So You Want To Move To Portland? LOL! (Dallas, Jefferson: homes, neighborhood)

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by sloyd

what's your solution??? its funny, the homeless don't really bother people who grew up here. its the people that what to move here from somewhere else that wish we would get rid of the homeless and make Portland perfect for them.

That statement is scary in itself, could that be the reason it's become the problem it has. The failure to realize it is a massive problem, that not only impacts the quality of life. It also impacts business owners from wanting to set up shop in town. You may not think that goes on, but it most definitely does.

No one expects natives to make Portland perfect for them. However you can't blame people for wondering, how Portland became such a haven for this problem. It gets to the point the newcomer has to ask themselves. Who do these locals and politicians want living here, all these homeless or the taxpayer helping to support Portland and make it prosper. Its a fair question to ask one self not originally from Portland, and having to decide do I stay or is it best I leave.

No one will care from what I saw in Portland, so you have to do what is best for yourself.

[crisw]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

So basically we should make being homeless illegal, anyone who is homeless is now a criminal that will be rounded up and taken to concentration camps outside of the city......not sure this is the best solution with dealing with the homelessness in Portland....

Actually, you should look into Haven for Hope in San Antonio. While not quite as extreme as what Raisinet proposed, the concept is similar- and it works.

Basically, they have a large facility where there is ample space for over a thousand people inside and a few hundred outdoors. Every homeless service possible is headquartered there, from medical assistance to housing assistance to drug rehab programs. All the feeding groups feed people there. Those who choose to live inside must be drug and alcohol-free or actively in rehab and must spend 40 hours a week in programs for self-improvement (getting a GED, job training, etc.) and helping in chores around the facility.Every person has a counselor to help with this. Everyone can get the help they need until they are ready to move into their own place.

Those who are not ready to come inside can stay outside and still have access to services, showers, bathrooms, etc.

Everyone must show proof of having been a county resident of at least one year to discourage those who would move just for the services.

There is a stick along with the carrot; since the homeless now have a place to go, anti-camping restrictions are strictly enforced.

As we don't have enough money to house everyone immediately in their own domicile, this approach should work for us. It's humane, relatively low-cost since most services are provided by non-profit groups, and doable. It gets the homeless into the programs they need and reduces the enormous costs associated with damage to public property,, lost tourism dollars, etc.

We keep talking about using Wapato to house the homeless; this is what we should do there. I know some Portland officials toured Haven for Hope, so it's not like they do not know about it.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by Raisinet

Ground zero. Charlieville. Downtown!

Where the homeless line up their sleeping bags each night under the bridges along the waterfront and in the park blocks.

And it's anything but some cool, hip, urban experience.

Somebody must have been snoring too loud Friday, because they stabbed another one.

Police investigate stabbing at Tom McCall Waterfront Park | OregonLive.com

Well, that was your first mistake, renting a high priced condo downtown rather than in one of the neighborhoods. You would have had a much different experience if that were the case.

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

Well, that was your first mistake, renting a high priced condo downtown rather than in one of the neighborhoods. You would have had a much different experience if that were the case.

Eh. I live downtown right next to the sea of homeless people who hang out in Chinatown and at the waterfront. Never had a problem with any of them. The most that happens is they'll ask for some change, but the vast majority don't even do that.

But yes, if you're not prepared to live with all the things that come with living downtown in any city (traffic, parking, loud noises, high prices, homeless people), don't make the choice to live downtown. Those issues exist in pretty much every large city everywhere.

[Raisinet]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

Well, that was your first mistake, renting a high priced condo downtown rather than in one of the neighborhoods. You would have had a much different experience if that were the case.

So you're good with the downtown, the supposed crown-jewel of Portland being a homeless, lawless, crime-ridden slum and the answer is "we screwed up, people shouldn't live there, and it's great on your side of the fence in Portland?"

