Right 2 Dream Too rallies at City Hall on World Homeless Day
On Twitter: #WorldHomelessDay
PORTLAND, Ore. - A small group of demonstrators gathered outside Portland City Hall on Wednesday to not only bring the issues of homelessness to the forefront on World Homeless Day, but also to rally against fines from the city. The rally was organized by Right 2 Dream Too, a homeless rest area at Northwest 4th and Burnside in Old Town. Wednesday also marked the one-year anniversary of the rest area, which is a temporary place where those on the street can find refuge. The rest area has been fined by the city for code violations and the rally was part of the ongoing effort by its organizers to get those fines lifted. We also asked Fay to comment on some of the misconceptions that folks might have about the Right 2 Dream Too rest area on Burnside, which is marked by a barrier of doors that were erected to cordon off the block for tents and structures. And what does the rest area mean for those who do not have a place to call home? "By having the rest area, people feel a sense of empowerment and that they are not necessarily being forgotten," Fay said. "That we do have people surrounding them that care, that are looking out for their best interest, that want to uplift you and empower you to do better." Following the rally, the Right 2 Dream Too group headed into City Hall to testify before the City Council. Hubbell also asked that the city understand that the Right 2 Dream Too rest area is working and is something that he feels is beneficial for the homeless community. Resources
We talked to Right 2 Dream Too board member Lisa Fay about the group's message. While they were there first and foremost to try to get the fines waived, they also wanted people to realize that homelessness is still a big problem in Portland.
"(We want) to bring awareness to the fact that people in the city who are homeless still don't have places to go," Fay said. "We want people to understand that the shelter systems have waiting lists and that they are often three to six months and there is no place for people to go in the meantime."
"There's not enough affordable housing," Fay added. "We're not saying that we're a social service or an end all to the houseless situation, but we are one cost effective way to get houseless people off the street and into an area that's safe and secure for them."
"The fear that drugs and violence and destruction of property would increase because we are there," she said. "So far, it has gone down. We police the whole block, not just our block. We keep the partying crowd on the weekends under control."
The Right 2 Dream Too rest area at Northwest 4th and Burnside in downtown Portland (photo by Shannon L. Cheesman, KATU.com Producer/Reporter.
In addition to the morning rally outside City Hall, Right 2 Dream Too organized other events throughout the day. An open house with lunch and cake is planned at the camp from noon to 2 p.m., followed by a fashion show at 3 p.m. There will also be a sleeping bag and blanket drive. The public is welcome to participate in any of the day's activities.
Mark Hubbell, a member of the group, was one of those who spoke to the mayor and city council members. His message was a heartfelt plea for the city to understand its homeless population.
"They really are very caring and very substantial people," he said. "They have a lot to offer. Society will not see it this way and does not see it this way. We are termed invisible. We've been made to be invisible and this is an absolute injustice against not only our universal, but constitutional, right."
Mark Hubbell, a member of Right 2 Dream Too, addresses the Portland City Council on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012. KATU photo.
"I go out on outreaches every week and I see these people. I look them in the eye. I ask them how they are doing. And we talk about what we can do for them - the services that we can provide. And they are very simple stuff - help us get in touch with the job market, help us get in touch with social services, help us get a blanket or a little bit of food."
I have a right to dream 2, but thankfully, most of them don't come true, even if they're in color!
Portland has a problem because they cater to these people. Â Quit catering to them and they will go away. Â Seattle doesn't have anywhere near the problem there because they don't cater to these losers. Â Portland, a city full of weirdos and losers and it just keeps getting worse.
For a minute there Sam got really excited. Then he found out it was "World Homeless Day", and not something else.
@Beergod haha funny....see my sarcasm? You sat on your head again.....
*All* these people are doing is allowing shiftless bums, layabouts, and drunks to be parasites on our society.
 @Derek2mk Ya the phrase "affordable housing" I believe is code for... I want other people to pay for where I live.
@FreedomRocks @Derek2mk I believe affordable housing implies that there be housing available for affordable rents. Let's look at hypothetical couple, husband and wife, and let's assume that Husband works, earning $30K a year, which is $2500 a month, and the wife stays at home to care for their two children. What kind of apartment or house do you think they could raise their family in, while in the Portland metro area, without the rent being almost 50% of the GROSS paycheck?!
