Homeless campsite in SE Portland inconveniencing neighbors and pushing them out of city

A group of neighborhoods spent months getting the city's attention about the removal of a homeless campsite off southeast 80th and Rhine.

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[jayhumphreys]

“We don’t have a place to live, we’re on drugs, and that’s just the way that it is.” Sums it up perfectly.

[amandagill]

A year ago I drove my daughter to Portland State University. It was awful, I hated leaving her there. Sure enough, she got chased down the sidewalk by a guy trying to burn her with a cigarette. She had another beg for food so she gave him a pizza and he threw it at her and smashed it on her face, another one tried to grab her phone. One came up to the window naked and kept giving her the bird and throwing stuff. She called the police and they informed her that they weren't taking calls right now. WTF?
Then one came into the school cafeteria and was trying to get student's food cards. Reported it to campus police and they never came.
Needless to say, we decided after 1 semester that PSU is a sh$% school and nobody gives a fig there about the safety of the students so she came home and is still paying that crappy school for that one semester. They call her every month for more money and couldn't be bothered to take her call when she was in danger on campus.

[jean-bernardjoly]

It’s a lawless society! But please don’t forget to renew your license plate, you’ll be in deep trouble !

[holzmann]

There's no fixing this without cruelty, but it must be fixed.
It was cruel to let it get to this point.

[PlungingRealtor]

It’s funny how these homeless can break countless laws, but boy, if we law abiding citizens stop paying taxes, pay for plate renewals, the government is right at your doorstep. This is ridiculous and needs to be taken care of. Officials, stop sitting on your hands and do something.

[funguykel]

This is pathetic. However, who did these people in Portland vote for to allow this to happen. That is what I want to know.

[saudade]

Hey Portland.
YOU put Wheeler back in the Mayor’s office.
YOU put the City Council back in office.
YOU asked for this.
YOU DESERVE THIS.
Don’t move to my town, I don’t want your filthy politics contaminating my town.
I don’t want the homeless in my town, but I REALLY don’t want the people who ALLOWED this in my town.

[Teddy]

I lived in Portland from 1996-2006. I lived on the SE side. I'm so glad I moved! It's just disgusting in Portland now.

[frandarby]

I think it's sad that the woman they interviewed said basically they are just waiting for the government to provide a solution. No you need to get in rehab, and be your own solution. It's the victim mentality that will keep u down forever!

[takejoy]

Very disingenuous to title this piece suggesting the residents are simply "inconvenienced." It's not an inconvenience, it's dangerous. Residents are not being elitist, they are expecting their governing body - for which they pay taxes for representation - to do their job and keep the neighborhood safe and livable. What has happened to cities - even moderately sized cities - on both coasts has been a true tragedy for all involved.

[jeffcarroll]

Isn't this what the people of Portland voted for? I want them to get more, much more of what they voted for.

[cruisecontrol]

To the homeless lady, " that sounds like a you problem. Who made the choice to do drugs knowing the effects?"

[anthonymorris]

When you allow these camps to exist, you are facilitating their misery and are culpable in their suffering. Homeless camps serve nobody's interest.

[randallstewart]

It is still a long way off, but Portland should take a hard, cold look at the history of the decline and fall of Detroit. When the normal residents who pay the outrageous taxes which pay to run the city start moving out, the tax base collapses, and the tax income falls. Once that starts happening, the city better have a serious solution soon, because it's a slippery slope which they will not be able to stop once it starts.

[stevehunt]

I lived in Portland from 1977 - 1995. It was such a nice place then. What a shame to see what it's become.

[Floridaboy]

I don’t understand why anyone in Portland is complaining or moving out. This is exactly what they wanted and voted for.

[xmouuuq]

I was incarcerated too and left to fend for myself on these streets when I got out! Did I go straight to back to being shyt again?! No!! I chose to stay sober and now I’ve got an apartment because I chose to be sober(in fear of getting locked up again and again) enough to get a cooking job and I’ve got an incredible life far better than what I could have ever dreamed
Of and I have a girlfriend who accepts me for who Iam and loves me. I worked extremely hard to get at this point! And I’m still working hard to maintain and improve my life. You can’t get that from a fucking handout or law that’s passed.. you get that from getting your shyt together at whatever cost no matter how uncomfortable it is!

[christaylor]

Move the encampments across the street from the Governor's mansion, Mayor's house as well as City Council and you'll see swift action taken

[jayorman]

The homeless population, street racing culture, and absolutely insane housing costs convinced my family to abandon the area last year. It’s a shame because 10 years ago Portland was one of the most awesome cities in the world.

[Bham]

2:18 is everything. It isn't about personal responsibility. It's about "others need to give us..."