Read the descriptions of the people on the streets, look at the pictures or better yet, look for yourself. These are people dealing with severe mental health issues, drug addiction or both. They are not people ready to move into housing, they are not people who can be employed. Low cost housing may be a big issue, but it’s not going to help those people crashed out on the streets of Portland. Portland has a HUGE drug problem and that drug problem leads to crime and until that’s dealt with its not going to get better
Oh, but all they need is "Housing First" with taxpayer-provided "Wraparound Services" from Social Service Providers with "Lived Experience" and plenty of "Harm Reduction" thrown into the mix. Just be patient... Keith Wilson and Jessica Vega Pederson assure us that light is just around the corner!
Thanks Allan, for sharing the story. I'd like to re-iterate that the problem isn't the very few law-abiding patrons that DO stay in the shelter. They are mostly working poor and mentally ill. The problem is that the shelter services located throughout the Pearl now are a magnet for the larger homeless population that declines to stay in shelter, declines to seek or accept treatment, and declines to respect the law. Until we get REAL enforcement of camping bans, loitering laws, open drug use, and drug dealing, this downward spiraling will continue.
I agree. Portlandia is in a death spiral because of the refusal by our political leadership to actually ENFORCE laws that might offend their "victims du jour" (unless it's collecting taxes and fees from housed taxpayers, they're Johnny-on-the spot with that one). Camping, unlicensed vehicle, littering and illegal parking laws need to be enforce rigorously and without bias.
I just sent this email to the Governor and copied in the mayor, city council and the neighborhood association leadership too:
Governor Kotek,
May I respectfully call to your attention that Portland’s Mayor, Keith Wilson, does not appear to be upholding his commitments to the Northwest and Pearl District neighborhoods.
In my years of high-level corporate leadership, an employee(s) in this position would be formally sat down, reminded of their responsibilities, shown where they had failed to meet their commitments, and required to outline corrective steps. Failure to do so would result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Where do we stand on this matter? Taxpayers in these districts are not receiving the representation or accountability previously promised. This lack of follow-through has become increasingly visible on our sidewalks, parks and streets, as highlighted in the NW Examiner article:
🔗 Pearl Neighbors Are Keeping Score
Governor, we deserve better. We deserve preservation and safety in our neighborhoods, and we deserve your leadership in stepping in to support us—before this shelter population grows any further. We, the neighbors, the residents, and the business owners, deserve immediate correction and decisive action to address and fix these problems.
The unsheltered need real help—mental health treatment and drug abuse recovery services. Without intervention, the suffering will continue, harming both them and our neighborhoods. We need solutions rooted in compassion and accountability something we are not seeing!
I commend you for your articulate, thoughtful, rational letter to the Governor, including your lived-experience in management. It should be a wake up call to the Governor that Portlandia is a sinking ship.
I've written to the Governor twice in the last few months and am still awaiting even an acknowledgement that my communication was received. I don't want to come across as Debbie Downer, but I wouldn't hold my breath that you will either Nancy.
I hear you, and I’m not expecting a response from the Governor either. I just wanted to state what I see and experience — and what you may already be dealing with, too. We live here with our eyes wide open, watching the reality of “Portlandia.”
The days of Keep Portland Weird feel long gone. Now we’re left with the consequences of city mismanagement, overspending, and failure to deliver on promises. It’s disheartening, especially when we thought this would be a place to enjoy for the rest of our lives.
WHERE ARE THE MAYOR AND DISTRICT 4 COUNCILORS? They should be walking around doing what Linda has been doing, but they ongoing make horrible decisions and then they just disappear, off to spend more of our tax dollars.
I hate to sound like a stuck record, but this unresponsiveness is the fruit of our ill-conceived and ill-advised, so-called "Charter Reform" debacle. These District 4 Councilors only needed 25% of the vote +1 to be elected. They would never have been elected in a citywide contest requiring 50% of the vote, or a plurality in a 3-way race. Keith Wilson only needed 33% of the vote +1 in his contest. These clowns won't worry that their $133k paychecks are on the line until there's far louder outcry, trust me.
I’ve lived in old town Chinatown for 14 years. In my opinion we are the criminal baseline for the west side.
Probably one of the worst summers I’ve seen down here since 2021/22.
I’m going to say this again: the city must stop centralizing AID on the west side or we will NEVER RECOVER.
P.s. The drug dealers would like thank the city for the Oasis Day Center across the street from the PNCA & Union Station. Not only has business skyrocketed … they’re finding new addicts everyday.
Melissa, earlier mayors were smarter. Vera Katz prohibited any new homeless service/facility to be located closer than a mile from one that already existed. She knew that doing so would harm the neighborhood. But now the homeless industrial complex is firmly rooted in the core of the city, when it should be located OUTSIDE the core, not only for the core's benefit but for the benefit of the homeless themselves during their recovery.