[Raisinet]

Originally Posted by crisw

Actually, you should look into Haven for Hope in San Antonio. While not quite as extreme as what Raisinet proposed, the concept is similar- and it works.

Basically, they have a large facility where there is ample space for over a thousand people inside and a few hundred outdoors. Every homeless service possible is headquartered there, from medical assistance to housing assistance to drug rehab programs. All the feeding groups feed people there. Those who choose to live inside must be drug and alcohol-free or actively in rehab and must spend 40 hours a week in programs for self-improvement (getting a GED, job training, etc.) and helping in chores around the facility.Every person has a counselor to help with this. Everyone can get the help they need until they are ready to move into their own place.

Those who are not ready to come inside can stay outside and still have access to services, showers, bathrooms, etc.

Everyone must show proof of having been a county resident of at least one year to discourage those who would move just for the services.

There is a stick along with the carrot; since the homeless now have a place to go, anti-camping restrictions are strictly enforced.

As we don't have enough money to house everyone immediately in their own domicile, this approach should work for us. It's humane, relatively low-cost since most services are provided by non-profit groups, and doable. It gets the homeless into the programs they need and reduces the enormous costs associated with damage to public property,, lost tourism dollars, etc.

We keep talking about using Wapato to house the homeless; this is what we should do there. I know some Portland officials toured Haven for Hope, so it's not like they do not know about it.

You're right on the mark. This is basically the only sort of path that will fix this train-wreck.

I'm amazed that Portlanders are both content with and want to mentally view the homeless, their fellow human-beings, as the equivalent of some stray cat that they let sleep on their sidewalks and doorsteps in the sun, rain, and cold and then brag what great humans and liberals they are for allowing these people the privilege of having done so.

[Raisinet]

Originally Posted by elle2124

My thoughts exactly, it depends where you're moving from. From Southern California...the amount of homeless is extreme, traffic and COL is still way better. Gang activity I have not experienced at all. But it's only been several months.

Feel free to browse the gang activity and shootings at your leisure:

https://www.flashalert.net/news.html?id=3056

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by Raisinet

So you're good with the downtown, the supposed crown-jewel of Portland being a homeless, lawless, crime-ridden slum and the answer is "we screwed up, people shouldn't live there, and it's great on your side of the fence in Portland?"

Actually I understand that living in urban areas comes with the good and the bad, this is no different anywhere else. Head up to Seattle and you will see homeless in Belltown where the cost of urban housing is some of the highest.

In just about every city in have been to have had a mixture of the good and the bad. If one isn't prepared for that, then downtown isn't the best place for them. I lived on the edge of downtown Portland for about a decade, I saw plenty of good and bad things. It just never bothered me, if it bothers you, then that isn't a good place for you.

[thedownlow]

These people will continue to ignore that there are major problems here with the homeless. I've never seen anywhere with so many bums in my life.

If you're all so against doing anything about the problem, maybe you should be the first to open your doors and let them stay at your place, instead of having public sex and leaving drug needles all around our parks, they can do it in the comfort of your homes

Stay classy Portland.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Raisinet

Ground zero. Charlieville. Downtown!

Where the homeless line up their sleeping bags each night under the bridges along the waterfront and in the park blocks.

And it's anything but some cool, hip, urban experience.

Somebody must have been snoring too loud Friday, because they stabbed another one.

Police investigate stabbing at Tom McCall Waterfront Park | OregonLive.com

When I was living and working in Portland, I was approached by someone who was very high wanting money for more drugs. He said so while he threatened me. I was on the corner of Salmon and 12th waiting for the bus along side the Unitarian church. Fortunately for me, the cops were paroling that area and they grabbed him.

Then after I got a job in the heart of downtown the people at my bus stop were constantly being asked for money by beggars who knew they had a captive audience.

So what are people who want to work supposed to go? Jobs are downtown. You don't have to live there to be harassed on a daily basis and I think maybe women, especially older ones are more harassed than men because they appear to be more vulnerable.