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Eugene’s homeless won’t just go away
Homelessness is a big problem in Eugene
The problem is only going lo get bigger
as time goes by unless something is
done about it. It's a big issue with me
because I've l>een homeless many times I'm cur
rently looking for work, and unless 1 find some
thing quick. I won't be able to pay rent
I vtit through two City Council meetings this
past week, and I have come to the c om tuition
that the city of Kugene is giving lip service to the
problems of homelessness and street crime It's
really got its head in the sand Consider the fol
lowing
On Nov |3. a proposal was discussed for allot
ting $59 million during three years for
"improved" law enforcement Yet. on the same
day. the council rejected a request for one street
light in the Whiteaker neighborhood that would
i hue prostitutes and drug dealers away from
their favorite dark alley hangout
On Nov 15. a grand total of 15 minutes was
spent discussing an idea put forth by Jim Torres
to allow S25.000 to set up a center for the home
less for day-use only Hut the rest of the meeting
was dedii n!i’<l to a disj ussion between two gen
tlemen from the city planning office who wanted
to spend $"00,000 ($520,000 more than the
$180,000 originally budgeted) to remodel the
downtown plarn area Where all this extra money
is going to c ome from is beyond me
Am I the only one who thinks something is out
of lialaniai here?
A day-use • enter for the homeless is a good
idea, but ( ertamly not a solution Where do they
go at night ' They go to abandoned houses and
porches of homes, churches and businesses.
Refusing to fund the car camp was a had move
because now residents are complaining about
cars and buses parked in their neighborhoods
A lot of people say. "Well, what about the Mis
sion >" People who have stayed there know that
the huge tie Mission is not an option (or lots of
people bourns*) of theft and other reasons. Send
ing homeless people from church to < hurt h or to
Whitebird isn't the solution either
t he downtown area has already hod millions
of tax dollars poured into it So why keep throw
ing more money into it. when if* basically fine
COMMENTARY
just the way it I*7 I'm sure most taxpayers would
rather have their money go to something more
constructive. Why not take pi*! half of the pro
posed extra SS20.00G and improve our streets by
spending it on the homeless situation7
Here are my suggestions
• Build a homeless shelter or remodel an
existing building for that purpose. There am lots
of empty buildings around, such os the old
i hurt.h on 17th Avenue and Columbia Street, or
if not that building, then one like it 1 will even
help with the construction. Just pay me
• The car camp needs to t»> funded It's not a
proper place to provide showers, bathroom use.
or phone use (especially for those who don't own
a car).
• Support churches that are willing to provide
shelter on a rotating basis Offer this two nights a
week, with supper at night unci a good breakfast
in the morning to get peoples' day off to n good
start All that's needed for a bed is a three inch
thick foam pad to throw on the floor This way,
taxpayers know exactly where their money is
going not for cash payments, but for meals and
a place out of the cold for people to sleep.
• Provide GKD classes and vocational rehabili
tation. so people c an learn a trade and get a job so
they won't be on the streets.
We would all like to think that the problems of
the big city c ould never afflict us here ill Eugene.
II the city continues on its present course of
denial and spends the extra 5520.000 to Improve
the downtown plaza area to attrac t businesses,
customers w ill only get scared away by the
homeless who hong out down there daily. And
the businesses will move out because the city
hasn't solved the homeless problem.
I ask you. Eugene City Council, mayor, c ity
manager and taxpayers, where are your priori
ties?
Knit A Faun4, a Eugene resident, is try ing his best
to keep from becoming homeless again
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