Most disgusting place in Portland
The on-ramp to I-5 southbound at the Rose Quarter in Portland has become one of the saddest scenes I can remember seeing in some time. As motorists enter the freeway, over to their right are all the signs of a homeless camp -- a homeless toilet, to be more precise. I'll spare the details, but there are a lot of them.
This situation reflects so poorly on the state, the county, the city, and the Trail Blazers, whose many multi-millionaires park their luxury cars not 50 yards from the location in question. Whose responsibility is it to clean up after our lost souls?
We'll keep you posted.
(And before someone leaves a comment that this is what we get for voting against Measure 30, let me say I've considered that.)
| Posted at 6:19 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (9)
People experiencing homelessness migrate to highway off-ramps and on-ramps after having nowhere else to go-
Robert, 41 years old, 2 years homeless
To give one answer about what is being done, visit Crossroads, learn about the Right To Sleep Campaign and the 10 Year Plan.
Posted by Stephen | February 9, 2004 6:44 PM
You and I live in the same neighborhood and work in the same part of town, so I bet we hit that ramp a lot. It has deteriorated there significantly. There looks to be a huge mound of clothing and trash. Or is that a body under there? Lately I've been seeing the homeless man with the dog and what looks to be a covered wagon pulled by his bike.
I won't say anything about Measure 30 , but I will say that now that the Oregon Health Plan is no more expect to see a lot more folks at that exit.
Posted by alan | February 9, 2004 7:46 PM
I know that Portland and Multnomah County switched to an "open air" mental health "plan" even before Measure 28 went down. I guess as long as they stay out of the Pearl District and RiverPlace, people who need help can turn up anywhere.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 9, 2004 9:52 PM
I have never been homeless but I have been poor. I will not pretend to understand how hard it is to be homeless and to pick yourself up from that state. The one that bugs me is the lady that has been standing at the corner of Broadway and MLK for the past month. To me it seems very apparent that doesn't want to do something more constructive to correct her situation. After the first week of this I ceased feeling sorry for her. All I can think of is that she is making good money there or else why would she stay. I don't know what the solution is but I know that standing there for months is not the answer.
Posted by akebono | February 10, 2004 2:13 AM
The people who are panhandling generally have an addiction. The real homeless people don't beg.
I don't think that woman you're talking about even makes her own signs. They just leave them for the next junkie. At least it's recycling.
Posted by Alan | February 10, 2004 7:22 AM
Still a toilet as of Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 11, 2004 6:18 PM
Improved by Saturday, 10:40 a.m.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 14, 2004 2:07 PM
The clothes and rags are mostly gone. The wads of toilet paper, etc., remain.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 15, 2004 4:18 PM
I pollster called me the other day and asked what services I suggested we cut now that Measure 30 failed. I told him that we should eliminate fire, police, and ambulance services to those who voted "no" on the Measure. It's not tax-cuts people... it's SERVICE cuts.
Not surprisingly, the pollster told me that most people suggested that we cut homeless services. It's easy to pick on the people who have no voice of their own.
Posted by Karstan | March 15, 2004 11:36 AM