“Upon leaving the shelter in the morning, clients will be given a free daylong streetcar pass.”
Is this the City’s proposal for day shelters?
At the Portland Center Stage meeting Mayor Wilson and staff said they would have something in place connecting people to services when they leave the shelter in the morning.
Putting them all on the streetcar is not the solution, nor fulfillment of the commitment made at the meeting.
Plus, it some cases it could affect the safety of others riding on the streetcar.
Fare Inspectors / Streetcar staff ride and check proof of payment. They can issue warnings or citations for fare evasion and code of conduct violations. Bottom line: If an unhoused person has a valid day pass, they have the same right to ride as anyone else. Only misconduct—such as harassment, drug use, fare evasion, or vandalism—can result in enforcement actions
So we may begin to see folks using the street car as an alternative day center.
I’ve observed one fare inspection on Tri Met in the last 5 or 6 YEARS. The indigent and those who are simply fare scofflaws aren’t required to pay in my “lived experience”. People board buses all the time without paying. Ride one in certain neighborhoods and watch.
Interesting observation… for my own safety I usually drive, but recently we decided to take the Portland Streetcar. An inspector got on, woke up a man, and told him he was at his stop—the Central Library—and he got off. About two weeks ago, I also saw another inspector checking fares.
Maybe the word is out to start collecting again, since the parking lot attendants also seem to be issuing more tickets lately!
And honestly—I have no problem holding all people accountable for doing what they should be doing. What a novel idea. Imagine that.
I confess, I ride the bus and Max only so I made a big assumption there. But just yesterday I witnessed two separate individuals not paying their fares on a one way trip from inner NE into town. Fare evasion is ubiquitous in inner city and east county, at least on the bus and the trains.
I agree with your sentiments about holding people responsible for what they should be doing! I think that is the biggest problem we face in Portlandia today…the refusal to require any accountability from certain segments of our population.
Rob Layne, communication strategist with Portland Solutions, offered this response today:
The city is working diligently to address issues about unsanctioned campsites as well as other livability concerns within the 1,000-foot engagement area. If you’re seeing a campsite in an area that we can conduct removal, please report using www.portland.gov/report/campsite.
For immediate shelter specific issues, please contact the NW Northrup Shelter at 971-230-5350. For more city-specific concerns such as re-occurring unsanctioned campers, significant trash or graffiti, please email our Shelter Services Inbox at shelterservices@portlandoregon.gov.
The email inbox is checked multiple times a day by the Portland Solution’s Engagement Team. Finally, for more ongoing issues such as general lighting, safety, and livability concerns, we encourage attendance at the NW Portland’s problem solver meeting. Connect with the PEMO team at pemo@portlandoregon.gov for an invitation.
Not to be Debbie Downer here, but I’m skeptical. When I’ve reported campsites, the result is the squatters are eventually contacted or at least posted for a campsite removal IN 72 HOURS. Is the City going to suspend their (completely arbitrary now) 72 hour “grace” period? Methinks not. After all what kind of pushback will the ACLU and our local NGO/ Homeless Industrial Complex give Keith Wilson? And why would our DSA Comrades on the City Council be amenable to doing anything to mitigate the quality of life issues affecting mere taxpayers and the Bourgeoisie?
I wouldn’t hold my breath expecting things to suddenly get better in terms of responsiveness out of City Hall.
Section 3 of ORS 195.505 states "at least 72 hours before removing homeless individuals from an established camping site, law enforcement officials shall post a written notice, in English and Spanish, at all entrances to the camping site to the extent that the entrances can reasonably be identified."
Don't blame the Mayor. Don't blame the City Council. Blame the state legislature which changed the notification before removal time from 24 hours to 72 hours in 2021.
Thank you for that clarification! I will contact my State Senator and Rep. (different from yours) about this. There is no reason there has to be 72 hours of warning to any scofflaw for any violation of the law.
Looking back in the archives, I see that ORS 195.505 was a tandem House Bill 3124 to then House Speaker Tina Kotek's infamous House Bill 3115, which codified into Oregon law, the 9th Circuit Court's decision limiting what municipalities could do to prevent camping in public spaces. This of course was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court, but of course I've never seen our Governor make any effort to have the legislature adjust this Oregon law to this newer, overriding decision. Quelle suprise!
