Is all of Portland really this depressingly bad? (Sherwood, Donald: home, find a job)

[oldtintype]

All of the cities on the west coast have a large homeless population because it's possible to live outside year round. There ARE programs for the homeless but I don't think any city, Portland, included, has a handle on it. It's more complex than just providing shelters.

There is a "10 year plan to end homelessness" in Portland, whether it's actually effective or not will remain to be seen.

[psi2007]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

All of the cities on the west coast have a large homeless population because it's possible to live outside year round. There ARE programs for the homeless but I don't think any city, Portland, included, has a handle on it. It's more complex than just providing shelters.

There is a "10 year plan to end homelessness" in Portland, whether it's actually effective or not will remain to be seen.

There is a certain addiction to homelessness for a great many of them. In order for the plan to work it will have to really understand the problem.
Even if you provide shelters or housing many won't stay. If your city is going to allow it, section off some tent city kind of area and let that be the only place to live if you're homeless. San Juan, PR has La Perla which is outside the old city walls. Los Angeles has or had one. These areas become notorious but at least they are within certain coordinates and its predictable and limited. If homelessness is spread all over the city that is not going to be good for anyone.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by psi2007

There is a certain addiction to homelessness for a great many of them. In order for the plan to work it will have to really understand the problem.
Even if you provide shelters or housing many won't stay. If your city is going to allow it, section off some tent city kind of area and let that be the only place to live if you're homeless. San Juan, PR has La Perla which is outside the old city walls. Los Angeles has or had one. These areas become notorious but at least they are within certain coordinates and its predictable and limited. If homelessness is spread all over the city that is not going to be good for anyone.

We do have this in Portland but I suppose not everyone wants to live there or qualifies. It's been moved from it's original site but until I just looked it up I didn't know it still existed.

I am afraid the gauntlet of homeless I walk by in the early morning on my way to work would not be candidates for this place. They are appear to be transients who sleep in the doorways of the many empty buildings but move on before most people see them. The cops chase them away but new ones take their place in about a month's time.

Dignity Village - Home

I was browsing their web page just now and thought I would also post the story of their history. So much has changed since the 80's in this town.

http://www.dignityvillage.org/conten...&id=1&Itemid=2

[chattypatty]

Originally Posted by DestinationSeattle

I know people get defensive and want to stick up for the places they live. I get that. But if this is the attitude most Portlanders have when people criticize their city, I'm even more glad we're not moving there. You can have it. Portland is a dump.

I'm sorry you had to encounter so many immature twits on this forum. So much for being "non judgmental" of another poster.

Look, I have lived in Portland for 31 years, though the last 4 years, I've been living abroad. We are set to return to Portland in about two weeks, and will be there approximately one year before we go abroad again. I was very interested to read this thread just to see what's new. I do have friends in PDX who tell me "it's changed, and you won't like it." Hmmm.

First of all, if you found the tar paper shacks, you definitely wandered over to the wrong side of the tracks. Sorry about that. I know it can be scary (with good reason!) I'm not going to allow some idiot twit to make me feel guilty for honoring my intuition about crime-infested areas or dangerous vagrants, and I hope you won't allow them to make you feel guilty either.

Portland neighborhoods are known for being spotty. One street can be gorgeous with trim little lawns that show pride in ownership, and the next street over can be Whitetrashville or Gangland. This is especially true of the region east of the city.

Some reasonably safe, interesting, established neighborhoods on the east side are Laurelhurst, Ladd's Addition, Alameda, Mt. Tabor, Sellwood, and Eastmoreland (where Reed College is). I lived many years in Mt. Tabor. Sellwood is also nice.

On the west side, you will find more suburban type neighborhoods but some still have personality, like Multnomah Village, Raleigh Hills (essentially Hillsdale). Close in downtown is NW Portland neighborhood, where I also lived for a while and had the happiest years of my life. Also near there is Pearl District. The West Hills is very expensive with large homes (that's the area by Washington Park).

Downtown has always been a little dicey from time to time, especially at night, but I'm surprised to hear of people urinating and defecating in full view of passers by. I must say, that's not something I ever saw! Oy.

When I married, I moved to my husband's farm outside of Sherwood, and Sherwood is a very remote bedroom community, but nice, pristine clean, with good schools and friendly people. Frankly, I'm way past the stage where my goal in life is too look cool to my little punk friends. I'm sorry to hear, though, that downtown has gotten a bit out of control with the homeless and the "youth."