Linda, do be careful when taking pictures. If you can, don't go out alone. I was appalled to see that the city link where residents can report encampments, garbage, blocked sidewalks, aggression, etc. still encouraging people to take photographs. I was physically assaulted while doing this a block away for the camp in question and (I thought) inobtrusively. The person who knocked me into the street, hit me and broke my glasses was screaming at me to get out of "his" neighborhood. It turned out he didn't even live in the encampment. Sorry, that doesn't fly with me. I've lived in the area all my life and was on my way to work at a non-profit down the street. Over time the campers had made that area unbearable with trash, fires, and random frightening behavior. This was also located 1/2 block from a community center. The person had literally been holding the neighborhood hostage with his violent and aggressive behavior and neighbors, while sympathetic did not dare come out to help until this individual had run away to hide in the basement of the church that was sheltering and hiding him. I learned that he already had a social worker and an anger management counselor. Judging by his reign of terror and autonomous behavior, these advocates were not making any inroads nor helping him. Not everyone is dangerous, but you can't always see them coming and if they are armed or under the influence of certain things, taking that photo might be the last thing you do. I was lucky; all I had to do was go to the ER.
I'm so sorry that happened to you, Michael. I will certainly heed your advice. Increasingly, I'm not taking pictures except when certain that I'm not being observed doing so. Even when I take camp/tent pictures from within my car, I try to park far away and go unnoticed. Thank you for sharing your experience and advice.
It appears that the assurances of the city are hollow solutions to your concerns. Backing up these shelters requires an adequate and responsive civil commitment capability, that would either transport some of the severely mentally ill people(several represented in your post) to a local ER where if we had proper laws, they could be committed for up to six weeks, have their care supervised by a judge providing substitute consent, and their liberty interests advocated for in proceedings in the local hospitals with representation by the city. People who violate the law need jail time and we need assertive policing for those injecting drugs as they violate drug possession laws. Unfortunately, as per California v Robinson which goes back to the 1960's, drug addiction per se is not a crime and if they don't have drugs on their person (inside their body doesn't count) they can't be prosecuted. Despite being angry about the way, the city has promised something they couldn't deliver in terms of neighborhood livability; it is very sad to see the severely mentally ill and drug addicted. Despite their protestations to the contrary, their behavior is telling us they need our help, in the way of containment in a hospital where they can get dried out, helped with medications if appropriate, and given a second chance when mentally improved to try to do better. It is not wrong of us to expect a measure of social conformity of them and some personal responsibility.
Read the descriptions of the people on the streets, look at the pictures or better yet, look for yourself. These are people dealing with severe mental health issues, drug addiction or both. They are not people ready to move into housing, they are not people who can be employed. Low cost housing may be a big issue, but it’s not going to help those people crashed out on the streets of Portland. Portland has a HUGE drug problem and that drug problem leads to crime and until that’s dealt with its not going to get better
Oh, but all they need is "Housing First" with taxpayer-provided "Wraparound Services" from Social Service Providers with "Lived Experience" and plenty of "Harm Reduction" thrown into the mix. Just be patient... Keith Wilson and Jessica Vega Pederson assure us that light is just around the corner!
Also… bravo Linda. Keep up the good work! 👏🏻
Thanks Allan, for sharing the story. I'd like to re-iterate that the problem isn't the very few law-abiding patrons that DO stay in the shelter. They are mostly working poor and mentally ill. The problem is that the shelter services located throughout the Pearl now are a magnet for the larger homeless population that declines to stay in shelter, declines to seek or accept treatment, and declines to respect the law. Until we get REAL enforcement of camping bans, loitering laws, open drug use, and drug dealing, this downward spiraling will continue.
I agree. Portlandia is in a death spiral because of the refusal by our political leadership to actually ENFORCE laws that might offend their "victims du jour" (unless it's collecting taxes and fees from housed taxpayers, they're Johnny-on-the spot with that one). Camping, unlicensed vehicle, littering and illegal parking laws need to be enforce rigorously and without bias.
I just sent this email to the Governor and copied in the mayor, city council and the neighborhood association leadership too:
Governor Kotek,
May I respectfully call to your attention that Portland’s Mayor, Keith Wilson, does not appear to be upholding his commitments to the Northwest and Pearl District neighborhoods.
In my years of high-level corporate leadership, an employee(s) in this position would be formally sat down, reminded of their responsibilities, shown where they had failed to meet their commitments, and required to outline corrective steps. Failure to do so would result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Where do we stand on this matter? Taxpayers in these districts are not receiving the representation or accountability previously promised. This lack of follow-through has become increasingly visible on our sidewalks, parks and streets, as highlighted in the NW Examiner article:
🔗 Pearl Neighbors Are Keeping Score
Governor, we deserve better. We deserve preservation and safety in our neighborhoods, and we deserve your leadership in stepping in to support us—before this shelter population grows any further. We, the neighbors, the residents, and the business owners, deserve immediate correction and decisive action to address and fix these problems.