Maybe it's time we go back to a 24 hours warning, and remove the onerous requirements of towns and cities to provide a shelter bed for every vagrant before we can enforce camping laws. What we are doing is not working and everyone who isn't on the payroll will admit it.
According to OPB, future Governor Kotek said this when House Bill 3115 passed:
“This bill is one piece of a much bigger effort to address Oregon’s housing crisis by increasing the state’s supply of affordable housing, supporting Oregonians who are experiencing homelessness, preventing evictions and foreclosures, and reducing housing disparities for communities of color.”
4 years later and things are worse: camping on our sidewalks and streets is rampant, money continues to be flushed down the toilet, there's no oversight of funding, no mechanism to get people off the streets, and she's our Governor.
Streetcar passes should only be for a few of the hours surrounding coming and going to the shelter, NOT all day! But that certainly explains why yesterday’s Streetcar midmorning was filled with more street people than usual, much to the dismay of the out-of-town visitors and their kids. You know, the people who spend their money here.
Thank you to Pearl District neighbor Curtis Holloway for his input and insight into the internal operations of the NW Northrup Shelter. His contributions are greatly appreciated, as is his long-standing volunteer service preparing meals for those in need throughout the years I’ve known him. Through all of this—politics aside—we must not lose sight of the truth: these are people, human beings, each with their own story and reasons for how they got where they are today!
There are clear process & accountability failures—departments keep bouncing emails around despite the Mayor’s promises. Yet camps remain long past the legal 72-hour notice, if action even happens.
The City departmental personnel hide behind “no jurisdiction under the 405,” while ODOT admits they’ll only “do what we can with the limited funding available for camp removals.” Very concerning — this sets the stage for failure and leaves our neighborhoods at risk.
And one big question: if drugs aren’t allowed inside the shelter, where are they being stored?
“Upon leaving the shelter in the morning, clients will be given a free daylong streetcar pass.”
Is this the City’s proposal for day shelters?
At the Portland Center Stage meeting Mayor Wilson and staff said they would have something in place connecting people to services when they leave the shelter in the morning.
Putting them all on the streetcar is not the solution, nor fulfillment of the commitment made at the meeting.
Plus, it some cases it could affect the safety of others riding on the streetcar.
Excellent point!
Fare Inspectors / Streetcar staff ride and check proof of payment. They can issue warnings or citations for fare evasion and code of conduct violations. Bottom line: If an unhoused person has a valid day pass, they have the same right to ride as anyone else. Only misconduct—such as harassment, drug use, fare evasion, or vandalism—can result in enforcement actions
So we may begin to see folks using the street car as an alternative day center.
I’ve observed one fare inspection on Tri Met in the last 5 or 6 YEARS. The indigent and those who are simply fare scofflaws aren’t required to pay in my “lived experience”. People board buses all the time without paying. Ride one in certain neighborhoods and watch.
Interesting observation… for my own safety I usually drive, but recently we decided to take the Portland Streetcar. An inspector got on, woke up a man, and told him he was at his stop—the Central Library—and he got off. About two weeks ago, I also saw another inspector checking fares.
Maybe the word is out to start collecting again, since the parking lot attendants also seem to be issuing more tickets lately!
And honestly—I have no problem holding all people accountable for doing what they should be doing. What a novel idea. Imagine that.
I confess, I ride the bus and Max only so I made a big assumption there. But just yesterday I witnessed two separate individuals not paying their fares on a one way trip from inner NE into town. Fare evasion is ubiquitous in inner city and east county, at least on the bus and the trains.
I agree with your sentiments about holding people responsible for what they should be doing! I think that is the biggest problem we face in Portlandia today…the refusal to require any accountability from certain segments of our population.
Rob Layne, communication strategist with Portland Solutions, offered this response today:
The city is working diligently to address issues about unsanctioned campsites as well as other livability concerns within the 1,000-foot engagement area. If you’re seeing a campsite in an area that we can conduct removal, please report using www.portland.gov/report/campsite.
You can check the status of the city’s campsite removal operations at https://pdx.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/c68d1d2e29e444a7b70f20aaafcbfbeb. If something is taking longer than a few days + the 72-hour posting period or if it is a re-occurring camp, email the Shelter Service Inbox at shelterservices@portlandoregon.gov.