Some of the nice things about Portland: many excellent, world class restaurants, an active cultural center for ballet, symphony, opera, and orchestra and theatre, and the best health food stores and many, many alternative medicine practitioners to choose from if you are into that.

There is a bit of the liberal fascism in the urban set, which you will also find in Seattle, but out in suburbia, you will find more tolerance. Most people are pretty laid back.

I wish you luck as you settle in Seattle, but don't be afraid to visit Portland. Just come with someone who knows the area.

[no one special]

This thread has received a lot of attention. If this person wants to go to Seattle, let them and lets be done with it. Many people have been here and discussed the finer parts of Portland. If we get a little defensive about it, so what? There are those of us that love living here and will defend this city forever because we are passionate about it. I am sure your passions, whatever they may be, are very well defended also. Nobody should be judged at taking criticism about something they love and then standing up to defend it. That is what passion is all about.

I for one don't want anyone to move here who doesn't want to. Go to Seattle then. It doesn't have any bearing on any of our lives. I have had it with negative people and really don't want them here. Portland is not Pleasantville. How boring. Go to Seattle. Go to Seattle. Go to Seattle.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by chattypatty

I'm sorry you had to encounter so many immature twits on this forum. So much for being "non judgmental" of another poster.

Calling fellow posters names seems neither mature nor non-judgemental.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by no one special

This thread has received a lot of attention. If this person wants to go to Seattle, let them and lets be done with it. Many people have been here and discussed the finer parts of Portland. If we get a little defensive about it, so what? There are those of us that love living here and will defend this city forever because we are passionate about it. I am sure your passions, whatever they may be, are very well defended also. Nobody should be judged at taking criticism about something they love and then standing up to defend it. That is what passion is all about.

I for one don't want anyone to move here who doesn't want to. Go to Seattle then. It doesn't have any bearing on any of our lives. I have had it with negative people and really don't want them here. Portland is not Pleasantville. How boring. Go to Seattle. Go to Seattle. Go to Seattle.

Passion is a marvelous thing. Kudos for you, no one special.

[chattypatty]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Calling fellow posters names seems neither mature nor non-judgemental.

You may be right, Enrico. But it really does flip my switch when an OP is obviously distressed and has had a bad experience, wondering what to think about what she has seen, and other posters attack her and call her stupid, tell her she obviously didn't plan her trip, or accuse her of being a bigot because aggressive vagrants make her uneasy.

When someone is distressed, I feel compassion toward them and try to encourage them. I don't understand attacking her. Why? Can't you love your city without being so threatened by someone else's negative experience of it? And how mean to tell someone "Go to Seattle - we don't want you here." It doesn't really give Portland a very good name.

And I have to say, I'm kind of shocked by some of the comments here, because in my experience living there for 30 years or so, most people in Portland are reasonably friendly and helpful. It makes me wonder if the mean people are recent transplants from somewhere else.

[no one special]

Originally Posted by chattypatty

When someone is distressed, I feel compassion toward them and try to encourage them. I don't understand attacking her. Why? Can't you love your city without being so threatened by someone else's negative experience of it? And how mean to tell someone "Go to Seattle - we don't want you here." It doesn't really give Portland a very good name.

And I have to say, I'm kind of shocked by some of the comments here, because in my experience living there for 30 years or so, most people in Portland are reasonably friendly and helpful. It makes me wonder if the mean people are recent transplants from somewhere else.

Telling someone that has stated over and over they don't want to be here that it is ok to go someone else is hardly mean. This thread has received a lot of needed attention but this person has clearly stated even after reading all the positive things people wrote (self included in those positive writings if you go back some) that they would rather be somewhere else. I am a very kind person but I think we have all given enough time and energy to this one sole and there are so many others out there that really want to move here that could use encouragement and assistance. I have empathy too. But this person doesn't seem to want to hear it. They are bent on going to Seattle. So just let them. Not everyone will love our city as we do. That's ok. All I am trying to say is no hard feelings- just go to Seattle and we will all try to stop convincing you otherwise.

[no one special]

Originally Posted by chattypatty

It makes me wonder if the mean people are recent transplants from somewhere else.

PS: I am a native Portlander. Not a "transplant."