Until just a couple months ago, the sidewalk under the burside bridge downtown had been blocked off with caution tape since the summerof 2013. This was the time when Mayor hales took it upon himself to tell peple they could not sleep in doorways. I was sleeping under the burnside bridge at the time and I watched as this caused a massive influx of people- more than could fit. This caused the violence which transpired, not just allowing people to sleep there.
A few years ago a breakthrough international study was published on violence between chimpanzees. The reason it was such a big deal was because the parallels to humans were clear; chimpanzees are the only other known hominid to commit homicides. What the study showed was that violence increased not just with numbers, but more specifically along with availability of resources. With homeless this proves true; fundamentally there is nothing wrong with large numbers, but if you take away peoples freedom and make them fight for a place to sleep then they just might do so.
That center sidewalk used to be a place of refuge for strangers. We had a system in place; people were out of pedestrians way, central city cleaned up in the mornings, and I remember less trash.
Today it is the opposite; you have small pockets of often degenerative and territorial groups who obstruct a heavily trafficked MAX stop, it is trashy, and I don't even feel comfortable going there.
Recently I obtained a copy of the lease agreement for the parking lot underneath the bridge which shows that the center sidewalk is not included in the lease and that PBOT administers the public right of way, but PBOT did not even have a permit on file and the use of yellow caution tape is not permissible to them.
In response to this they did take the tape down, but the cops are still applying the law in a subjective fashion on behalf of the UO foundation who has been illegally blocking off that [center] sidewalk for the last 3.5 years.
The lease stipulates the city need only vote to take that parking lot from them.
We don’t need to spend so much on shuffling the problem around when a diamond in the rough is right under our noses.
The Burnside bridge offers overhead protection from the rain , it is centralized next to resources, and if that parking lot or at least that sidewalk next to the parking lot is again utilized then it it could accommodate many people in a way that is unobtrusive and inoffensive to pedestrians. This helps create a place where homeless and middle class can interact. Then you have understanding rather than resentment growing between the two, without which you're job as mayor basically becomes impossible.
A few years ago a breakthrough international study was published on violence between chimpanzees. The reason it was such a big deal was because the parallels to humans were clear; chimpanzees are the only other known hominid to commit homicides. What the study showed was that violence increased not just with numbers, but more specifically along with availability of resources. With homeless this proves true; fundamentally there is nothing wrong with large numbers, but if you take away peoples freedom and make them fight for a place to sleep then they just might do so.
That center sidewalk used to be a place of refuge for strangers. We had a system in place; people were out of pedestrians way, central city cleaned up in the mornings, and I remember less trash.
Today it is the opposite; you have small pockets of often degenerative and territorial groups who obstruct a heavily trafficked MAX stop, it is trashy, and I don't even feel comfortable going there.
Recently I obtained a copy of the lease agreement for the parking lot underneath the bridge which shows that the center sidewalk is not included in the lease and that PBOT administers the public right of way, but PBOT did not even have a permit on file and the use of yellow caution tape is not permissible to them.
In response to this they did take the tape down, but the cops are still applying the law in a subjective fashion on behalf of the UO foundation who has been illegally blocking off that [center] sidewalk for the last 3.5 years.
The lease stipulates the city need only vote to take that parking lot from them.
We don’t need to spend so much on shuffling the problem around when a diamond in the rough is right under our noses.
The Burnside bridge offers overhead protection from the rain , it is centralized next to resources, and if that parking lot or at least that sidewalk next to the parking lot is again utilized then it it could accommodate many people in a way that is unobtrusive and inoffensive to pedestrians. This helps create a place where homeless and middle class can interact. Then you have understanding rather than resentment growing between the two, without which you're job as mayor basically becomes impossible.