 @pdxd Add on to that the $1500 a month a healthy family has to pay for medical insurance to a for-profit corporations that a certain party passed and it's surprising a family can eat.
 @pdxd  @FreedomRocks  @Derek2mk I'm sure they could find affordable housing in some other state. People should be aware that living in Oregon is expensive, and not everyone can afford it here.
Seasonal employment means you have to save money during the
busy season so you can live during the lean months. Not everybody realizes this, and they end up not being able to pay rent... ending up on the street.
 This is not the fault of the rental owners, or the business owners. This is the fault of people not thinking and living beyond their means.
Maybe they should! They do in China!
@FreedomRocks @Derek2mk Have you looked at the cost for a daycare/babysitter if mom went to work? Quite often, the cost for full time daycare offsets a large portion of the income the second parent may earn. And while supply and demand plays a role somewhat, it seems that there are no shortages of apartment complexes advertising vacancies, so apparently there must be some supply available in the market place. And with regards to jobs or skillsets, have you considered what the annual income of a bank teller is, or what the annual income of a medical assistant is? I mean, seriously, the 2011 annual household median income was $50102, if you factor in both parents working, that breaks out to about $25000 a year per parent, plus the cost of housing, food, medical care, and child care. And if it were up to me, I would absolutely ask for people to sign a pledge not to pop out kids until they can afford them, but guess what, married couples quite often have unprotected sex even if they are in their 20's, and quite often birth control may go against their religion. And we sure don't want the government intervening into peoples marriages telling them they have to put a condom on the husband, or put the wife on a pill until they can afford babies, especially if their religion opposes such actions.
 @pdxd  @FreedomRocks  @Derek2mk Since the market dictates the rent rates again what you're asking for is to have someone else help pay for their housing.
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They made the life style choice to have kids when they couldn't afford it, have mom not work, or had unprotected sex because it felt good and ended up with kids they did not want.
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They likely may have also made the choice to not try to increase their work skills to get a better job possibly because of previously bad choices limiting that option.
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What happened to personal responsibility?
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Move to a location where the cost of living is less, only have kids when you can afford to, etc...
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Again you are asking the rest of us to subsidize their lifestyle choices...
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If you have not been down to the Right 2 Dream Too location then you should go visit.
It is an massive eyesore of drug addicts who harass people for money and make the entire block smell like urine. I was there last week and a man would not let me pass on the sidewalk until I gave him money. I had to get a cop involved just so I could catch a bus on that corner.
Fay, is full of it. This area is horrible and it is just more Ocutard idiots wanting equal rights for people who want to reject formal society. I agree with everyone who said GET A JOB.
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My vote is to level the place and help out the people of Portland who actually contribute to society. Don't believe Fay's lies, the people at Right 2 Dream Too are low class junkies who have no desire to ever get off the streets and work.
@Poochie If they want to see how to do it legally, look no further than to Dignity Village which complies with city codes. And it is out of the downtown area which helps to keep the riff-raff junkie/alcoholics away.Â
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I am sure most of Chinatown and other businesses would love to see this eyesore on 4th and Burnside get relocated somewhere else.
"(We want) to bring awareness to the fact that people in the city who are homeless still don't have places to go," Fay said"
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May I suggest, Â part of the answer lies with getting a JOB !! Â Does your group do anything to train people for JOBS ?
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@bat54 Go find employers that are willing to offer employment to these people who currently do not have permanent residences, and then ask the group to job train. Somehow, I don't think employers are reacting with a great deal of enthusiasm to simply hire someone off the street that currently has no address.
Open the door for affordable housing......hmmmm? Define affordable. To some, that means more free stuff. To others, it means, something that isn't a palace, but in a decent/safe area that I can afford to buy and invest in my future.
@Kachina I would agree to something that is decent/safe, and doesn't consume more than 50% of net-income from a full time job paying above minimum wage, to me that would be affordable housing.
I'm sorry, but the whole point of being homeless is...well...YOU'RE HOMELESS!!! Get a freakin job and stop complaining! I'm sick and tired of this whole Occupy Movement also! If you would use just half as much of that energy and time you use for complaining, you might just move up the ladder and be successful. I don't make 70K per year because I didn't work hard. It might not be that much to others, but I'm damn proud of it. Especially since I only have a 2 year degree. I've worked my butt off with what was given to me and always strived to be the best at what my talents are. I've gone the extra mile when needed. It's not easy to stand out and get ahead in the corporate world, but I never expected a hand out either. Stop thinking you are too good to do that job or this job...just do it, do your best, go the extra mile, get recognized and move on!
