Letters to the editor
NW Examiner readers reply
Arnold solves problems
The two lead articles [“Bike cop Eli Arnold gears up for another run” and “City shelter is making Pearl District better,” March] were very informative.
Eli Arnold’s views of Portland’s deficiencies and needs revealed him to be a thoughtful leader and problem-solver. Current officials need to accept his wisdom and deliver or step aside. We do not have the luxury of persistently ignoring the first obligation of government: protect its citizens. Citizens means legal residents.
You provide a terrific public service.
Marc Y. Green
SW Vista Ave.
Shelter harming Pearl District
Rob Layne is being disingenuous at best [“City shelter is making Pearl District better,” March]. As a Pearl resident, I can say that things have gotten worse since the opening of the Northrup shelter. There are more homeless people camping in the neighborhood during the day, condominiums are selling for less than they were a year ago, and anecdotal evidence would suggest that apartment occupancy is declining. I walk the neighborhood with a heightened sense of vigilance. And yes, there is more garbage in the streets.
Jim Spencer
NW Marshall St.
Pearl feels unsafe
I just read the homeless article in the NW Examiner. I live at Northwest 14th and Pettygrove. My truck was recently broken into, and I lost a few valuables.
I’ve been living in this area for three years, and ever since the shelter moved in, the area has felt unsafe. Shopping at Safeway is a nightmare, with all the homeless congregating there throughout the day. Safeway has had to implement a lot of security measures that affect residences. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people smoking on the streets or passed out on the ground. Who knows if they are alive, and I don’t see the city do anything. They can say crime is down but are they talking about break ins?
The amount of screaming I hear at night is crazy. Most residents normalize it. That’s not how we should live. The city gives us tickets for overtime parking, but there are no tickets for sleeping on the street.
Thank you for speaking the truth on what’s going out here.
Manuel Varguez
NW Pettygrove St.
Pearl violence increasing
You do a great job covering the increased violence in the Pearl District, largely caused by the new shelters and the Oasis camp at Northwest Broadway and Glisan. The campers leave Oasis every day and gather in the North Park Blocks between Everett and Flanders, where they can do drugs and drink alcohol, which is prohibited at Oasis.
We had the stabbing last week. Today at noon, a woman who lives in North Park Lofts was approached and assaulted twice, first by a woman saying she was going to kill her, then by a man swinging a 2x4 at her. Police were called (see photo), about 10 police officers showed up, they hit him with pepper balls, which weren’t effective so they held him on the ground until they could wrap him up and take him into custody.
In my opinion, the city has cleaned up downtown and pushed all the troublemakers into Old Town and Northwest Portland. The fancy Pearl District is now the dumping ground for Portland’s most dangerous people. The condo I bought 12 years ago for $335,000 is now for sale at $225,000, no takers. We aren’t just losing our quality of life, we’re losing our life savings too.
I hope you will continue to write about this problem. The police officers readily acknowledge the rapidly increasing crime in the North Park Blocks and other parts of Northwest Portland. They are trying their best, but they’ve told us we’ve got to get louder and more assertive with the City Council.
Greg Harmon
NW Eighth Ave.
Stop bitching
For the record, not all Pearl District residents believe “the Northrup Shelter is driving down their quality of life.” Not all Pearl District residents feel more compassion for the Rudinsky’s $5 million loss than for the destitute street brothers who struggle with poverty, mental illness and addiction. Not all Pearl District residents are NIMBYs.
The Pearl District is what we make it. Stop bitching and DO something to make it better or move.
KJ Crumrine
NW Lovejoy St.