with disbelief at my good luck. Just a matter of rounding people up and sending them here then letting us deal with them.”
Scott Falconer, via Facebook: “Cities now have the tools to make homelessness someone else’s problem. The cities with the least amount of tolerance for cruelty will now get more homeless folk.”
the irreducible, via Twitter: “We’re not cracking down on homelessness, only the visible symptoms of it. On target and so depressing.”
pdxcommentor, via wweek.com: “If shelter is the roadblock to immediately clearing our streets, then what is the problem with standing up shelter immediately, if even only temporary?
“The city owns Memorial Coliseum, which is a facility that can more than adequately accommodate every single person who is sleeping on the streets. That facility is underutilized, is ideally located, and is nothing more than a money-sucking albatross. Put it to use immediately for our common good!
“If that facility cannot accommodate cars and RVs, Metro owns the Expo Center, which has acres of ground-level parking and full utility service. It is also underutilized. Put it to use!
“Please join me in demanding the clowns who run our city, county, and state to clean it now!”
Harley Leiber, in response: “The shelter model currently being used is obsolete. In at 6, out a 6, line up at 6, rinse and repeat. We need more long-term managerial solutions. Those cost money, and it’s time to acknowledge that late stage, chronically homeless folks need a bed, a roof and a bathroom. Living rough was never meant to be glamorous. It does afford the more innovative with a measure of independence and privacy, however. So, we build dorms and congregate living alternatives...nothing fancy. Bunk beds, lockers, bathrooms and garbage cans, communal kitchens, etc. But, first, our esteemed elected officials need to get over their fantasy that affordable housing will solve the problem. It’ll help for sure. But that is predicated on people paying some of the cost themselves. The new shelter model addresses the reality that some of our current crop of homeless folks are, and will remain, for all intents and purposes, permanently homeless. But they need to get off the streets. In order to accomplish that, they need some place to go. Putting them in jail is a waste of jail space.”
Eli Arnold, candidate for Portland City Council District 4, via Twitter: “Now we are free to figure out how to provide shelter and enforce rules to minimize harm. Unregulated street camping harms everyone.”
BALLOT BUDDY IS A PAL
As an 86-year-old voter in Portland, I appreciate your clearly written and beautifully illustrated explanation of the newly developed ranked voting process [Ballot Buddy, WW, July 10]. It’s been a pleasure to read each week’s installment, each with its subtle touches of humor. I can’t thank you enough. Sheila Pastore
Letters to the editor must include the author’s street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words. Submit to: P.O. Box 10770, Portland, OR 97296 Email: mzusman@wweek.com