The local shopping center has a "No Loitering" sign at the lot exit. Although it's been there several months, so has the handful of people with signs in their hands requesting handouts! I never ever see them get any. Of course, since its on private property, there is no enforcement of any panhandling ordinances. These folks cannot be homeless. I'm sure they go home at the end of the day, counting all their accumulated cash. Must use some of it for smokes, as they are always doing that when I see them.
Portland has evolved into the Pacific NW version of San Francisco... Â and "handout heaven" isn't working for them, either... Â Assistance, whether by the gov't, a church, or a private organization, needs to be a hand-UP, not a hand-OUT. Â Â And a hand-UP means that there is something contributed by BOTH parties (allowances being made, of course,. for physical/mental limitations). Â Â
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People rarely place much value that which is simply handed to them; long-term welfare destroys self-respect , initiative, self-worth, and any and all desire and motivation to improve one's own life. Â Â With hand-outs, you are, in effect, telling that person "You do not have any value to us as a society, so we're just going to give you (whatever) so you'll go away and stay docile and quiet." Â What you end up with are people who know no other way of life other than "living on the dole". Â
Too many professional homeless young people in Portland for me to worry about, frankly. There's this young couple that sits in front of the Safeway on NE broadway day in and day out. They've been there since summer, and it's all they do -- just sit there with a sign looking at you like you should feel guilty if you don't give them some money. Months have passed since I first encountered them, and yesterday one of them said to me, "Man, I froze my butt off last night." I just walked on by, completely guilt free. As far as I'm concerned, nature is just trying to tell the guy something.
Duh! Great headline, KATU. But if they have nowhere to go, isn't that why they're homeless?
@jpk Same thing I was thinking. Way to go KATU!
There are two different kinds of homeless. Â There are those who fall on hard times. Â Perhaps their department gets shut down- due to the economy. Â And because of that, they are down to their last couple hundred dollars to last them through the month. Â As they are looking for work, their engine light comes on, and it turns out that they need a $1200 repair to keep their car alive to look for work. Â Then there are those who sign up for housing, welfare and food stamps, owing thousands in back child support to the kids they already have, yet shack up with another person, and continue procreating on more kids with the other person who already has two from previous relationships- all while working maybe 12 hours a week, so they can buy their cigarettes and alcohol with. The state won't look into those cases, but will allow those parasites to live off the program anyways. It sickens me. Â That is the difference though between people needing a hand up and those living off of hand outs.
 @pdxd I totally agree with you.  And hopefully, this is the message I conveyed as well.
 @pdxd What I was basically saying, is that the ones who are taking advantage of the system, are using up desperately-needed resources.  When those truly needing to get on the system try to get help, they are met with closed waiting lists, because of those who are abusing the system and taking advantage of it for all that they can.
@My2Cents I wasn't sure if you would agree, or think it was going to become a debate. I'm not really sure if there is a vast majority out in the world that are trying to abuse the welfare system as may have been the case 20-30 years ago. Maybe I haven't spent time in the areas of cities in the past 10 years where you would find people that are living to take advantage of the system, but it seems that a large portion of the people currently on the assistance programs are simply people trying to get by. There are always a few bad seeds in every bunch. I'd like to think that in general, the good outweighs the bad.
@My2Cents Based on your 2 cents, I'd like to offer my 2 cents, okay? You can run for office and try to reform the programs to ensure that only the people who are ernestly trying to survive get assistance, and people who abuse the system are taking off the meal train. I think the number of people receiving hardship assistance and would like to be in a position to no longer receive assistance outweighs the number of people who are trying to manipulate and abuse the system.
@pdxd  Ignorance must be bliss. LOL Â
@MrAchilles Can you provide me with an example of that "ignorance"?
And this would be aside from those mentally challenged to the point that they are unable to meet the challenges of life itself.
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 @My2Cents As a hard-core nonreligious financial conservative I have no problem helping out those who truly need it through no misfortune of their own making. I could even be convinced to try to help out those who caused their own misfortune but not on an endless basis.
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It's so sad when the system gets overrun by those that are just too worthless, unmotivated and lazy taking them funds away from those who deserve help.
