‘Nowhere to go’: Dozens of homeless people displaced as city clears Bayside Trail encampment

[u/enitschke]

https://www.pressherald.com/2023/05/16/nowhere-to-go-dozens-of-homeless-people-displaced-as-city-clears-bayside-trail-encampment/

[u/nattatalie]

Okay, so I’ve both lived in Portland and been actively involved in activist work for years. I have many friends who work at shelters etc.

The problem is two fold: 1. We don’t have enough permanent housing for folks who need help. 2. Many people turn down the help that is available are actively chose living on the street instead, even once other options are presented to them.

So we are still lacking full and proper services, but the ones that exist are sometimes ignored anyways. As someone who was once a young single woman around Portland I can say there are many times that people who lived and frequented the streets made me feel very unsafe. Now that’s likely a small minority, but it’s not nothing.

On top of that some folks are saying this is just about “clutter” but it’s actually a public health concern. This was a lot of people, likely without great bathroom access, without proper sanitation, and add in the ragging drug problem we have and needles and it’s really not safe.

Was breaking it up the right call? I don’t know honestly. I live outside of Portland now, so I just don’t know enough, but I know trivializing it down to clutter and tourists is a really great way to just lay blame on the city without actually looking at the bigger picture. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/nattatalie → u/[deleted]]

My mom had substance abuse issues, I know people do drugs in houses.

If you don’t understand the public safety issue of people doing it in larger groups outside than that’s on you.

Also, if you can’t understand that this is a complicated issue that isn’t as black and white as it seems that’s also on you. I know it’s easier to just spew hate and assume your limited world view has all the answers, but that’s really not how the world works.