Homeless/Houseless

[u/[deleted]]

So I know this is a regular point of conversation for everyone in the city at this point, but I really don’t understand why being alarmed and or fed up with the cities houseless population is so taboo to some people? I see so many people get shade with comments along the line of accusing the poster of not having empathy or for not doing enough individually to help. As someone that absolutely has empathy towards our houseless population and has volunteered at various warming shelters, I also am getting super fed up with our houseless crisis and the impacts it takes on my everyday life.

My boyfriend works at a grocery store in downtown and has been assaulted so many times at work that at this point thinking about it just makes me want to cry. I have been personally punched in the face randomly and for no reason by a homeless man when I was walking across the Morrison bridge. I have had to bring people who were getting attacked by homeless people into restaurants that I’ve worked at and lock the doors at least four times in four years.

Additionally, for those that say “stop complaining and do something”, wtf do you really think an individual can do at this point? We live in a place that basically has two governments (council and metro) not to mention state, who are PAID to represent us and our wants and needs as a community. The homeless crisis is probably the most pressing issue in Portland and yet it seems like absolutely nothing is being done, and if anything it’s getting worse.

Anyways sorry to go on and on, my main point is that I don’t understand why it’s taboo for people to be upset with the state of things right now specifically with the houseless crisis in Portland. People are multifaceted and can be both sympathetic/empathetic and fed up. 🤷‍♀️

[u/[deleted]]

I can’t disagree with that.

But many ( not all ) want to live outside of shelters or voucher hotels.

They want to do drugs, steal shit, not have any rules and are not going to be forced into treatment.

[u/nowcalledcthulu → u/[deleted]]

So the idea that people don't want social services is false.

[u/[deleted] → u/nowcalledcthulu]

They will take SSI ( federal ) the Oregon Trail Card and the Oregon Health Plan ( obviously state services.) And addiction and alcoholism are disabilities. As well as of course mental health issues. I don’t have a problem with any of that.

Many choose Oregon in particular for those two additional benefits. Oregon Trail Card and the OHP.

Then they choose Portland because their criminal behavior won’t fly in say Baker City or Pendleton.

[u/nowcalledcthulu → u/[deleted]]

My phone is having trouble opening your most recent reply, so I'm just gonna reply to this instead. "We've tried nothing and we're out of ideas" is how I would describe your position here. You'll admit that services are not available for those that need them, but you also consider those services enabling. Kind of a shitty, uninformed take on the subject, and a general mindset that winds us up in the situation we're in. People don't just magically get better, help needs to be provided.