The Supreme Court Should Be Ashamed for Criminalizing Homelessness.(inequality.org)

I’m also from Portland. This is quite accurately describes the reality here. Homeless encampments cause a lot of problems, and it’s gotten out of control. I’m not blaming homeless people, it’s a systemic problem, but denying the reality of the situation doesn’t help anyone. Tents on sidewalks get in the way of pedestrians (especially physically disabled people), fires get out of control and spread, and hazardous waste gets left behind.

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exanime@lemmy.world

1 point

3 months ago

I’m not really denying that part (can’t know, not in Portland)

The issue here is whether criminalizing homelessness is an appropriate (and empathetic) solution.

I don’t doubt it inconveniences you or other non homeless people. But the real victims here are those with no choice but to live in absolute squalor who are now on the sights of the police

You or the other poster saying " but it’s really really smelly" is not really the question here

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pingveno@lemmy.world

0 points

3 months ago

Okay, but I feel like you’re still dismissing it as merely an inconvenience as opposed to an actual problem. Obviously it sucks far more to be in the position of being homeless, but if there are solutions available then I don’t think a person should be making sidewalks dangerous to able bodied pedestrians and potentially impassable to physically disabled pedestrians just because they don’t feel like using a tiny home. I’m all for trying to do something to help, I voted in favor of taxing myself for homeless services, I’ve volunteered, but I’m getting compassion fatigue after many years of this. If someone outright is making Portland a worse place to live in while rejecting the smorgasbord of services, I just don’t have much patience left. But a person who is accepting services and working to get out of homelessness, that I am more than fine with.

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exanime@lemmy.world

1 point

3 months ago

Okay, but I feel like you’re still dismissing it as merely an inconvenience as opposed to an actual problem

I am, not because I don’t agree it’s a real problem but because I think the focus should be on helping the homeless and solve the problem. Not addressing the concern of non homeless people who think jailing the homeless and getting them out of view is a solution

because they don’t feel like using a tiny home

Again, you are the one making light of the problem. As if the majority of the homeless people have great solutions but they just feel it’s best to fuck around.

When you face a chronically depressed person do you really ask them “have you tried smiling?”

If someone outright is making Portland a worse place to live in while rejecting the smorgasbord of services, I just don’t have much patience left

So you claim there are homes, mental health assistance, etc for all 6000+ homeless in Portland but they just rather live in a dumpster? It’s all just their choice?..

Claims like that is why nobody takes your Croc tears seriously here

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pingveno@lemmy.world

1 point

3 months ago

There aren’t enough resources, at least not yet. The Portland metro area passed a levy in 2020 that is collecting hundreds of millions of dollars per year to fund services for homeless people. This includes build outs of various types of short term housing, preventative measures like rent assistance, and mental health services. There are resources and people do get out of homelessness.

There are also related efforts like just building more affordable housing, such as the large hollywoodHub project near a light rail station. A stabilization of housing prices should help people avoid becoming homeless to begin with. Just avoiding homelessness can be huge because a period of homelessness can a lasting impact. For example, one person in an article was discussing developing an addiction to sleep medication that she was using because sleeping in a tent is absurdly stressful.

My beef isn’t with someone where they tried and the system failed them. My beef is when the system is actively trying to help them, like when there are people specifically for helping them access housing and services, and they refuse help. It’s the whole “your fist ends where my nose begins” principle, having freedoms doesn’t mean being an unlimited license to acquire common spaces that people need to use.

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exanime@lemmy.world

1 point

3 months ago

My beef isn’t with someone where they tried and the system failed them. My beef is when the system is actively trying to help them, like when there are people specifically for helping them access housing and services, and they refuse help

And in your mind, this is the majority of the homeless people in Portland?

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