The unsheltered need real help—mental health treatment and drug abuse recovery services. Without intervention, the suffering will continue, harming both them and our neighborhoods. We need solutions rooted in compassion and accountability something we are not seeing!
Thank you
AWESOME! Thank You!
I commend you for your articulate, thoughtful, rational letter to the Governor, including your lived-experience in management. It should be a wake up call to the Governor that Portlandia is a sinking ship.
I've written to the Governor twice in the last few months and am still awaiting even an acknowledgement that my communication was received. I don't want to come across as Debbie Downer, but I wouldn't hold my breath that you will either Nancy.
I hear you, and I’m not expecting a response from the Governor either. I just wanted to state what I see and experience — and what you may already be dealing with, too. We live here with our eyes wide open, watching the reality of “Portlandia.”
The days of Keep Portland Weird feel long gone. Now we’re left with the consequences of city mismanagement, overspending, and failure to deliver on promises. It’s disheartening, especially when we thought this would be a place to enjoy for the rest of our lives.
WHERE ARE THE MAYOR AND DISTRICT 4 COUNCILORS? They should be walking around doing what Linda has been doing, but they ongoing make horrible decisions and then they just disappear, off to spend more of our tax dollars.
I hate to sound like a stuck record, but this unresponsiveness is the fruit of our ill-conceived and ill-advised, so-called "Charter Reform" debacle. These District 4 Councilors only needed 25% of the vote +1 to be elected. They would never have been elected in a citywide contest requiring 50% of the vote, or a plurality in a 3-way race. Keith Wilson only needed 33% of the vote +1 in his contest. These clowns won't worry that their $133k paychecks are on the line until there's far louder outcry, trust me.
I’ve lived in old town Chinatown for 14 years. In my opinion we are the criminal baseline for the west side.
Probably one of the worst summers I’ve seen down here since 2021/22.
I’m going to say this again: the city must stop centralizing AID on the west side or we will NEVER RECOVER.
P.s. The drug dealers would like thank the city for the Oasis Day Center across the street from the PNCA & Union Station. Not only has business skyrocketed … they’re finding new addicts everyday.
Melissa, earlier mayors were smarter. Vera Katz prohibited any new homeless service/facility to be located closer than a mile from one that already existed. She knew that doing so would harm the neighborhood. But now the homeless industrial complex is firmly rooted in the core of the city, when it should be located OUTSIDE the core, not only for the core's benefit but for the benefit of the homeless themselves during their recovery.
IMMENSE Thank You Linda for your research and report!!!
Linda, do be careful when taking pictures. If you can, don't go out alone. I was appalled to see that the city link where residents can report encampments, garbage, blocked sidewalks, aggression, etc. still encouraging people to take photographs. I was physically assaulted while doing this a block away for the camp in question and (I thought) inobtrusively. The person who knocked me into the street, hit me and broke my glasses was screaming at me to get out of "his" neighborhood. It turned out he didn't even live in the encampment. Sorry, that doesn't fly with me. I've lived in the area all my life and was on my way to work at a non-profit down the street. Over time the campers had made that area unbearable with trash, fires, and random frightening behavior. This was also located 1/2 block from a community center. The person had literally been holding the neighborhood hostage with his violent and aggressive behavior and neighbors, while sympathetic did not dare come out to help until this individual had run away to hide in the basement of the church that was sheltering and hiding him. I learned that he already had a social worker and an anger management counselor. Judging by his reign of terror and autonomous behavior, these advocates were not making any inroads nor helping him. Not everyone is dangerous, but you can't always see them coming and if they are armed or under the influence of certain things, taking that photo might be the last thing you do. I was lucky; all I had to do was go to the ER.
I'm so sorry that happened to you, Michael. I will certainly heed your advice. Increasingly, I'm not taking pictures except when certain that I'm not being observed doing so. Even when I take camp/tent pictures from within my car, I try to park far away and go unnoticed. Thank you for sharing your experience and advice.
It appears that the assurances of the city are hollow solutions to your concerns. Backing up these shelters requires an adequate and responsive civil commitment capability, that would either transport some of the severely mentally ill people(several represented in your post) to a local ER where if we had proper laws, they could be committed for up to six weeks, have their care supervised by a judge providing substitute consent, and their liberty interests advocated for in proceedings in the local hospitals with representation by the city. People who violate the law need jail time and we need assertive policing for those injecting drugs as they violate drug possession laws. Unfortunately, as per California v Robinson which goes back to the 1960's, drug addiction per se is not a crime and if they don't have drugs on their person (inside their body doesn't count) they can't be prosecuted. Despite being angry about the way, the city has promised something they couldn't deliver in terms of neighborhood livability; it is very sad to see the severely mentally ill and drug addicted. Despite their protestations to the contrary, their behavior is telling us they need our help, in the way of containment in a hospital where they can get dried out, helped with medications if appropriate, and given a second chance when mentally improved to try to do better. It is not wrong of us to expect a measure of social conformity of them and some personal responsibility.