Portland's Effort For A New Shelter
Portland has become one of the top places to live in the
country. The glaring issues we see daily are an influx of traffic, people
without places to live, and housing prices rising rapidly. It’s pretty easy to
complain about these problems because it helps to ignore another problem that
has been growing quietly over the last decade. The rising population of
homeless in Portland is apparent when driving through any part of the
city. “Tent-Cities” have popped up along major thoroughfares, under overpasses,
and along the rivers. Every few months, Portland Police will crack down and get
rid of one, and two more will pop up somewhere else. But the underlying issue
isn’t the homeless population setting up in city areas; it is the lack of
resources and care that many of these people need.
In a recent article by KGW News, a
survey states “41 percent (of Portland citizens) have a friend or family member
who has been homeless and 21 percent have personally been homeless at some time
in their lives”. The shutdown of shelters in the last few years has left many
without necessary resources like food and beds. The resulting impact is large
numbers of homeless citizens taking to camping in those areas. A rise in drug paraphernalia
and human waste can be attributed to the lack of facilities and resources for
drug counseling. This, combined with Ted Wheeler and the Portland Police
Bureau’s continued crackdown on homelessness in the last few months has left a
sour taste in the public’s mouth, as we are forced to confront this issue head
on.
Last week, Columbia Outfitters,
took a stance on progress for homeless life in Portland. Columbia had found
itself in the news recently after CEO Tim Boyle voiced his concerns over the
large population of homeless that frequently campled outside their downtown
flagship store. Employees made efforts to clear the sidewalks and were
confronted with threats of violence that led Boyle to consider moving the
store. “Boyle’s November op-ed prompted Wheeler to order police to enforce a broader
no-sit policy”, that in effect led to protests and vocal outrage over the
“solution” that continued to leave this issue unresolved.
Tim Boyle told Oregon Live that his
“personal philosophy (is) that if you say something, you better do something”.
He has pledged to pay $1.5 million to begin construction on a brand new, 100
bed shelter that would be placed on city land near the Broadway Bridge. Project
officials are calling it a “Navigation Center”, whos goal is to offer homeless
a spot to sleep and eat, facilities to bathe and do laundry, and connections to
health care and social programs designed to help them get back on their feet.
Previous plans have included the
effort to utilize the Wapato Jail, the county owned prison, as a homeless
shelter, as well as affordable housing and a homeless campus that would include
all the amenities and services one would need access to. While most of these
efforts have hit a snag with city government officials and county developers,
Boyle’s new initiative is a step in the right direction and one that everyone
in Portland should join in. Homelessness is an issue that needs addressing and
one that we can all find ways to contribute to the quality of life for the city
we live in, and those that live here with us.
To read more on the efforts to help
homeless in Portland, see the following links:
http://www.kptv.com/story/37861798/commissioner-renews-call-to-use-vacant-portland-jail-as-homeless-shelter
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