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What really makes it a complete tragedy is when the political leaders (Obama and others) now take advantage of those same people for political gains rather than try to fix the system making sure the money only goes to those who truly need it.
The problem with many of the homeless is they prefer living irresponsible lives and asking someone else to take care of them. As pdxd said so eloquently, lets give a hand up to those that want it, help those that can't help themselves, and leave the rest to their own devices. But let's stop giving the proverbial hand out!
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The problem with the politicals and government employees is they believe everyone wants to get off the streets and live in an orderly society. They think if you make it comfortable for the homeless they will help themselves. Not so, and there are decades of failed attempts that prove my point. Portland has become a west coast magnet for the "homeless by choice" because of the social programs, mild winters, and lack of law enforcement.Â
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The far too numerous safety nets in our society have become hammocks for those that are unwilling to conform, be productive and contributing citizens of our society, and/or take responsibility for themselves. The sooner we recognize this the sooner we can begin to address the problem and stop treating the symptoms. The "homeless by choice" detract from the city and create areas where those paying the tab are unsafe.Â
@I812 I appreciate props from you for my earlier comment. I absolutely think that for those that are able to create a better life, we offer a hand up, and guide them in that direction, for those that for mental or physical reasons may not be able to work, the government should give them a hand up to the resources to have a better quality of life than on the street. Now, with regards to the people who just want to sprawl out on a sidewalk, and take advantage of churches who provide them with meals, and are perfectly content wandering around unkept and in a daze with no vision as to a life goal, I say we find somewhere else for them to go. I don't know where we could send them, but I think we need to discourage professional slackers from clogging our sidewalks, and encourage those who are willing to work for something better or can't work to be able to have something better than the current situation.
@pdxd We are on the same page. If Portland truly wants to get rid of those who are not interested in helping themselves they have to make it uncomfortable for them; no free meals, no handouts, no bad weather shelters, no illegal camping, etc. They will go where it is friendlier.
For those who want resources to overcome their homelessness, and want to obtain work, and be self sufficient, I think we as a nation should offer a hand to help them up. For those who for physical or mental reasons are unable to obtain work, we as a nation should offer a hand to help them get the resources to have a better way of life. For those who are homeless, and don't wish for either of the options, I offer option C, go fend for yourself, stay off the sidewalk, don't leak in the grass, and don't dooty on the sidewalk.
This is already in place. Time to reinvent to wheel.
@MrAchilles Show me where it's already in place. Show me.
 @pdxd Well said.
@DeaconBugg Thanks! Every so often, I pop out a gem.
The rich game the system just as much as the poor.
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There are always bad eggs, and they tend to be the most visible, but there are thousands of good, honest people, 100% willing to work who are homeless in the area.
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Yes, some will take advantage but that is more acceptable to me then letting good people live like that. It irritates me a lot less than millionaires parking their money off shore to avoid taxes.
Too bad Portland doesn't have real winters. The cold would weed these parasites out. The City needs to kick them out. Get some jobs, and quit complaining
tell them to head south to California
The article says that they want fines for code violations lifted. I am curious if they have the place up to code now, and if not, what does it take to abide by the safety code.
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The city does have a legal liability if it purposely allows a housing area to operate under unsafe conditions.
A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.Â
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-C. Powell
Go occupy a JOB
I have a low income housing place at the corner of my street.. So far 2 shooting, saw a guy running around with a bat, huge fireworks at the 4th, 2 meth cook busts, and lots of yelling at 2am.
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Great stuff to live next to. these people should be banned from the city. terrible people.
 @iamright555Â
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TNT arrested a guy for murder in a "Section 8" home near where I live.
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When he got back from jail (released on bond), he cut his monitor, set fire to the house and ran off in the middle of the night.
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The Russian family who owned and rehabbed the house just tore it down. That guy worked years on that house to make it really nice. He thought it as a good idea to have low income renters because "The state pays so I am guaranteed to get my rent money".
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People who donât work for what they have often donât respect what they got.
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@Repoman Growing up, there was an income-restricted duplex at the end of the street. Off and on, there were good and bad seeds up there. The most memorable though, was a good seed, she was our paper-delivery person in the neighborhood, and even though she was trying to support two teenagers, she always seemed happy to be delivering the papers, kept the yard tended well. I think the primary problem with the affordable housing/income restricted housing, is that the regulations regarding the housing don't provide enough rights for the landlord to evict problem tennants.