The only crack we want in the loo is butt cracks.

It's so sad. I hate walking down to the green line (just to go across the river) with my daughter, because of all the crackheads at the bus depot stop.

Sure couldn't see that coming...

Yea last summer sitting at the 6th and Davis intersection, heading West. In just one red light, watched two deals go down right there on the corner at the Max stop.

Not the slightest bit of discretion. People all around, Max train rolling up.

The first guy who bought, walked a couple steps away and lit his pipe up, right there in the open.

I guess what surprised me was the blatant openness of the whole thing. Pretty much indicating what your post is about, that they dont worry to much about being caught.

In San Francisco they have the same kind of toilets and all serve as is public drug houses where drug addicts can use in privacy and if they happen to overdose no need to worry the toilets have built in intercoms to the police department to summon a free ambulance ride subsidized by tax payers.

Does the Portland Loo have these special intercoms too?

Isn't this why the public restrooms in downtown parks were closed a long time ago?

The city has no money for police coverage of Old Town, but has no problem finding hundreds of thousands of dollars at the drop of a hat for an expensive new fire boat and public toilets, all thanks to Randy Leonard. How does this guy get reelected?

I've personally witnessed drug deals there twice: once in the early evening (daylight), and once after dark. The second time, the guy just stood in the Loo's open door while making the deal with another guy standing outside.

Who's "unprofessional": the cop for saying so, or the City Council member who's infamous for proclaiming anybody disagreeing with him as nuts?

"or the City Council member who's infamous for proclaiming anybody disagreeing with him as nuts?" BINGO!

I remember Randy telling people that they were "insane" if they didn't think the Schumacher Fur demonstrators were actually helping the fur business in Portland.

Crack smoking and senseless killings, are all to common in that area. http://portlandcitycenter.katu.com/content/victim-brutal-beating-taken-life-support

"Isn't this why the public restrooms in downtown parks were closed a long time ago?"

Yeah, people seem to forget that things are often the way they are for a reason. And just because we've forgotten that reason, or ignore it, doesn't mean that it wasn't a good reason. For instance, there is a reason that street cars went away the first time.

"I guess what surprised me was the blatant openness of the whole thing."

In Downtown proper it is people smoking pot everywhere. They show not the least bit of concern as they walk down the bus mall smoking a joint. Outsiders and crooks pick up on an absence of authority very quickly.

I'm surprised a non-white cop would suggest non-whites are more likely to engage in cocaine peddling.

If a white cop had said that, his career would be over. And the white cop wouldn't have to worry about listening to all the grief at the next family gathering.

Put surveillance cameras in the loos. Make everyone happy!

This is just sad. No city will ever be pristine, but flat out refusing to enforce the laws/creating an atmosphere where crime can occur and spread (undermanned patrols, the loo, etc.) is a flat out abandonment of the law abiding citizens and businesses that are in that area. The agenda based politics of the Sam Adams', Randy Leonard's, and Chani Geigle-Teller's of the world (m.o.: pick your cause, marshall resources to it, ignore any facts that don't fit the agenda) are killing Portland. I work downtown (law firm row by the Mult. Co. Courthouse and Pioneer Square) and, while not as bad as the situation in Old Town, you see drug use, public urination, and harassment of citizens every day. No wonder the streets are lined with empty storefronts.

When I finished law school, I looked forward to the day I could raise a family and build a life in Portland. This Saturday, I have two appointments to view homes in Vancouver. There's a part of me that wants to stay and fight, because I love what this city once was. Unfortunately, the direction Portland is going is something I want nothing to do with.

NEPguy: . . .There's a part of me that wants to stay and fight, because I love what this city once was. Unfortunately, the direction Portland is going is something I want nothing to do with.

There are many of us who loved what was once our lovely City of Roses. It is not that I am against change, as my interest has been in the future and towards positive change. In my view what we have had here is negative change. So sad. I wonder how many people in our city are thinking just what you wrote about. It is hard to leave, and yet angst to put up with this direction. Do wish you and your family well.

Ultimately, it's going to take a group of businesses and citizens that confronts city hall and says these are our demands, if you don't comply, we are gone in due time.

A city can be cleaned up easily, it just takes a bit of tough love. If it comes to businesses leaving -- then so be it. At this point in time, I would not care if businesses and citizens left in symbolic solidarity to shake things.

People will come back when the city decides to get tough with negative aspects of life that peck away at people's well-being. And open air drug trading, panhandling, graffiti and litter are certainly some of these things that chase away people.

Portland is still a nice city for US perspective, and Old Town has historically been worse than it is now, believe it or not -- but it's still an uncomfortable place to be. I think what pisses people off most about Portland is the crazy potential it has to be a great city for all kinds of people, but there is this impossible hill to climb between the City and its denizens that cannot be climbed. At that point the people who truly care move away and find something positive to do.

I'm not going to go on some anti-bike, anti-bioswale, anti-transit, rant (I actually like some of those things)...but when we do not have enough money for police patrols and lack the political will to take on criminals and whiny "activists"; I wonder what our priorities really are? Certainly it's not to the shop owner who is barely getting by. Maybe when he or she is penniless and asking for change on the street corner they'll finally get a voice from the City.

Portland will find that urbanism simply will not work without safe and clean streets. It is a a complete impossibility. Building the foundation to a beautiful city starts with the basics.

Crack addicts get up early. Damn!

That's because they didn't go to bed

Ultimately, it's going to take a group of businesses and citizens that confronts city hall and says these are our demands, if you don't comply, we are gone in due time.

Most distressing, I believe city hall is honestly convinced that whatever ingrates disagree with their political agenda and actually move away are good riddance and are simply making room for the waves of new arrivals who will look up to them as omnibenevalent and visionary heroes who led the people out of the darkness.

Beyond the irritation and dissappointment, what has me increasingly unnerved and considering jumping ship is the fact that historically, the fist of fate has tended to fall rather heavily in these situations.

We haven't reached bottom yet because we keep re-electing these idiots. Why would a competent candidate run after the smear job on Ball. Two phrases come to mind, "this stuff is incredible" and "you can't make this stuff up"

I honestly can't remember the last time I was in downtown Portland. I do have the misfortune of living two blocks from the border with unincorporated Washington county, and can hardly wait for the day when I can move out of Portland/MultCo.

I share NEP's feelings, as for years I lived in and around downtown, as close in as NE Tillamook, NW 18th, and in what ultimately became NW Trendy Third. Day or night, I always felt comfortable. Unfortunately, over time that went away - actually, I think it started with the shuttering of places like Sack's Front Avenue (Robert Cray, Paul Delay) and Louis Labamba and Last Hurrah (where Frank Zappa showed up after a gig at the Paramount and jammed).

Then, seemingly overnight, the place was filled with punks, drunks, and other non-civil beings. It felt unsafe and unfriendly, and I bought a place in the SW outskirts of town. Had I know then what I know now, I'd have bought two blocks further west; less of my money would be funneled into idiocy.

Pavlov must have rung the bell...

In days gone by, there used to be restroom attendants in Portland's public restrooms. It wouldn't work in a loo, except as a spectator sport, but if a larger facility were set up on the ground floor of a city-owned building in downtown, the city could accept competitive bids from agencies or companies who would them provide work for people. They'd be a presence, keep the facility clean, be in touch with security in the building above and pick up tips from the public. I'd be glad to use a clean restroom with security that actually had toilet paper and soap.

It makes sense to me that one larger bathroom facility in downtown would be less expensive to build, staff and maintain than a bunch of unsecureable loos scattered around town with each only available to one person at a time.