Opinion | Portland’s Struggle to Solve Its Homeless Crisis

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To the Editor:

Re “A Homeless Disaster Is a Take a look at of Portland’s Identification” (entrance web page, July 29):

Your article about homeless issues in Portland, Ore., was a slap within the face to an awesome metropolis that’s truly having a renaissance.

This turned an awesome metropolis as a result of folks right here cared about group, historic preservation and good metropolis planning. And we nonetheless do.

I’ve been strolling downtown for the previous three years and have hardly ever felt uncomfortable. This summer time we’re recovering. Now we have clear streets, cultural occasions, farmers markets, and new outlets and eating places. Now we have vibrant museums and Portland State College.

Foot visitors is up. Hundreds attended the Starlight Parade in June, and downtown is usually full of folks having fun with themselves. However this doesn’t promote papers. We deserve higher.

I’m a third-generation Portlander who won’t ever quit on my metropolis, and I’m not alone!

Linda McKim-Bell
Portland, Ore.

To the Editor:

Whereas this text rightly stresses the function of medicine, particularly fentanyl, in exacerbating the homeless disaster in Portland, it doesn’t absolutely account for the impression on the lives of the housed.

Murders of the homeless are documented, however how concerning the assaults by the homeless on different residents and vacationers? The impression of the unhoused on native companies? The precise of taxpayers to anticipate clear, secure, and accessible streets and public areas?

The (fortunately) shelved Oregon Home Invoice 3501, euphemistically generally known as the Proper to Relaxation Act, would have allowed tent cities and tenting to be completely authorized throughout Oregon and made it unlawful for anybody to harass a camper, regardless of the place they pitched their tent.

Now we have lengthy supported progressive causes, however in Portland progressive has turn out to be permissive, giving the impression that right here you are able to do what you need, the place you need, while you need.

When these of us ailing geared up to take care of the addicted and mentally ailing complain about conduct, we’re accused of getting no compassion and advised the state of affairs is difficult.

The present state of affairs here’s a microcosm of the broader failure of presidency at each degree — metropolis, county, state and federal — to offer enough assist for these affected by psychological well being and substance abuse points. As an alternative, officers insist on perpetuating the facile notion that affordability alone is the first explanation for homelessness. Each the unhoused and the housed deserve higher.

Stan Vernon
Tom Fischer
Portland, Ore.

To the Editor:

This text, whereas transferring, sadly indulges in unwarranted stereotypes about homelessness in Portland. Particularly, after recounting the story of a Tennessee couple who had heard that “town provided beneficiant homeless providers,” the article cites “authorities information” demonstrating “Portland’s lure” for homeless folks.

The cited information, in a 2019 report, demonstrates no such factor. Based on the survey, solely 7 p.c of the homeless inhabitants report transferring to Portland to entry providers, whereas the share of individuals not born within the space is roughly the identical for unsheltered folks and the inhabitants as a complete.

Housing prices drive homelessness, a degree demonstrated within the June 2023 examine on homelessness accomplished by the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative on the College of California, San Francisco.

Homelessness is difficult, however we can’t clear up the issue if we maintain blaming “these folks” for an issue whose root trigger is unaffordable housing.

Luke Habberstad
Eugene, Ore.

To the Editor:

Re “Trump Faults ‘Woke’ Crew for U.S. Loss at World Cup” (information article, Aug. 8):

I needed to learn this headline twice as a result of at first I assumed I had misinterpret it. The American ladies’s soccer group misplaced to Sweden within the World Cup on Sunday. It behooves all People to applaud their efforts, and thank them for a valiant battle.

However within the thoughts of Donald Trump, the loss “was absolutely emblematic of what’s taking place to the our as soon as nice Nation below Crooked Joe Biden.” He added: “WOKE EQUALS FAILURE. Good shot Megan, the USA goes to Hell!!! MAGA.”

In contrast, President Biden congratulated the group: “I’m wanting ahead to seeing the way you proceed to encourage People together with your grit and willpower — on and off the sphere.”

Athletes give their all to win: their hearts, their souls, their commitments and even, sadly, generally their lives. The concept an American ex-president would use this defeat to brag, to meet his must get retribution, fulfill his personal political aspirations and attraction to his base, is past the pale.

The extent that Mr. Trump sinks to so usually ought to disqualify him from future workplace. Sadly, maybe simply the other is occurring.

Doris Fenig
Floral Park, N.Y.

To the Editor:

Re “Supreme Courtroom’s Facet Hustle: Thousands and thousands’ Price of E book Offers” (entrance web page, July 28):

Spare me the indignation. Supreme Courtroom justices ought to be capable to write a e book similar to some other particular person. If publishers wish to pay them some huge cash, that’s our free-market system at work. Utilizing court docket assets improperly is one other matter. However writing a e book — why not?

Candace Singer
Port Washington, N.Y.

To the Editor:

Re “Drug Trade Fights to Block Talks on Costs” (entrance web page, July 23):

The White Home’s value negotiations will possible incentivize firms to make fewer “me too” medicine, medicines which have slight variations from an present prototype. That’s a horrible consequence.

Much more disturbing are the general public well being specialists’ devaluation of “me too” medicine by deeming them as not “clinically significant.” As if our sickest sufferers endure from too many decisions, when the precise reverse is true.

A survivor of a number of sclerosis, I can attribute my significant life to a “me too” drug. As can numerous others who require choices B, C and D for any of the 1000’s of ailments and not using a recognized remedy. When your baby is heroically preventing a shedding battle towards leukemia with the one drug obtainable, you’ll want, pray, demand another choice, or two, and even three.

Politicians assume the best way to resolve the issue of well being care prices is to choke off the event of cures. In actuality, what we’d like are extra arrows of their quivers, not further nails for his or her coffins.

John Czwartacki
Washington
The author is the founding father of Survivors for Options, a affected person advocacy group.

To the Editor:

Re “Ever-Shrinking Pac-12 Loses Oregon and Washington to the Massive Ten” (Sports activities, Aug. 5):

The demise of the Pac-12 Convention (right down to 4 colleges as of this writing) must be the top of the student-athlete charade.

Organising nationwide athletic conferences is all about greed. The schools concerned get oodles of cash and the student-athletes get stiffed. The scholars are much less and fewer college students and extra merely athletes touring cross-country interminably to ply their commerce.

The federal government must step in and implement our labor legal guidelines in order that the so-called college students receives a commission at the least the minimal wage and additional time for each hour they spend away from dwelling touring, and are given the suitable to barter to be paid their highest worth within the market. And the schools want to start out paying taxes on the companies they’re operating.

Jim McManus
Phoenix