1) Update on homeless camps
2) Overlook Neighborhood Association Meeting (Feb. 16)
3) Take a romantic walk in the park on Valentine’s Day
4) Presidents’ Day swimming at Portland Parks pools (Feb. 15)
5) Earthquake Preparedness Summit coming to Overlook
At a City Council work session on Monday, Mayor Charlie Hales’ chief of staff Josh Alpert unveiled the long-awaited plan to address homelessness in Portland. They portray it as a four-pronged approach, but really there’s a hidden fifth prong that is crucial to Overlook Neighborhood (see below).
Portland Business Journal published a story about the plan this week that includes an online poll. It’s unscientific, but with more than 400 respondents so far, 90 percent oppose the city’s camping plans.
You can read the city’s complete “Safe Sleep Policy Overview,” but in summary, the four measures are:
- Safe sleep: People can sleep on sidewalks in groups of up to six people. They may not erect tents or entirely block a sidewalk. On city right of way other than sidewalks and other remnant properties, campers may erect tents from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Organized, city-sanctioned camping: The city will partner with charitable organizations that have experience working with the homeless to run larger camps with tents and structures. The city is still working to identify potential sites for these camps. The camps must be organized with a code of conduct. The city will provide some basic services like restrooms, trash pickup and water.
- Organized, city-sanctioned Car/RV camping: Partner organizations such as churches may allow car/RV camping in their parking lots. The city would provide restrooms and sanitation.
- Shelter: The city hopes to develop more shelter space in the long term, but how and where have not been determined. This portion of the strategy remains undeveloped.
It is important to note that as of now the city will not allow camping in parks. It also intends for this to be a six-month to one-year trial program.
The fifth prong, not mentioned in the overview, applies to Hazelnut Grove in Overlook Neighborhood and a couple of other established camps. Mayor Hales’ office says that these camps will be grandfathered in and issued permits without any oversight or assistance from a sponsoring charitable organization. They will exist outside the “Safe Sleep Policy” system. The use permit for Hazelnut Grove is still taking shape.
OKNA Board Chair Dannielle Herman and board member Chris Trejbal will meet with representatives from the mayor’s office and Hazelnut Grove next week to discuss requirements and restrictions to be included in the permit.
Next week’s Overlook Update will include a report on how things go at the meeting.
OKNA also has been discussing the camping plan with other neighborhoods. At a meeting of neighborhood leaders from across Portland this week, there was widespread concern about the mayor’s plan and the failure to engage with neighborhoods. They are starting to realize that this is a challenge that confronts all of Portland and that it’s important that we get it right in Overlook so that ineffective practices do not spread.
OKNA will continue to work with neighborhoods to present a united voice condemning the mayor’s go-it-alone approach. If Portland truly wants to solve its homelessness crisis, it must bring all stakeholders to the table and work with neighborhoods to develop real solutions.
Finally, the OKNA Board recently voted to endorse the Welcome Home Coalition which is working to build affordable housing infrastructure with at least 40,000 homes affordable to Portland Metro area families.
2) Overlook Neighborhood Association Meeting (Feb. 16)
Residents of Overlook Neighborhood should plan to attend the monthly OKNA meeting on Tuesday. A full agenda will include reports on street parking and the city’s plans that include possibly requiring permits. Sgt. Greg Stewart of Portland Police also will be on hand to present an update on neighborhood crime data and plans for changing patrols in Overlook.
OKNA General Meeting (Agenda)
Tuesday, Feb. 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Kaiser Town Hall (3704 N Interstate Ave.)
3) Take a romantic walk in the park on Valentine’s Day
Sunday is Valentine’s day, and the Portland Parks Foundation has put out its list of top romantic parks in the city. Making the list is North Portland’s Peninsula Park, about which the foundation wrote:
Over 10,000 crocus blooms will delight you and your date in this historic park known for its summer rose displays. If it is drizzling during your visit, the National Heritage designated pavilion is a great place to sip hot chocolate and overlook the gardens.
Check out the entire list online.
4) Presidents’ Day swimming at Portland Parks pools (Feb. 15)
Don’t have work or school? Don’t worry Portland Parks and Recreation will open its pools for the day. There will be both open swim and family swim sessions.
Open swims are for all ages. Non-swimmers and children under 48 inches tall must be supervised in the water by an adult swimmer.
During Family Swim sessions, children under 18 years old must be accompanied in the water by a parent or guardian.
A complete list of open pools and hours is available online. Closest to Overlook are Matt Dishman Pool (1:15-3:45 p.m. for Open Play Swim) and Columbia Pool (11:30-1 p.m. Family Swim and 4-8 p.m. Open Play Swim).
5) Earthquake Preparedness Summit coming to Overlook
Your Overlook neighbors want everyone to be prepared for a major earthquake and able to rebound quickly. We need to connect with each other to leverage our collective resources to help us adapt to and overcome the unexpected. Whether it’s growing your own food, connecting more closely with neighbors, or building relationships with emergency responders, perhaps the best part about building resilience is that its benefits can be enjoyed almost immediately, not just when disaster strikes.
Sustainable Overlook has joined up with Overlook’s Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET) and Multnomah County’s Schools Uniting Neighborhoods to organize a day of discussion and active education about ways we can build our preparation and resiliency at the scale of our homes, our streets and our neighborhoods.
New American will provide lunch for $7 per person.
Send questions to sustainable@overlookneighborhood.org.