For immediate shelter specific issues, please contact the NW Northrup Shelter at 971-230-5350. For more city-specific concerns such as re-occurring unsanctioned campers, significant trash or graffiti, please email our Shelter Services Inbox at shelterservices@portlandoregon.gov.
The email inbox is checked multiple times a day by the Portland Solution’s Engagement Team. Finally, for more ongoing issues such as general lighting, safety, and livability concerns, we encourage attendance at the NW Portland’s problem solver meeting. Connect with the PEMO team at pemo@portlandoregon.gov for an invitation.
Not to be Debbie Downer here, but I’m skeptical. When I’ve reported campsites, the result is the squatters are eventually contacted or at least posted for a campsite removal IN 72 HOURS. Is the City going to suspend their (completely arbitrary now) 72 hour “grace” period? Methinks not. After all what kind of pushback will the ACLU and our local NGO/ Homeless Industrial Complex give Keith Wilson? And why would our DSA Comrades on the City Council be amenable to doing anything to mitigate the quality of life issues affecting mere taxpayers and the Bourgeoisie?
I wouldn’t hold my breath expecting things to suddenly get better in terms of responsiveness out of City Hall.
Paul, in regards to your statement, ". Is the City going to suspend their (completely arbitrary now) 72 hour “grace” period?
The 72 hour "grace" period is not arbitrary. It is Oregon State Law. https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_195.505
Section 3 of ORS 195.505 states "at least 72 hours before removing homeless individuals from an established camping site, law enforcement officials shall post a written notice, in English and Spanish, at all entrances to the camping site to the extent that the entrances can reasonably be identified."
Don't blame the Mayor. Don't blame the City Council. Blame the state legislature which changed the notification before removal time from 24 hours to 72 hours in 2021.
What can you do?
Contact our State Senator Lisa Reynolds
503-986-1717
Sen.LisaReynolds@oregonlegislature.gov
and our representative, Shannon Isadore
503-986-1433
Rep.ShannonIsadore@oregonlegislature.gov.
Thank you for that clarification! I will contact my State Senator and Rep. (different from yours) about this. There is no reason there has to be 72 hours of warning to any scofflaw for any violation of the law.
Looking back in the archives, I see that ORS 195.505 was a tandem House Bill 3124 to then House Speaker Tina Kotek's infamous House Bill 3115, which codified into Oregon law, the 9th Circuit Court's decision limiting what municipalities could do to prevent camping in public spaces. This of course was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court, but of course I've never seen our Governor make any effort to have the legislature adjust this Oregon law to this newer, overriding decision. Quelle suprise!
Maybe it's time we go back to a 24 hours warning, and remove the onerous requirements of towns and cities to provide a shelter bed for every vagrant before we can enforce camping laws. What we are doing is not working and everyone who isn't on the payroll will admit it.
According to OPB, future Governor Kotek said this when House Bill 3115 passed:
“This bill is one piece of a much bigger effort to address Oregon’s housing crisis by increasing the state’s supply of affordable housing, supporting Oregonians who are experiencing homelessness, preventing evictions and foreclosures, and reducing housing disparities for communities of color.”
4 years later and things are worse: camping on our sidewalks and streets is rampant, money continues to be flushed down the toilet, there's no oversight of funding, no mechanism to get people off the streets, and she's our Governor.
Streetcar passes should only be for a few of the hours surrounding coming and going to the shelter, NOT all day! But that certainly explains why yesterday’s Streetcar midmorning was filled with more street people than usual, much to the dismay of the out-of-town visitors and their kids. You know, the people who spend their money here.
Thank you to Pearl District neighbor Curtis Holloway for his input and insight into the internal operations of the NW Northrup Shelter. His contributions are greatly appreciated, as is his long-standing volunteer service preparing meals for those in need throughout the years I’ve known him. Through all of this—politics aside—we must not lose sight of the truth: these are people, human beings, each with their own story and reasons for how they got where they are today!
There are clear process & accountability failures—departments keep bouncing emails around despite the Mayor’s promises. Yet camps remain long past the legal 72-hour notice, if action even happens.
The City departmental personnel hide behind “no jurisdiction under the 405,” while ODOT admits they’ll only “do what we can with the limited funding available for camp removals.” Very concerning — this sets the stage for failure and leaves our neighborhoods at risk.
And one big question: if drugs aren’t allowed inside the shelter, where are they being stored?
Thanks for the transparency city. And putting ordinary citizens at risk...AGAIN!