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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 2016)
Drug Clinic Investigation QR code for Portland Observer Online ‘City of Roses’ Volume XLV Number 50 Willie Taggart Era Begins Opioid addiction expert fights to keep doors open Oregon’s new coach aims for a championship See Local News, page 3 See Sports, page 8 www.portlandobserver.com Wednesday • December 14, 2016 Established in 1970 Committed to Cultural Diversity photo by Z achary S enn /t he p ortland o bServer Joe Bennie, 48, stands in front of a small wood structure that provides a library to residents of Hazelnut Grove, the name of a homeless camp that started one year ago on a strip of unused property located between North Interstate and Greeley avenues. Staying Put by Z achary S enn t he p ortland o bServer Just beneath North Interstate Avenue’s rapidly redeveloping landscape lies one of Portland’s most innovative encampments for people experiencing homelessness. Hazelnut Grove took root one year ago as a direct result of City Hall’s declaration of a State of Emergency in dealing with homelessness in Portland which saw a re- laxation of policies that are often construed as criminalizing homelessness. The camp was supposed to be temporarily, but it has persevered through the occasionally vol- atile political climate and a host of other obstacles. The Overlook Neighborhood Associa- tion, which advocates for the surrounding neighborhood, has called on Portland May- or Charlie Hales to honor his commitment to relocate the camp before his term ends later this month. But in the likelihood that won’t happen and Hales making no such pronouncements, Hazelnut Grove resi- dents continue to take actions to enhance their community for the long run. In addition to providing sleeping pods for its residents, Hazelnut Grove has devel- Building a community on a controversial site oped the hallmarks of a thriving communi- ty: a communal and well-decorated gazebo area, a cook-tent filled with propane grills, and a library. Solar panels dot the camp. Hazelnut Grove resident Joe Bennie, a 48-year-old veteran who also serves on the board of directors of the 501(c)(3) non- profit organization that has been set up in support of the community, speaks optimis- tically about future plans for outfitting the camp with more renewable energy sources and rainwater filtration systems. Bennie explains that the homeless camp’s library, which began as a pallet filled with books inside of a tent, was one of the community’s first solid structures: “This is really important… if you’re not educated, you’re not going to figure your way out of this thing.” He takes issue with the neighborhood association’s continued opposition and cites friendships that have been made with nearby residents who have visited the camp who have brought in donations of vi- tal supplies and building materials. In a description that harkens back to Or- c ontinued on p age 5
