Shelters not a solution
I recently made Portland my permanent home after living in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, New York City and other eastern U.S. cities and towns. I’ve experienced urban life in all its complexity and richness. At 67, I came here deliberately—not to retreat, but to engage. I chose Portland for its scale, culture, access to nature and potential. I invested in a home in the Pearl District because I believed in this city’s future.
I didn’t come here blind. I’ve seen Portland through its darkest moments—its decline, revival and ongoing battle since COVID.
I care deeply about people who are unhoused, suffering and addicted. But I also care about those of us who live here, build businesses, pay taxes and are working to bring this city back to life.
That’s why the mayor’s decision to place a 200-bed overnight shelter in the Pearl feels like a slap in the face. This is a dense, residential, mixed-use neighborhood—home to families, barely surviving businesses and people who deliberately chose to live in the urban core and contribute to Portland’s recovery.
There will be no showers. There’s no clear intake process, no behavioral guidelines, no transportation plan and no clear wrap-around services. People will be discharged at 6 a.m. when no transit is running and residents are walking their dogs, going to the gym next door, grabbing a coffee and commuting to work. What exactly is the plan for them—or for us?
This is not a real solution. It’s a reactive, bare-minimum campaign promise gesture that burdens neighborhoods already doing more than their share. It helps no one, least of all the people in need who deserve care.
This is not compassion but political convenience. And it undermines the people who are reinvesting in Portland in hopes of rebuilding what once made it great.
Ruby Reichardt
NW 12th Ave.
Ill-founded pride
If you build it, they will come. Build more shelters and “services” to support those drug-addled lost souls so they can suffer and die before our eyes. Portland is a destination spot to descend into the hell of heroin, fentanyl or whatever the new drug is.
The solution is simple, cheap, straight-forward and effective. It’s also the most compassionate treatment possible. The solution to the homeless problem would put all of the social workers and homeless advocates out of business in 90 days. Our streets would be safe, and the mentally ill would be treated. Drug addiction would be a rare condition if not totally eradicated.
We might have to forgo our pride in our sense of righteousness and compassion.
It we put drug-addicted people in jail for 30 days to detox under the care of county doctors and nurses, we might also forego the feeling that comes when another poor soul dies in front of us on Portland streets. Can we give up our compassion and actually help people?
Gail Cronyn
NW Luray Terrace
At 6am they will be sent over to the new “Oasis Day Center” in NW Old Town (Broadway & 6th - nw Glisan & Hoyt) across from the Art Collage.
The entire block will be used for the hangout / clean up / resource center. Their hours: 6am - 10pm.
I’ve resided in OTCT for 14 years. I can’t tell you how much this will impact our lively hood and livability here. I imagine this will amplify crime 30% in my neighborhood as well as the neighboring areas.
We must stop our government officials from continuing to center services on our west side!
The “homeless” it turns out are smarter and more particular about where they sleep than we thought. They don’t want one big room with beds spaced 4 feet apart, with no place to put their stuff, no thought for their pets.
The line from a Costner baseball film says: “ If you build it, they will come”.
Seems like it didn’t happen. NO one showed up!
Turns out they don’t want our charity and condescending attitude toward them.
Leave them alone, keep the door open and a hot pot of soup….they will come when they are ready.